Problems depicted in the stories penned down by novelist Munshi Premchand are persistent even today, according to National Award-winning songwriter Gulzar. The 81-year-old launched the screenplay format of Premchand's classics Godan and Nirmala on Saturday, a day before the famous writer's birth anniversary, reported PTI. Google has dedicated a doodle to the writer to mark the occasion.

"Premchand’s is as relevant now as he was during the pre-independence era. His literature, the characters he wrote, the problems he talked about, we are still struggling to get over them. Be it the poverty or the caste discrimination. And the situation has even gone worse,” Gulzar told the news agency. The screenplays were part of a TV series – Tehreer… Munshi Premchand Ki. Gulzar said the screenplay format launch was aimed at attracting the young generation to explore the Hindi writer.

“To bring back our literature we have to present it in the format which appeals most to the young generation living in metropolises. This is my effort to bring back people to reading the literature which is not looked for beyond school or college books,” he said. The screenplays are translated by Saba Mahmood Bashir, and published by Roli books.