The remarkable run of Shakeel Badayuni at Filmfare Awards

Famed Urdu lyricist Shakeel Badayuni is mostly remembered for his indelible association with music composer Naushad, who gave him his first break on Dard (1947), and Mohammed Rafi, who sang 235 songs penned by him. But Badayuni was also one of the few to win the Filmfare Award for Best Lyricist for three consecutive years — 1960, 1961 and 1962, beating such illustrious rivals as Shailendra, Sahir Ludhianvi and Majrooh Sultanpuri.

1. Chaudhvin Ka Chand Ho — Chaudhvin Ka Chand (1961)

One of Guru Dutt's favourite lyricists, Badayuni beat Shailendra for Dil Apna Aur Preet Parai (1960) and Sultanpuri for Sujata (1960) on his way to his first Filmfare trophy at the Eighth Filmfare Awards. This classic title song composed by Ravi was imagined in black and white but later released in colour. The song was picturised on Waheeda Rehman and Guru Dutt. The story of how the song's opening lines came to be is pure serendipity. Ravi thought of the first line 'Chaudhvin ka chand ho ya aftab ho [Are you the full moon, or the sun?]' whilst attending a mushaira [Urdu poetry reading] with Dutt. When he repeated the line to Badayuni, the latter promptly replied, 'Jo bhi ho tum khuda ki qasam lajawab ho! [Whatever you are, I swear to God, you are beyond compare!]"

2.  Husnwale Tera — Gharana (1961)

Once again, Ravi and Badayuni came together for the award-winning music of SS Vasan's Gharana (1961). With Asha Parekh and Rajendra Kumar in the lead, the family drama was a box office hit that year. The ghazal and its composition was a favourite of Vasan himself. He reportedly watched it at home whenever he felt restless. The romantic song was picturised on Parekh and Rajendra Kumar. Badayuni again beat Shailendra, this time for the song 'Hothon Pe Sacchai' from Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai (1961), and Hasrat Jaipuri for 'Teri Pyari Pyari Surat' from Sasural (1961) to pick up his second trophy.

3.  Kahin Deep Jale — Bees Saal Baad (1962)

Just like Naushad in the early part of his career, Badayuni went on to have a great association with Hemant Kumar on the films he composed for, especially on the supernatural thriller Bees Saal Baad, which was the number one film at the box office in 1962. This time, Badayuni beat Hasrat Jaipuri for 'Aai Gulbadan' from Professor (1962) and Raja Mehdi Ali Khan for 'Aapki Nazarone Samjha' from Anpadh (1962) to collect his third successive Filmfare trophy at the 10th Filmfare Awards in 1962.

Lata Mangeshkar won her second Filmfare award for Best Singer for the haunting solo. The song became her comeback, of sorts, when she attempted to record it after a long bout of sinusitis and asthma. 'Kahin Deep Jale' was picturised on the mysterious character Radha, played by Waheeda Rehman who attempts to seduce Biswajeet's Kumar during the song.