He is a multifaceted person, a celebrity, who does not think like a celeb; does not pose like one.
At one moment, you see him dancing and singing and the very next minute you hear him talking philosophy, quoting the Quaid.
A closer peek into Sahir’s life...
Childhood
My childhood was very humble, just like anyone else’s. Both my parents were government employees. My mother was in Railway while my father in Customs. We are four children. I am the second in line. Though we all get along really well but emotionally, I am the closest to my sister. She is my best friend! We lived in Railway Colony, Cantt. We were not affluent but were quite comfortable. I went to an Urdu Medium school. From Grade IV, I jumped directly to Grade IX and had only three months to prepare for my exams. I scored 416 on 950 marks in Matric; missed C by just eight marks. I still remember my teachers. There was Ms. Salma and Father Victor. Then I joined Ayesha Bawany academy. I played field Hockey. I did my Masters after that and then went abroad for further studies.
Childhood memory
I had broken my leg and did not tell my family about it. I fell into an open dry gutter. I asked the people who took me out for a wooden plank and tied it under my knee with a bandage. It took about two and a half months to heal and no one could ever find that out. When they asked me why I was limping, I said that I had sprained my ankle while playing cricket.
Craziest thing you have ever done
I was very young when I got my visa for the US for further studies. I still remember my parents sitting outside at the American consulate. My mother I were reciting surahs. I had rehearsed all the answers for a month like, What university had given you the admission? Are you going to come back? All this had to be English and everyone had strictly told me not to ask for a translator. When I went to the counter, the first thing I said was, “Mujhe translator ki zarurat hai!” the lady at the counter eyed me strangely and I repeated, Mujhe translator ki zarurat hai. Mujhe English nahi aati.” She said, “You are going to the US and you are asking for a translator! Have you taken your TOEFL?”
I said, ‘No, mujhe English nai aati main TOEFL kaise doonga!”
Then she said, “You have beautiful eyes.”
I said, “Thank you, aapki bhi aankhein bohat achi hain.”
Then she said that I had a “D” in Matric but I caught up well later. I told her that it takes me time to know what is going on around me but once I do get them clear, I am perfectly fine. Then she asked me if I would come back. I said, “No, I won’t come back. If you think a person going to the US would ever come back, you are fooling yourselves.” The reason behind such answers was that, I did not want to go to the US. I wanted to move to Lahore and join the film industry. Then she told me to get my passport at 4pm the next day. I asked if that meant me getting my visa. She refused to tell me anything until the next day.
Something you wish you had
A time machine to take me to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad ali Jinnah so I could meet him and spend some time with him.
You idolise the Quaid, right? I do know that on your way to the studio, you greet him. Please comment.
Yes, it is right that I idolise the Quaid and greet him each time I pass by his mausoleum. And times when I cannot, I say it in my heart.
I know from a very reliable source that in an International Bookfair at Expo, you bought books worth Rs. 36000/- all on the Quaid. All would have the same matter somewhere. Don’t you ever feel that it is reading the same matter over and over again?
Yes, I did. I wanted to have all the books there were in the Bookfair on the Quaid. Some of them were even doubles as I already had them in my study at home. Quaid is someone I follow and idolise. There can be no one else like the Quaid; the world does not have any one like him and the most unfortunate part is that we accept him but do not know him while the other nations do not accept him know who he was.
And it is not the same content. I do not just read the good things about him. I read controversial work on the Quaid as well. But even if I come across the sentence that “the Quaid was a great person…” I never get enough of it, as I love to read it over and over again that he is a great man!
I do not just read autobiographies. I read everything.
You wake up at 5:45am and go to sleep at 3-4am. Then you have the usual very busy routine, show after show. When do you find the time to read?
I read in my car while my driver drives.
What inspires you the most?
“Life! Life’s sorrows, life’s surprises, everything. Life inspires me. It is inspirational to be alive.”
What is it that strikes you in a person?
“Honesty! Honesty and command in the voice.”
What inspired you to establish The Sahir Lodhi Foundation?
Most of the work is done. The Sahir Lodhi Show inspired me to start the foundation because they started the trend of inviting in a common man. Listening to their stories and problems made me think that my life is not so bad. I could help them out and do something to make life better for them.
Your parents’ role in your life
Everything I do right is because of them. Everything I did wrong is because I did not listen to them.
HumTum is the most fascinating part of your radio show. How did you come up with the idea of doing that?
I think it just happened one day. It is not the movie ‘Hum Tum’ that inspired me. I did HumTum in the US also. There was a time when a relationship had ended in my life. I was quite shattered. I realised that life doesn’t just depend on one relationship; it is about relationships..anybody’s relationships! So I thought of starting this segment narrating a story of two people who are either ‘in’ a relationship, at the start or moving towards the end of a relationship and the problems their relationship comes across.
You are a sensation to the young. What is it that makes young people like you?
I think people can easily relate to me. I am not very complicated. I am who I am. I have the energy that I draw from life. I am not a star or a celebrity to them. I am just their Sahir bhai, their Sahir beta, their Sahir! A person like anyone else- I cry, I laugh, I too get disappointments. I listen to my heart. I never obey my mind. ‘My mind never controls me- I control my mind.’ I am just like any other person and maybe that is why they like me. I still don’t think I am a sensation though.
You often mention that you have a “Monkey Palm”. What is it?
Yes I do have a Monkey Palm. People with such a palm have only a single line for the heart and mind. For this reason, my mind and heart are always in harmony. They never defy each other. It is never, that my mind would say one thing and my heart the other. This is the reason that I may make a good leader but a bad politician.
I am writing a book called, “The Rented Life” and there is a chapter where I talk about my death and I say that “you die everyday and are reborn again, if only you can feel it. We often think of death as a departure from this. Not necessary. We can be in this world and be dead! There are times when I am torn but my heart always wins. If you listen to your heart, there is a possibility you will bleed to death but rest assured, you will have no regrets… Your heart does not deal with the politics of the world. It is not jealous or envious; it does not know these emotions. It only competes with itself. It is the mind that wants to create an empire.
Academically, you are a petroleum engineer. How did you end up becoming a celebrity?
I lost my business and did not have anything to do. Besides, I had always wanted to be in media. My sister, Shaista referred me and I had a show for two weeks. I took a few phone calls and the first thing was, “OH, Shahrukh Khan!” this was a setback but then people started liking me, my style and that is how I began. At that time I was paid Rs. 200 per day and now, by God’s grace, I am among the most expensive people.
Did you always want to be what you are? You are a linguist, a radio host, a tv host, a writer and know mind exercises well too. What do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy all of it. If I am doing it that clearly means I am enjoying it. I cannot do what I do not enjoy.
Yes, I know 17 languages.
What makes you different from the others?
My bravery! I am fearless. I do not fear anything.
“It is said that the more famous you are, the less privacy you have.” Do you agree?
There is nothing to hide actually. I go out and I do not mind stopping at a street vendor to have my “gola ganda”. It’s obvious that when people would follow me, many eyes would be would watch me, but then again, that is what I worked for, and when I do get what I want, I grumble about my privacy being disturbed; that doesn’t make sense to me. I love the people, as they are the ones who keep me shining. The only time when I feel uncomfortable is when people come to me while I am eating. Even then, I would not refuse a photograph or an autograph because if I refuse a child an autograph, God would definitely put me to task for offending that little child who went home without a smile.
A quality that you have and you wish others had too.
My tolerance and my thought process. I havenow learnt to think right.
Have you ever had to face any controversies?
Yes, everyday. I am always in the middle of controversies.
There are so many people in media. What is it that keeps you shining among them all?
People. People keep me shining.
A lot of people loved the episode you did on senior citizens. What do you feel about the senior citizens? Do you think they are cared for?
Our parents are ‘modified baby sitters’. We think that their life is over at the age of just 50 and 55.They worked all their life and when they are in a time when they can actually enjoy, we hand them our children while we can go to a party or a wedding or watch a movie. This is so not fair! And they learn to be happy in that environment as well.
We talk of senior citizens but we have done nothing to make things easier for them. Do we have special pathways or specials bazaars for them?
Yes, I do think that they are less cared for!
Tell us about the movie you had signed.
I have signed another movie. It has a good story. It is an artsy movie and I play character of a daring young man who takes up a project that no one dares to take.
What do you think can be done for drug addicts?
Tshey are two things that need to be done- identify where it is coming from in which the government needs to take part. Secondly, a check and balance needs to be kept.
What is your message to the drug addicts?
“Quit, at once!”
You feel very happy when you see a young person with talent. What is it that makes you feel so happy?
Pakistan is my passion and the young people are her future. When I see people like you and many other who I have had the opportunity to work with, I see that they have immense talent that should be propagated and promoted. We need heroes and the young generation could be those. They are hardworking and we have not done much for them.
It is not just a particular form of talent that makes me happy. Talent! Any form of talent makes me happy.
Your message to young people
“Stop complaining!”
