Filmmaker Meghna Gulzar penned a poetic birthday wish for her father Gulzar who turned 86 on Tuesday.

"I know I'm protected because his arms cradle me. I know I walk the right path because his little finger leads me. He dabbles in celluloid so I know I can see. I know I can write because his ink flows in me.
I know I can because he believes. I know I am because he is," Meghna wrote on Instagram alongside a black and white picture of the father-daughter duo.

Gulzar, who started his career as a lyricist with Kabuliwala (1961), has spent six decades donning various hats - lyricist, poet, author, screenwriter and filmmaker. His noteworthy work, including films like Machis, Aandhi and Mausam, has won him five National Film Awards, 21 Filmfare Awards, one Academy Award and one Grammy Award, and he has also been bestowed with Padma Bhushan (2004), the third-highest civilian award in India, the Sahitya Akademi Award (2002) and the Dadasaheb Phalke Award (2013). 

Such has been the charm of Gulzar's words that fans shared their favourite poem or song written by the wordsmith himself to wish him a happy birthday.   

"Your words have always been my place of solace! They leave me in awe every time! Whether it's a song, a poem or a dialogue, nobody writes the way you do. So mesmerizing and so timeless," wrote a fan. 

"Happy birthday maestro. Thank you for your timeless words. Thank you for making breathing easier for some of us," wrote another.