Gulzar, one of India's finest film makers and lyricist, has always been a poet at heart. His oeuvre is steeped in a poetic sensibility, marked by a lyricism rare in the world of Hidi cinema. His journey as a poet began withthe Progressive Writers' movement. Today, he is regarded as one of India's foremost Urdu poets, unparalleled in his exploration of human relationships and the insight and sensitivity with which he addresses the many facets of daily life.

Gulzar's writings reflects his keen observation of life and the environment around him. Without in any way compromising on artistry or lyricism, his poems incorporate the mundane and the everyday to create vivid images. He, has published a number of poetry anthologies, collections of short stories, and a biography of Mirza Ghalib. He is regarded as one of India's finest writers for children with several books for children to his credit. He has also published the scripts of many of his films.

Apart from the countless Filmfare awards and National Awards for his films and lyrics, Gulzar has also received the prestigious Sahitya Academy Award in 2002 (for his short story collection Dhuaan)and the Padma Bhushan in 2004.