Poet-thinker Kaifi Azmi’s birth anniversary musn’t and doesn’t go unnoticed.
Says Kaifi Saab’s proud daughter Shabana, “His birthday is celebrated in Lucknow , Mijwan , Delhi , Hyderabad annually . In Kaifi and Shaukat’s cottage Janki Kutir in Mumbai, my brother Baba Azmi holds an annual celebration of music and poetry to encourage younger artists which was Abba(Dad) ’s great desire.He was very encouraging of the younger generation: ‘Khaar o- khas to uththe raasta to chale .Main agar thak gaya raasta to chale,’ he would say about encouraging the young to keep the poetic tradition going.”
Speaking on the annual Kaifi Azmi celebration at Janki Kutir Shabana says, “it’s a treat as many stalwarts from the world of the arts, music and cinema come to cheer them on . This year Javed and I are attending an entire day celebrations at the Kaifi Azmi Akademi in Lucknow : seminars , screening of Kaifinama , a beautiful documentary on his life and works by Sumantra Ghosal .And a mushaira is also being held.”
Recalling her iconic father , Shabana says “Kaifi was a multi-faceted person . His was always an open house . All were free to walk in . His comrades , mazdoors strugglers . On the other hand we had Guru Dutt , Sahir , Majrooh, Madan Mohan , Chetan Anand , Begum Akhtar . And Of course Faiz Ahmed Faiz , Firaq Gorakhpuri,Josh Malihabadi , Jan Nisar Akhtar.”
Shabana affirm that behind the success of this genius too there was a man. “Every brick in Janki Kutir resonates with incomparable memories. But none of this could have been possible without his partner Shaukat Kaifi who was an excellent hostess with a large heart”
Shabana also shares that Kaif Saab had a wicked sense of humour. “Once Abba was having guests for tea and he was besides himself because there were so many mosquitos in the lawn . I was shooting but organised for the house to be fumigated .When I got home I asked him if the fumigation worked. Deadpan he replied . ‘Haan bilkul . Mehman sab bhaag gaye . Machchar wahi ke wahin bathe rahe.’He was great at one liners and few know what a terrific sense of humour he had.”
