Veteran filmmaker Subhash Ghai paid a heartfelt tribute to celebrated poet, novelist, and screenwriter Rahi Masoom Reza on 4 August, remembering him as an extraordinary literary figure whose contributions to Indian cinema and television continue to inspire generations. Ghai recalled how Reza penned the dialogues for his 1980 blockbuster Karz and hailed the writer's vast body of work as among the finest in modern Indian letters.

Ghai's Tribute on Social Media

Taking to his social media account, Subhash Ghai shared a portrait of Reza alongside one of his well-known quotes in Hindi. In an accompanying note, Ghai wrote: 'I can never forget Dr RAHI MASOOM REZA who wrote the dialogues of B R Chopra sir evergreen TV series of Hindu epic #MAHABHARAT. A bold profound poet novelist n screenplay n dialogue writer from Aligarh university n witty man was like family to me so he had to push his pen to write the dialogues of my 1st film production #KARZ 1980. But all his work was better than Karz.'

Ghai added: 'A Muslim scholar from Ghazipur should become the voice through which much of modern India rediscovered the Mahabharata remains one of the finest illustrations of India's composite civilisation. He used to say when asked — I am a son of the Ganga.'

Who Was Rahi Masoom Reza

Rahi Masoom Reza is regarded as one of the finest literary minds of modern India — a distinguished writer in both Urdu and Hindi who straddled academia, poetry, fiction, and screenwriting with rare fluency. Educated at Aligarh University, he hailed from Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh and built a reputation as a bold, witty, and deeply humanist voice in Indian letters.

He became a household name after writing the dialogues for B.R. Chopra's iconic television series Mahabharat, which first aired in 1988. The series, one of the most-watched programmes in Indian television history, brought the Hindu epic to millions of homes — and Reza's dialogues were central to its enduring power. That a Muslim scholar from Ghazipur became the voice of the Mahabharata for modern India is, as Ghai noted, one of the most compelling symbols of the country's composite civilisation.

Reza's Contribution to Hindi Cinema

Beyond television, Rahi Masoom Reza made significant contributions to Hindi cinema, writing dialogues and screenplays for films including Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki, Bemisal, Alaap, and Karz. Each project reflected his ability to move between registers — from the devotional to the dramatic — with equal command.

About Karz (1980)

Released in 1980, Karz marked Subhash Ghai's first production venture and was also directed by him. The musical thriller, built around themes of reincarnation and revenge, starred Rishi Kapoor, Tina Munim, Simi Garewal, Pran, Raj Kiran, and Premnath. The legendary music duo Laxmikant-Pyarelal composed its soundtrack, which produced chartbusters including 'Om Shanti Om', 'Ek Haseena Thi', and 'Dard-E-Dil' — songs that remain beloved decades later.

Ghai's tribute underscores how Reza's legacy spans both the silver screen and the small screen, and how his humanist vision continues to resonate long after his passing.