New Delhi: Pakistani politicians who are no longer in positions of power have new avenues for fame, and former interior minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed is leading the way. He recently starred in Pindi Boyz, the seven-member Rawalpindi band’s latest music video, Pindi Aye 2.0.
The song, released a month ago, has over 21 lakh views on YouTube. Rasheed’s role has been likened to that of Nick Fury, a popular character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, who began the Avengers initiative.
“We really wanted Sheikh sahab to be in the first one, but had no access to him whatsoever,” the Zeeru, a member of the Pindi Boyz told ThePrint.
The opening shot shows a Fury-esqe Rasheed in a blue jacket smoking a cigar as the Pindi Boyz assemble in front of him. He hands them a dossier stamped with the words ‘2.0 Unite the Pindi Boyz’. Rasheed doesn’t feature again in the video until a ‘post credits’ scene where he’s labelled the King of Pindi. But the brief appearance sets the tone.
Having Rasheed be a part of their project was a “no brainer”. “When you think of Pindi, you think of Sheikh Rasheed. He is the OG Pindi Boy. It’s only right we dub him the king of the city,” said Zeeru.
Rasheed, who is president of the Awami Muslim League and was interior minister for two years from 2020 to 2022, is from Rawalpindi. He has won the national assembly elections from there eight times.
Rasheed is known for his eccentric ways — a video of him arriving at a protest at Pindi’s Committee Chowk on the back of a motorbike went viral in 2016.
His appearance in the music video has garnered praise, with one user writing “Sheikh Sahab spitting fire without delivering a verse”.
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Rawalpindi roots
So far the Pindi Boyz have released only two music videos. The first Pindi Aye, released in 2020, was a hit. The seven band members take pride in their Rawalpindi roots.
The group’s name is a deliberate attempt to subvert its pejorative connotations. Urban Dictionary defines Pindi boys as “slimy-haired, gaudily clothed, Punjabi accented youngsters of Rawalpindi”.
After their first release, which has a whopping 2.2 crore views, the members went their own ways but reunited for Pindi Aye 2.0.
Their music is a fusion of pop, hip-hop and moombahton, an electronic dance music genre that draws from house music and reggaeton.
“In Pakistan, we’re definitely fans of icons such as Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi, Junoon, Ali Zafar, Sajjad Ali, Mehdi Hassan, Shafqat Amanat, Atif Aslam to name a few. Outside of Pakistan, and especially as a group, we’re influenced majorly by Wu-Tang Clan and the way they rose to the top of the industry. Eminem, J. Cole, Chris Brown, Sonu Nigam, XXXTentacion, 2Pac, Nelly, NF, Bruno Mars are also inspirations,” said Zeeru.The song is certainly a hit among local residents in Rawalpindi but has also received praise from people from other parts of Pakistan, including Islamabad.
“I’m not a Pindi resident (living in Islamabad) but the way they have described Pindi’s daily life is spot on, exceptional writing, outstanding editing jumpy beats. Weldone Pindi Boys,” commented one user on the YouTube video.
Zeerak Ahmed, who writes a newsletter on Pakistani pop music, in a podcast said that he enjoyed these little anthems that pop up because they highlight the individuality of every city.
“These things are important because if you look at these songs 15 years down the line…you will be able to understand that reference has some relation to some geographical place and time.”
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)