Siddiqui, who was sitting in his home study in four bungalows area of Mumbai, says, “What a person was (what a man re).” Once a center of activity was his study where creative minds like MF Hussain and Yash Chopra met and spent hours.
Siddiqui, who has left journalism during the Emergency to follow her passion for creative writing, has seen 83 summer, but her eyes throw light on the mention of Satyajit Ray like a young man. Veteran filmmaker introduced Siddiqui with cinema Shatranja’s Khiladi In 1977.
Javed with Siddiqui with Satyajit Ray Shatranja’s Khiladi
Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Ray committed to producer Suresh Jindal to make a Hindi film. But he wanted a story in which he had his roots in the north, “he did not want to customize a bungalow story as the ideal in those days,” Siddiqui remembers. A fan of Premchand’s writing, initially, wanted to adapt to Ray Kafan, But when he came to know that Mrinin Sen had already decided to convert the short story into a Telugu film, he focused his attention. Shatranja’s Khiladi“After writing the screenplay, Manik Da was looking for someone from a non-film background with an understanding of Lucknowi Urdu of the 1850s. Shama Zaidi, who was doing costumes, I knew because of our Rampur background and I was suggested my name. Ray was a huge figure, literally and metaphysically.
Siddiqui formed a malignant team with Zaidi. “I told the dialogues verbally, and if she approves them, she would shake and type in Roman on her Remington typewriter, as Manik Da did not know Hindi and Urdu.” Once Siddiqui asked Ray if he knows any Hindi word, he replied, “Just one: Bus (Sufficient).”
As Ray built Lucknow in Kolkata, Siddiqui says, he needed someone to examine cultural authenticity. “He wanted me to help his Bengali crew with Urdu dialogues. Similarly I became his special assistant.”
Javed Siddiqui with Gulzar | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“I have not seen more careful directors than Ray. He had a red book that he called Eat, Like a trader’s logbook. Every day, when he entered the set, he sketched every shot AccountWith Urdu dialogue written in Bengali and its English translation. “For the scene where the East India Company enters Lucknow, Siddiqui sketches Ray on an art paper, which will transfer Cavalry, Elephantry and Infantry. Siddiqui has preserved the paper as a memento, and it shines on the wall of their study.
Siddiqui penned Muzaffar Ali’s dialogues Umrao dar Compared to Ray Along with Ali, Siddiqui says that while later there was an emotional relationship with the city, Ray had an objective approach. “He wanted to throw light on how the upper middle class remained oblivious and indifferent to seizing control for the British exercise. The film remains relevant as the upper middle class remains indifferent to politics.” He mentions the scene where chess players are told how the British have tampered with the rules of sports such as Wazir is called Rani ‘. “Here, Ray used chess to outline the political context.”
Siddiqui started writing at the age of 14, belonging to the family of Ali brothers (Mohammad and Shaukat Ali) KhilafatNon-Coperation Movement Mouthpiece. From theater and cinema to crime and politics, Siddiqui says there was a time when he was also writing editorials.
“When I blessed and directed me when I blessed Bombay, Kaifi Azmi, Ismat Chughi, and Ali Sardar Zafri. I developed the leftist inclination. When I reviewed the plays. KhilafatI will announce IPTA plays. Once Kaifi Sahib encouraged me to write a drama. I called courage to translate Russian playwright Yevgeny Schwartz PythonA destroyer satire on Stalin’s totalitarian rule. This is how I wrote Raksha. ,
During the Emergency, Siddiqui says, being an independent journalist was derogatory. “Every day, we had to take our stories to the secretariat for approval. Once, I was detained for 24 hours for a story, where I linked a ration shop in Bihar with Russia’s rice exports.”
Siddiqui sees dialogue as the requirement of characters and does not write them to generate clap. “I try to understand the mind’s psyche and moment. When a film becomes a hit, even simple dialogues become popular. Dilwale bride le jayenge ,Bade bade shehron main ‘ There may be a cheese line, but the situation demanded it. When former US President Barack Obama used to use its popularity in his address (during his 2015 visit to India). ,
Siddiqui considered Yash Chopra the best when it came to understand the needs of a dialogue writer. “After working with stalwart writers like Akhtar ul Iman and Vajahat Mirza at the beginning of his career, Chopra understood the rhythm of Urdu language.”
A good dialogue writer, Siddiqui, says, there is a need to understand the weak points of an actor. “For example, Amrit Puri pretended dialogues. hearted …I deliberately wrote lines that they were not allowed to do so. “Converting the actor’s weakness into his strength also learned while working with Ray Shatranja’s KhiladiSome actors give a new dimension to the word written. “As Shahrukh did Fear,
Siddiqui firmly feels that cinema has a moral duty, and there is no place for impurity in film writing. He asks for restraint. “CUSS does not add to realism dialogues. Dilip Kumar used Kambakath (wretched) With such an effect that it acts like an unqualified. ,
It is Sohini Mahiwal, Cycle or Mammo On screen, or Tumari amrita, AnniversaryAnd We safar On stage, Siddiqui is known for writing strong female characters. In plays We safar And Gudamba, The next week, who will be staged at Prithvi Theater in Mumbai, talks about saving the wedding institution without erudition.
Over the years, Siddiqui worked with several directors. From Shyam Benegal to Umesh Mehra and Yash Chopra to Rakesh Roshan, Siddiqui crossed the styles without compromising on emotional depth and cultural context.
Published – May 01, 2025 05:41 pm IST
