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My sponsors felt my album was too controversial, says Shehzad Roy

My sponsors felt my album was too controversial, says Shehzad Roy

Shehzad Roy is back and this time he isn’t making political wisecracks or shouting slogans
25 Feb, 2016

Shehzad Roy is back and this time he isn’t making political wisecracks or shouting slogans.

Rather, he’s stepped into his avatar of yore, of the love struck hero romancing a glamorous leading lady. Nineteen years into his career, now married and father to 19-month old Sikandar, Shehzad has retained his boyish good looks. In his upcoming video, 'Jind Jaan', he epitomises the smoldering bad boy, complete with abs, tousled hair, leather jacket, an iconic red and white-striped Mustang 65 and for the first time on screen, a beard.

It’s a far cry from Shehzad’s considerable spate of socio-political songs where he tirades for the common man. This new video, where he acts opposite Iman Ali, is stylised and replete with film-starry glamour. And while Shehzad’s upcoming movie debut is still in the pipeline, 'Jind Jaan' serves as a teaser to the singer’s potential as absolute ‘hero material’.

Singing along with him is Zoe Viccaji, in an initial attempt at singing in Punjabi. “Zoe has a husky, very modern voice,” observes Shehzad. “She sounds great; nailing the dialect while at the same time sounding distinctively raw.”

Zoe Viccaji gives Punjabi a shot in Jind Jaan
Zoe Viccaji gives Punjabi a shot in Jind Jaan

“I just wanted to do something different,” he continues. “Since 2003, I have been deeply involved with Zindagi Trust where we have sought to reform government schools. It’s a colossal task, akin to turning over a mini-government. We’ve changed policies, implemented infrastructure and tried to improve educational standards. Consequently, the songs I ended up singing were directed towards social activism.”


It is one thing to just talk about change but Shehzad is one of the few struggling to actually turn things around


“A lot of people would tell me that I needed to occasionally revert to lighter music. It’s why 'Jind Jaan' has finally come about. There is a very Fast and the Furious scene featuring some fantastic cars including the Mustang my character drives, all borrowed from my friends. Then, there are scenes within the studio with Iman. We had often talked about working together and she is an ideal choice for the video’s female lead, who is a beautiful girl haunted by her past.”

Shehzad Roy found Iman Ali to be the ideal choice for the role of a beautiful girl with a haunting past
Shehzad Roy found Iman Ali to be the ideal choice for the role of a beautiful girl with a haunting past

This past, apparently, features Shehzad’s ‘bad boy’ character and our romance unfolds when the two meet again. Yousuf Bashir Qureshi plays the villain. Saqib Khan has directed the music video. The song has been written by Nadeem Asad and composed by Shuja Haider.

“I’ve acted quite a bit in the video,” he laughs. “It serves as a precursor to the movie that I’ll begin working on.” His upcoming Pakistani film is going to be directed by Ahsan Rahim with the script penned by acclaimed playwright Anwar Maqsood.

Does this about-turn towards romance mean that Shehzad will no longer be traversing socio-political territory? “I am sure I will,” he mulls. “My satirical songs have actually managed to touch a chord with the Pakistani masses. They impact the nation as a whole, pointing out realities and the need for change.”

“When I initially wrote my album Qismat apnay haath mein, sponsors felt that it was too controversial. The streak of terror raging through the country has diminished the number of concerts taking place and corporate sponsorship is a major earner for musicians. Nevertheless, I released the album and it became a success, winning over supporters and sponsors.

Iman Ali makes a highly awaited return to the screen in 'Jind Jaan'
Iman Ali makes a highly awaited return to the screen in 'Jind Jaan'

“The song 'Laga Reh' from the album was endorsed by columnist Ardeshir Cowasjee. There were people who would randomly quote lyrics from my songs. Once at a political rally, a politician said that the country was going through a naazuk mor. Immediately, some reporters retorted that they should stop repeating the same taglines, now it had even become the lyrics to a Shehzad Roy song. At another press conference, I have heard people mumbling, “I’m allergic to bullshit” — from my song Qismat Apnay Haath Mein.

“There are still so many lyrics that I have written but haven’t yet placed to music: ‘Jaahilon nay jihalat say qaum ko zehni ghulam bana rakha hai, Thori see umeed thi danish-mandon say par unhon nay bhi ilm ka kabar-khana laga rakha hai’.”

For all his abilities to enact the romantic hero and sing ballads, it would be a pity should Shehzad stop singing his tongue-in-cheek commentaries. Nearly a decade later, one still remembers his aged ‘buzurg’ in 'Laga Reh' who says ‘Kuch nahin kuch nahin, sab Allah par chhor do’ when faced with tension in the country or a dhoti-clad Faisal Qureshi who goes back to sleep after seeing Shehzad being taken away by foreign troops.

Yousuf Bashir Quraishi also flexes his acting muscles in Jind Jaan
Yousuf Bashir Quraishi also flexes his acting muscles in Jind Jaan

“The socio-political messages in my songs actually marry two causes that are close to my heart,” he admits. “Music has provided me with fame and the power to reach out to masses; the reforms I try to carry out through Zindagi Trust are my passion.”

It was this passion that guided Shehzad to turn things around for the SMB Fatima Jinnah Government Girls School in Karachi. “When we first adopted the school in 2007, I discovered that eight schools existed simultaneously within its campus. It was unfathomable. It turned out that there were 3,000 odd schools in Karachi within 900 campuses. One of the changes we immediately implemented at the school was unifying it under one principal. We also banned corporal punishment within the school and then, went on to have it legally forbidden on a national level. In my TV show Chal Parha I featured stories of children who were damaged both physically and psychologically at the hands of sadistic teachers.”

It is one thing to just talk about change but Shehzad is one of the few struggling to actually turn things around. He’s also got a wicked sense of humor, making one smirk at his pointed jibes while quietly acknowledging the truth behind his lyrics. And with his new video, he’s just about to remind us why he skyrocketed to heartthrob fame. It’s good to have Shehzad back in the news. He never is gone for too long.


Originally published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, February 21st, 2016

Comments

pkistani Feb 25, 2016 11:26am
Good he is back. Tired of hearing from people who condemn progress
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yaqut khan Feb 25, 2016 11:38am
shehzad and iman are looking good.btw when shehzad's movie is gonna release.
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aftab Ahmed Feb 25, 2016 11:40am
Please whenever you review a song or video, at least share the link if an official link is available.
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Krezy Feb 25, 2016 11:51am
Its our obsession with news channel and media industry's lack of focus on entertainment that artists like him and others are wasted i.e. despite so much talent...
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shereen Feb 25, 2016 12:39pm
@Krezy okay, He wasn't a very good singer to begin with (find active raho on you tube) although he made good hummable songs later. His main achievement is his political satire videos and the school programme. That takes will more than talent. He's not the only rich kid on the block but he's surely the only one who cares to do something big with his money.
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Sane Feb 25, 2016 06:34pm
You might be a good social activist.. but 'music' it is not.
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Redo Feb 26, 2016 12:32pm
Shehzad Roy released some very good songs in the 90s, especially his first album as a solo artist, Zindagi, was one of my fav. back in those days.
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Tim Feb 26, 2016 02:28pm
Overrated singer, though a good activist. I don't know a single human being who has one of his albums or even one of his mp3s . Thing is, I cannot crown him as a talent simply because of his philanthropic efforts.
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gazala Feb 26, 2016 10:48pm
Shehzad roy is our BONO ...... THERE ARE POPULAR BANDS LIKE STRINGS WHO DOESNT EVEN PLAY GUITAR IN THIER OWN ALBUM AND JUST HOLD IT IN THEIR VIDEOS AND PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY ARE PLAYING IT .... ROY IS A DAM GOOD GUITARIST AND A SINGER AND HAS GIVEN HITS LIKE SAALI, KANGNA, UTH BAAND , LAGA REH ETC AND LIST OF THINGS WHICH CHANGED THE PARADIGM IN PAKISTANI MUSIC
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gazala Feb 26, 2016 10:50pm
Shehzad roy is our BONO ...... THERE ARE POPULAR BANDS LIKE STRINGS WHO DOESNT EVEN PLAY GUITAR IN THIER OWN ALBUM AND JUS HOLD IT IN VIDEO AND PEOPLE THINK THAT THEY ARE PLAYING IT .... ROY IS A DAM GOOD GUITARIST AND HAS GIVEN HITS LIKE SAALI, KANGNA, UTH BAAND , LAGA REH ETC AND LIST OF THINGS WHICH CHANGED THE PARADIGM IN PAKISTANI MUSIC
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sadia Feb 27, 2016 08:36am
shehzad roy s song chal parha and the program he did on motor bike changed the corporal punishment law . I love that song and the prog. The other song by him and Wasu Apney ullo, a ROCK song narrates the history which we cant find in our school books is outstanding creative work..... He is truly a genius
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adnan Feb 27, 2016 12:49pm
Shezad roy is guy with lot of talent and character. I saw him at a concert in LUMS and he really rocked the uni not just with his songs but the way he spoke his mind about how youth of pakistan can and should play a part in the social reengineering of our society ...what a man i have respect and i am sure his movie will be a great hit, not just with masses but people with intellect
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