Sahir Ludhianvi’s Incomplete Love

‘Voh afsaana jise anjaam tak laanaa na ho mumkin Use ‘ek khuubsuurat mod de kar chhodna achhaa’… These lyrics of Sahir Ludhianvi bear a stark resemblance to how he lived his life full of uncertainties and loneliness. Even though the celebrated poet has been with many women in his life, he never married any of them. His incomplete love story with famous Punjabi poetess Amrita Pritam is most notable and well documented in the latter’s autobiography. She has fearlessly confessed her love for him. Although the above words from a song in the movie Gumrah were rumored to be written for Amrita, the poet never really confessed his love for her. On the 8th of March, which also happens to be his birthday, Raaga.com unfolds his tragic love story. In an interview,

A Poignant Tale of Unrequited Love

Love in Verse: Sahir & Amrita’s Story

Akshay Manwani, author of the book Sahir Ludhianvi: The People’s Poet, said that Amrita Pritam was an infatuation with him after their very first meeting at a Mushaira (poet convention) in 1944. Later, Amrita candidly acknowledged, “I could never comprehend my affection for Sahir, whether it was due to his arresting poetry or his mute gaze, but I was captivated by him.” Akshay Manwani further enlightens,

The Silent Bond: Sahir Ludhianvi & Amrita Pritam

Amrita Pritam’s parents married her off to Pritam Singh However, a rebellious Amirta parted ways with him and daringly continued to have relations with Sahir, but this relation was never physical. It was chaste. The two shared communication through letters and occasionally met.” Akshay adds further, “Amrita was madly in love with him and in her letters to him would address him as ‘Mera Shayar,’ ‘Mera Mehboob,’ ‘Mera Khuda,’ and ‘Mera Devta.’ Even though she was very open about her affection for him, he never reciprocated appropriately, and she felt dejected. She decided to move on to the famous painter Imroz, who was besotted by her. In spite of her relationship with the painter, the Padma Vibhushan-winning poetess continued her passion for Sahir.