Writer/poet/filmmaker Gulzar put the army of photographers at bay to facilitate autograph-seekers craning their neck from behind. And as they got an audience, he obliged each with his artistic, wavering signature on the book 'Yaar Julahe', a compilation of his poems, signing in Urdu or with the name of the fan, as per the individual request.

In city to take part in a three-day programme under the aegis of the Hindi-Urdu Sahitya Award Committee, he met patrons of literature/poetry at the Universal Booksellers on Friday afternoon.

If anyone asked why present-day songs had lost their magic, he would retort with "have the present-day films regained it?"

"But don't dismiss the new crop of filmmakers, lyricists and composers for their irreverent and experimental style," said the doyen, adding, "rather, match step with them and appreciate what they are doing. Look at how they have joined the mainstream and given Indian cinematic art a place under the sun. Every year, Indian films are in the reckoning for the highest international awards and are raking in more money they could ever."

The title of the book is from a line in one of the poems in the compilation in which the poet addresses a 'julaha' (weaver) admiring the way he spins a yarn with not a knot surfacing on the cloth and compares it with his own failed attempt to weave the fabric of a relationship which was replete with knots. The poet passed on all credit for the book to Yatindra Mishra, the poet who compiled it.