A Kashmir police officer who uses lyrics as ‘special weapon’ to win hearts

Peer Zahoor, a Senior Superintendent of Police in the J&K Police, is bringing a balm to the “wounded paradise” with his soulfully rendered songs

Unlike his tribe, this Kashmir police officer has a completely different set of weapons in his armoury - from dance numbers to wedding songs and from patriotic to devotional songs. Peer Zahoor (50), a Senior Superintendent of Police rank officer in the J&K Police, is hitting the right notes to win the hearts and minds in “wounded paradise” with his lyrics.

The most played wedding song in 2024 in Kashmir remained Mr. Zahoor’s ‘Yamberzal’. In fact, the only second dance number written after ‘Bumbro Bumbro’ from Bollywood movie Mission Kashmir. The ‘Yamberzal’, which brings the energy of yesteryear Bollywood actor Shammi Kapoor to the screen, has already more than one million hits on YouTube. It enthused audiences to the extent that they created over 5,600 reels of the song on Instagram. It’s a distinction very rare in Kashmir where cinema halls remained shut for more than three decades. Besides, his satirical Qawwali ‘Battiye’ on the electricity crisis in Kashmir remains the most circulated song online in the Valley.  

“We don’t have much to offer in the genre of dance items in Kashmir. ‘Yamberzal’ was an effort to give a flip to this genre. I was pleased to hear this song in most weddings I attended in Kashmir. In fact, when I was on duty for the Kashmir Marathon event last year, it was heartening to hear my song playing in the backdrop,” Mr. Zahoor told The Hindu, in an interview.  

Mr. Zahoor was born in the most troubled area of Srinagar’s Nowhatta, the centre of the old city. After completing his Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering from Srinagar’s Regional Engineering College, he qualified the Kashmir Police Service (KPS) to join the J&K Police 2011. 

Since then, he is now 30-plus songs old in the music industry. He has already created ripples with his soulful and romantic songs in Bollywood. His song, ‘Woh Rubaru Khade Hain Magar Faasle Toh Hain’ for Yami Gautam and Vikrant Massey starrer ‘Ginny Weds Sunny’ has already earned him accolades. He won the Mirchi Music Award for the upcoming lyricist award of the year for this song ‘Rubaru’ in 2021. He has become the first Kashmiri Muslim lyricist to create a mark in Bollywood.    

Mr. Zahoor’s versatility is evident from his lyrics ranging from Kashmiri devotional songs to Hindi songs on Holi and Ganesh Chaturthi. “I have written an item song for Seeta Films and another song has been approved for a movie based on Nirpreet Kaur, a survivor of the 1984 riots. I believe there is a dearth of good lyricists in Bollywood and there is a scope for new serious writers,” Mr. Zahoor said.

Given the conflict that marred Kashmir for three decades, a police officer with a soulful heart is a rare combination. However, Mr. Zahoor said his lyrics are a testimony to “passion having the strength to keep a musical soul alive”. “Writing is my passion and I managed to keep it alive. My colleagues in the police department encouraged me. Even my patriotic song ‘Mera Sar Par Haath Himalaya Ka’ is a very popular,” Mr. Zahoor said. The migration of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley also influenced him to do a song ‘Intezaar’ for the community’s return.

Married with a kid, Mr. Zahoor is inspired by the idea of unrequited love. “Romance is always elusive. We keep searching for it. It’s the search that influences my writing. Besides, the lives of common people and their struggles also influence me a lot. I am not into abstract writing but simple expressions,” he added.

A fan of writers Gulzar and Anand Bakshi, Mr. Zahoor is inspired by the songs like ‘Rukay Rukay Say Kadam’ and ‘Merey Awargi Nay Mujhko Awara Banadala’. The lyricist is worried about the Kashmiri language. “Locals in Kashmir have to come forward to save Kashmiri language and its rich poetry and music. I have already done children’s rhymes in Kashmiri. It’s my dream to contribute in this direction,” he added. 

A bigger platform is awaiting Mr. Zahoor this year with his entry into the prestigious musical platform Coke Studio. “A song with Zeba is in its final stage of release,” he said. 

Published - January 11, 2025 08:04 pm IST