Gulzar Cast, Crew & Frequent Collaborators
Gulzar's collaborators
Gulzar's most frequent co-actor is Tabu — 2 shared credits. Hema Malini has stayed in Gulzar's catalogue from 1979 to 1990 — a partnership that crosses decades. From 1979 (with Hema Malini) to 1999 (with Tabu).
Sanjeev Kumar averages 7.7/10 across 2 films with Gulzar — the highest-rated active pairing.
As of July 2026.
Collaborator network
Top 5 collaborators by composite strength score. Distance reflects strength; edge thickness reflects film count; warmer edges are more recent.
Hover any node — click to open the pair page.
Most acclaimed pairing
Gulzar × Sanjeev Kumar
2 films·avg 7.7/10
Longest running
Gulzar × Hema Malini
11+ years·2 decades
Strongest pairings
Tabu pulls ahead of every other pairing — outscoring the next-strongest pairing by 106%.
5Total Cast & Crew
2Most films with Tabu
Top pairings compared
| Metric | Tabu | Hema Malini | Vinod Khanna | Dina Pathak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Films together | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Avg rating | 5.3 | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.5 |
| First | 1996 | 1979 | 1979 | 1979 |
| Latest | 1999 | 1990 | 1990 | 1987 |
| Best film | Hu Tu Tu | Meera | Meera | Meera |
Multi-decade partnerships
3 pairings have endured across two-plus decades — an unusually deep bench of long-term partners.
Most acclaimed pairings
Sanjeev Kumar stands 1.1 points clear of the next-rated pairing — the high-water mark on this list.
Collaboration by Decade
1970s
3 films
★ 7.5
Hema Malini, Vinod Khanna, Dina Pathak
1980s
3 films
★ 7
Sanjeev Kumar, Dina Pathak
1990s
4 films
★ 5.3
Tabu, Hema Malini, Vinod Khanna
Creative Legacy
Gulzar's contribution to Indian cinema is a profound and multifaceted legacy spanning over five decades, primarily as a lyricist and director who redefined poetic expression in popular film. His career trajectory began under the mentorship of music director S.D. Burman, with whom he collaborated on classics like 'Bandini' (1963), establishing his signature style—a blend of simple, evocative Hindus…