# Gulzar font

> An Urdu Nasta'liq typeface with a purpose-drawn Latin serif companion, in one weight with 1,161 glyphs.

Gulzar is an Urdu Nasta'liq typeface with a matching Latin serif, led by Borna Izadpanah with Alice Savoie, Simon Cozens and Fiona Ross. Gulzar has one Regular style holding 1,161 glyphs across its Arabic-script and Latin character sets. Gulzar is released under the SIL Open Font License 1.1 and is intended for reading text in print and on screens.

## Facts

- Classification: [Serif](https://trendhub.net/fonts/category/serif)
- Designed by: Borna Izadpanah, Fiona Ross, Alice Savoie, Simon Cozens
- License: SIL Open Font License 1.1 (https://openfontlicense.org/open-font-license-official-text/)
- Styles: 1 (Regular 400)
- Variable font: No
- Glyphs: 1161
- Character sets: arabic, latin
- Last updated: 2025-09-05
- Official source: https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Gulzar
- Page: https://trendhub.net/fonts/gulzar
- Tagged for: Editorial, Elegant

## About Gulzar

Gulzar is a typeface for the Urdu language in the Nasta'liq style of the Arabic script, issued together with a Latin serif drawn to accompany it. The official description sets out its aim as readable text for long passages on screens and in print, and says the Nasta'liq forms were modelled on collected examples of Urdu calligraphy and lettering. The specimen on this page shows the Latin side: a serif with sharp, wedge-shaped serifs, clear contrast between thick and thin strokes, and classical book proportions. Borna Izadpanah led the project as principal designer, Alice Savoie drew the Latin, Simon Cozens engineered the fonts and Fiona Ross acted as consultant. Gulzar has one Regular style with 1,161 glyphs behind 414 encoded characters, and it is not a variable font. It is licensed under the SIL Open Font License 1.1.

## License

SIL Open Font License 1.1. Copyright 2021 The Gulzar Project Authors (https://github.com/simoncozens/Gulzar)

Allowed:
- Use the fonts in personal and commercial work, in print, on the web and in apps.
- Modify the fonts and build new versions from them.
- Redistribute the fonts, on their own or bundled with software, as long as the license text and copyright notice go with them.

Conditions:
- The fonts cannot be sold by themselves.
- A modified version must stay under the same license and cannot use a Reserved Font Name without the copyright holder's permission.
- The authors' names cannot be used to promote a modified version without permission.

Summary only, not legal advice. Full text: https://openfontlicense.org/open-font-license-official-text/

## Where it works

- **Urdu text in print and on screens**: The project's stated goal is a Nasta'liq that stays legible at text sizes, for articles and books rather than titles alone.
- **Bilingual Urdu and English pages**: The Latin was designed for this Nasta'liq, with contrast that echoes it, so both scripts can sit in one paragraph without a second family.
- **Transliterated names and terms**: The official notes say the Latin carries the transliteration characters used to transcribe Arabic, Persian and Urdu.
- **Headings in a classical serif**: Used alone, the Latin gives titles sharp serifs and strong stroke contrast.

## Things to know

- **One weight**: Gulzar has a single Regular style. There is no bold or italic.
- **The specimen shows Latin only**: The sample image on this page sets the Latin alphabet. The Arabic-script glyphs, the larger part of the 1,161, are not pictured there.
- **Latin Extended is partial**: The font is listed with the Arabic and Latin subsets. Latin Extended is only partly present and is not counted as covered.

## FAQs

### Is Gulzar free for commercial use?

Yes, under the SIL Open Font License 1.1. Gulzar may be used, modified and redistributed in personal and commercial work; it cannot be sold on its own, and altered versions remain under the same license.

### Who designed Gulzar?

Gulzar was designed by a team led by Borna Izadpanah, the principal designer. Alice Savoie designed the Latin, Simon Cozens did the font engineering and Fiona Ross was a consultant; the official description also names Amir Mahdi Moslehi and Martin Dodds as advisers.

### How many weights does Gulzar have?

Gulzar has one weight, Regular 400, and no italic.

### Does Gulzar include Latin letters?

Yes. Gulzar has a Latin serif designed specifically as a counterpart to its Nasta'liq; the official description says it is the first Nasta'liq typeface to receive an original Latin companion.

### Which languages does Gulzar support?

Gulzar is built for Urdu in the Nasta'liq style and contains an Arabic-script character set. Its Latin includes the letters needed for English and Western European languages such as French, German, Spanish and Italian.

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Source: https://trendhub.net/fonts/gulzar (trendhub)