February 27 marks the birthday of Manoj Muntashir, the voice behind Bollywood’s most evocative songs. His path to glory? A marathon of 39 unpublished lyrics, culminating in the blockbuster 40th—’Teri Galiyan’. This villain’s lament from Gadar 2 not only stormed charts but symbolized his triumph.
Hailing from a modest TV writing background, Muntashir entered the industry scripting for KBC in 2005. Childhood poetry, however, was his first love, ignited by a schoolboy crush gone sour. That heartbreak penned verses like ‘Mobileon ke daur ke aashiqon ko kya pata, kaleja rakh dete the khat mein nikaal ke’—raw, real, romantic.
Delivering timeless tracks such as ‘Kaun Tujhe’, ‘Main Phir Bhi’, and ‘Tere Sang Yaara’, he rules romance. Patriotic fervor shines in ‘Teri Mitti’, where an unreleased para lives eternally under his pillow and in fans’ hearts.
Muntashir’s candor about discarding drafts before his big break inspires. From Baahubali to Kesari, his words stir souls. The BMW in his collection post-‘Teri Galiyan’ is a trophy of perseverance.
As he ages gracefully, Muntashir’s legacy endures: turning personal scars into national anthems, proving that the 40th try can rewrite destinies.