Poet-lyricist Irshad Kamil has penned the songs for movies such as Rockstar (2010), Aashiqui (2013), Highway (2014), Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015), Tamasha (2015), Jab Harry Met Sejal (2017), Zero (2018), Laila Majnu (2018), Bharat (2019) and many others.

Hometown

Malerkotla in Sangrur district of Punjab.

Family

Kamil is married and has one son. Apart from his parents he has four brothers and two sisters.

Education

Kamil has completed his postgraduation in Hindi, PhD in contemporary Hindi poetry and a diploma in journalism from Panjab University.

My area of expertise

I have 15 years of experience in writing lyrics. I also write Urdu and Hindi poetry.

My secret sauce

There are no secrets about my success. I read a lot of books and try to understand the characters around me and then I apply my knowledge to understand it. One should try and analyse situations one is in.

The turning point

Turning points I feel occur naturally and the thing that matters is your take on a particular matter? See, I was a journalist earlier and then I realised that it was not something that I wanted to do. I wanted to be in Bollywood and write songs for movies and the next day I quit my job.

What I owe to Chandigarh

This place is my second home and my teenage love. I still love the city and keep revisiting its various nooks and corners. I have many friends here and a deep-rooted connection with the place. It’s a special feeling as I grew up here

Things I like to do when I visit Chandigarh

I love to hang out with my friends and go to Panjab University where I have studied and just go and sit on the stairs of the hostel where I lived. I also visit the street vendor markets at sectors 15 and 22 and Batra Theatre in Sector 37 to refresh old memories.

How has the city changed over the years?

The city has changed a lot. The population has increased, as have vehicles on roads. But the city has developed too.

The change I would want to see in the city

You wouldn’t want to change the person and the place you love the most. I love Chandigarh so I would not want a change. Let it be the way it is.

The best advice I’ve ever got

I have been asked to connect to and understand myself as it helps one to grow in life.

My advice to youngsters in my field

My advice is that they should make real friends not virtual ones. Leave mobile phones and pick up books as these will be your real friends.

First Published: May 01, 2019 22:51 IST