Veteran Lyricist Sayeed Quadri Blames Filmmakers for Decline in Memorable Film Music

Renowned lyricist Sayeed Quadri, known for penning some of Bollywood’s most soulful and enduring songs, has expressed concern over the noticeable decline in timeless and melodious film music in recent years. Speaking candidly about the state of the music industry, Quadri pointed to a growing disconnect between filmmakers and the emotional essence of music. “For this, I think makers are responsible. The entire blame goes to the makers,” he said. “If the makers don’t take music as an important element of the film and do not understand the importance of songs, we end up losing the soul of cinema.”

Quadri, who was introduced to the industry by filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt, emphasized how certain directors—both in the past and present—understood the value of music and poetry. “Mahesh Bhatt used to value poetry a lot. His entire team understands music, and that’s why the songs from those films became hits—and they’re still hits today,” he explained. He also cited other legendary filmmakers such as Yash Chopra, Subhash Ghai, Prakash Mehra, Anurag Basu, Mohit Suri, and Kunal Deshmukh, crediting them for respecting the art of songwriting and giving music a prominent place in their films.

Reflecting on recent work, Quadri spoke of his experience with director Anil Sharma on Gadar 2. “I just did a film with Anil Sharma. He understands poetry and knows what a song is and how it should be made,” he said, adding that the presence of such filmmakers offers some hope. However, he acknowledged that they are now in the minority. “First and foremost, the maker should have a romance with songs. A maker must love songs and understand poetry. Very few understand this today.”

Quadri also pointed to the decline of romantic films as another factor contributing to the loss of poetic and memorable melodies in Indian cinema. “I think the era of romantic films is on the decline, and secondly, it’s the makers. Very few understand poetry,” he remarked. His perspective underscores a broader industry shift toward fast-paced, commercial content, often at the expense of emotionally resonant music.

With a rich legacy that includes unforgettable tracks from films like Jism, Gangster, Life in a... Metro, Jannat, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, Barfi!, Hamari Adhuri Kahani, Malang, Ludo, and Gadar 2, Sayeed Quadri’s words carry the weight of experience. His commentary serves as both a critique and a call to action for today’s filmmakers to rekindle their relationship with music—not just as a commercial tool, but as an integral part of cinematic storytelling.