Urdu Academy’s tribute to Suroor Barabankvi
By Abdus Sattar Ghazali
The Urdu Academy of North America dedicated its October 2018 literary session to the life and work of an Urdu poet, lyricist and film maker Suroor Barabankvi.
The event, held at the Pak American Culture Center, Milpitas CA on October 21, 2018, was chaired by poet Hamid Narvi.
Arshad Rashid presented a well researched maqala on the life and work of Suroor born in 1919 at Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, India as Syed Saeed-ur-Rehman. He later moved to Pakistan and died in 1980 at Karachi.
As usual Urdu lovers who recited the poetry of Suroor Barabankvi included: Aftab Iqbal, Zeeshan Abbasi, Mehboob Alam, Mobeen Khalil, Zafar Yusufzai, Mehmood-ul Hasan, Abdus Sattar Ghazali, Shamim Alam, Sarwat Iqbal and Subhi Kaul.
Mehboob Alam amused the audience with the presentation of Suroor Barabankvi’s popular ghazal -Tu urrose shame khayal bhi – in poets’ style.
Mobeen Khalil entertained that audience with his melodic presentation of Suroor Barabankvi’s popular song for Chand and Chandni film. Pakistan’s popular singer Masood Rana had sung this song for the movie.
Subhi Kaul thrilled the audience with her presentation of Suroor Barabankvi’s ghazal.
Suroor Barabankvi started his poetry at the age of 18. He recited his poetry to Jigar Moradabadi who appreciated his poetic talent. Jigar used to participate in Mushairas at Dhaka. In 1951 Suroor participated in the Independence Day Mushaira at Dhaka, along with Jigar Moradabadi who introduced him to the organizers of Mushaira and other people.
In 1952 he visited East Pakistan for another Mushaera when Maulvi Abdul Haque offered him the job of General Secretary in the ‘Anjuman-e-Taraqqi-e-Urdu’ Dhaka office. This time, he decided to settle there.
He started a magazine named ‘Filkaar’, but unfortunately only one issue of this magazine came out. He then started another magazine “Aab-o-Gul”
.
Suroor rose to the heights of popularity during the 1960s.In 1962, when Captain Ehtesham made the first Urdu film, “Chanda”, Suroor Barabankvi wrote its story and script, apart from its songs. ‘Firdausi Begum’ popularly known as The Koel of Bengal, sang few songs in ‘Chanda’ which were big hit.
Suroor also wrote the Lyrics for many Urdu films. He was known as ‘Sahir’ of Dhaka film studio. He wrote many of the very popular numbers, for ‘Talash’ and ‘Chand Aur Chandni’.
Suroor Barabankvi produced three films. His first effort was ‘Aakhri Station’, which he made on Haajra Masroor's short story, ‘Pagli’. Shabnam played a dumb and deranged girl in it, who loiters on the railway station. It was an artistically dealt movie. 
Suroor also made Krishan Chandar's short story, ‘Anjan’, into a haunting film, called ‘Tum Mere Ho’. Its songs including ‘Wahi Gham Hai Wahi Tanhai’ sung by ‘Mala’ were quite famous.
In West Pakistan, he made ‘Aashna’, on poetess Waheeda Naseem's short story, ‘Begaangi’, but it did not do well. He wanted to make his fourth film on the POWs. The script of this film was almost written down, and was titled ‘Camp No. 333’, but unfortunately when he had gone to Dhaka to finalize arrangements for its shooting, he had a heart attack and died on 13th April, 1980. His body was brought to Karachi and buried there.
His collection of poetry “Sang-e-Aftab” was first published in 1975. His second collection named ‘Soz-Geeni’ was published by his daughter Aimen Suroor in 1980.
