Offbeat: In conversation with Shehzad Roy

The founder of ‘Zindagi Trust’ takes inspiration from Iqbal’s ‘Khudi’

Shehzad Roy needs no introduction. He is one unique musician that never ages and always surprises with his penchant for social change. Starting his career as a songwriter and singer some 27 years ago, Roy, like his contemporaries, mainly focused on love and woman. “Teri Soorat” and “Kangna” became a superhit of their time. But very soon he shifted towards highlighting social as well as political issues with some out-of-the-box numbers like “Qismat Apney Haath Mein” and “Laga Rah”. As a Founder of ‘Zindagi Trust’, a non-government charitable organisation, he strives to improve the quality of education for the poor.

He produced and hosted a couple of documentary series,  Chal Parha, about the state of public education, and  Wasu aur Mein, which follows the travels of Roy and a villager and deals with issues like progress, poverty and patriotism. He represented Pakistan as a goodwill ambassador at the United Nations Office on drugs and crime in Austria. He is also a recipient of Tamgha-i-Imtiaz and Sitara-i-Imtiaz.

Being a musician you also got involved in politics, who was your inspiration?

My upbringing, my schooling and of course patriotism inspired me to fix things that caused problems for the masses. I’ve always been inspired by Allama Iqbal’s concept of Khudi, which has made all the difference. My first music album included a composition of Iqbal’s poetry as a humble tribute to his remarkable services.

Later on, when I found loopholes in socio-political systems, especially education, I thought I should utilise my influence and fame to fix them and that’s how it all started. Putting my image of an artist at a stake, just for the sake of the betterment of the children of my homeland, I along with my foundation Zindagi Trust went to the Fatima Jinnah School in Karachi where various schools had established their campuses under one building. There are 900 campuses with a total of 3,500 registered schools across Karachi. Slowly and gradually we made reforms introducing corporal laws in the Pakistani education system and teachers’ hiring process, we prescribed textbooks for children keeping in view the international standards of education, and organised specific rehabilitation projects for imprisoned, street and drug-addicted children in Karachi and later on across Pakistan.

What are your views on textbooks for students?

There are no textbooks written specifically for children in this country. A good textbook must cover age-specific knowledge keeping in view the children’s age and capacity to digest. The syllabus must be compatible with international standards and it should be delivered in a way that children can enjoy as well as absorb the content. Education must not be considered a weapon, it must enlighten one’s mind and soul. It should provide you with a reason to live not only for yourself but for others also. That should be the purpose of education!

How difficult it was to pursue this journey?

We as singers also want to see our country prosper and make music for social upliftment, but when the entire system seems to be so destructive it becomes the responsibility of every individual who enjoys people’s love and respect to work for the betterment of the society.

When I started bringing reforms in the education sector, I was working on the projection of my newly released music album. I was collaborating with Indian musicians and there were a lot of things going on on social media, both in favour and against me. I was in the process of introducing changes in teaching methodologies, hiring teachers and designing syllabi as well as textbooks in schools. It was a difficult time for me and my singing profession, but the only thing that kept me going was the sense of responsibility.

Are you happy with the response you get from people?

They have been very supportive. If you have a clear vision with a true intention to bring change for a good cause, people start supporting you. So, I think people from the Pakistani music industry always stood firmly by me and always bestowed upon me their support in my efforts. I must admit that the education sector of Karachi has welcomed me wholeheartedly.

Do you have plans to make a film anytime soon?

Yes, the plan has been finalised and the script is under process. I’m doing this because in songs we have 3 to 4 minutes to convey our message while in a film, it can be extended to a couple of hours. So, the script is being written by the legendary Anwar Maqsood and is an amalgamation of romance, comedy and politics. This film will take you by surprise!

Have you ever been punished by your parents?

Well (laughs), I remember there was a birthday party of a friend living in our neighbourhood, and at the end of the party while I was playing with balloons one of my friends pulled my leg for showing me some balloons hanging on the grill, and my little finger accidentally got stuck in the grill and got injured. I was barely four years old at that time so I don’t remember what exactly my parents said but yes, they were furious and purple with rage!

You began your career by singing Iqbal’s poetry, later moving on to romantic and then finally political songs. What is your personal favourite?

I entered the music industry at the age of seventeen, and as you said my maiden collection was based on the poetry of Allama Iqbal which later on shifted to some romantic and political lyrical compositions.

I feel this was something very natural, it identifies my intellectual growth as a person who worked to bring change in society. But yes, my wife who is my home minister (laughs) likes my romantic collections, she is a graduate of Harvard University and adores my political songs too.

What is your message to the generation next?

I would like to suggest to them to be very considerate when looking up to the people who got fame in this world, and never to settle down on ideals without detailed knowledge about them. I find the youth of the country, especially the younger lot who have social media exposure, are too premature to handle the pros and cons of its effects.

And I would conclude my message with a famous verse from Allama Iqbal’s poetry emphasising the youth to be very conscious when it comes to looking up to role models and opting for ideas of a lifetime. Iqbal: The Poet of the East writes, “Parindo ki dunya ka darwaish hun main, kay Shaheen banata nahi ashiyana!”