Nisha Luthra’s poetry collection Uns is a tribute to people who have shaped her life

For Nisha Luthra, poetry was born out of pain. Having lost her father, mother and sister within a year, she took to writing to release her pain – some stories, few plays and numerous poems. A collection of which makes it to Uns. “Uns, an Urdu word, literally translates to love, affection, association and friendship, which my poetry collection is all about,” says Nisha.

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Been inspired by Amrita Pritam, Sahir Ludhianvi, Kamala Das, Nisha’s poetry collection is about people who have shaped her as an artiste. Her parents and sister make it to her writing, so do others—Mita Vashisht, Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry, Rani Balbir and Dr Atamjit.

“I have devoted some special poems to people, who have been integral to my life, who have loved me, nurtured me, inspired me, and encouraged me to be who I really am — ‘an artist’, ‘a woman’, of my own strength in language that’s simple and relatable. My collection of poems is filled with gratitude and is a tribute to my mentors, friends, and family,” Nisha said. If her poems showed her light out of the sorrow, two of these 55 poems—Tute Dil Ki Kahani and Kalakar Ki Vyath—have been turned into ‘poetry films’. These are conceptualised and directed by Nisha and would be shown at an event to be held at the Rock Garden on March 12.

Uns has been published by The Rhyvers Press, New Delhi. — Mona