“I think that was turning point in my life. It made my commitment with literature much stronger.”

The real phase for writing plays started when he completed his studies in 1968. He took his start from radio. Television was at its weaning stage then and the plays were not so popular. Even though he thought he could write. He was unable to gather strength to venture on television. It was Ather Shah Khan who pushed him for writing. On his insistence he wrote his first play for television. “But it was only Ather Shah who thought I could write, television did not. None of my plays were accepted for five years. In 1973 an opportunity arose when I could prove my mettle. There was an advertisement in the paper from Rawalpindi center which invited the plays from new writers. I sent one of mine. It came first in the competition. It boasted my morale. In 1975 Kanwer Aftab Ahmed shifted to Lahore. He wanted to do play on 23rd March. He asked me to writer for the occasion. I did. That play proved a great success and I was given an award __ my first award. He pointed towards the shelf where the shield was lying among so many others. “Then I did Ya Naseeb Clinic and a few more. I think after that Lahore centre acknowledged me as a playwright.

In October 1979 I wrote my first serial almost after the struggle of a decade. It was Waris which proved to be the trend setter” he said with pride.

Though he gained greater popularity through his plays, he identifies himself with his poetry. “In fact it is my first love. Who knows what will happen tomorrow. But if any of my works would survive, I think it will be my poetry. Drama is a collective effort. Poetry is my sole work”.

Being the poet of love, has he ever fallen in love? “I never got involved seriously in any one girl.” He feels that we have confined love in too narrow boundaries. “It is much beyond that. We have romanticized certain things like ahain, shikway shikayatain, too much. The element of reality is less. I don’t mean to say that these elements are missing altogether but it is not true for all.

I believe the process of love starts with affection for someone. It is like two personalities synchronizing with each other. Then it depends a lot on trial. Time factor also plays its role. True love gains strength and it becomes deeper with the passage of time. None such affection developed that could become the central point of my life”. Amjad Islam admitted.

But his life was not al all devoid of love for he says that the times when he felt lonely or he urged for companion his cousin who is now his wife, was always there. Both of them were brought up in the same house. He had a liking for her. The liking grew stronger and ultimately resulted in a marriage.

Like Keats he believes that unheard melodies are sweeter. He affirms that the idea of love is more beautiful than actual love.

The flight of imagination is not curtailed or restrained by anything. Whereas in reality moods, behaviours and attitude of the person intervene”. But he admits that the 100% of the imagination cannot equal the 10th of reality. The 10% is more strong because it imbibes the whole chemistry of the being”.

It happens at times that when one exposes the inner-self of his being the city of heart is desolated. Thought it adds colour in the life of others, it drains one of all colours. Luckily it never happened to Amjad Islam. From he believes that it is only poetry among all other activities which reveals his inner-self “Poetry is like an ice berg. A large part of it remains settled deep down. We just explore a fraction of it. So a lot remain hidden and undiscovered. I have yet not explored that fraction. How could I ever feel an emptiness within?.”

Amjad has a very positive attitude towards life. “I think what Asghar Gondwi said fits me.

Chala jata hoon hasta khailta mojay hawadus say

Agar asaniya hon zindige dushwar ho jae

And another of Sajjad Baqir Rizvi’s

Man tore tore kay khud ko banata rehta hun

Ab aik umr hui phir bhi bachpana na gia

He believes that the best way to lead life is to select the right path. It is important that one should have a big heart and should be able to forgive others with a smile. “You know it works wonders. If you carry your grievances and frustrations too far they’ll begin to multiply. One should not give them chance to do so. This is what is my philosophy of life.” Amjad Islam Amjad contended.

Amjad Islam Amjad does not feel that any change has come in him over the years. For there is a subtle difference between change and development. “Things have changed for me. Those which were shrouded are now clear.

Once somebody asked Michael Angelo that how does he make sculptures. He answered that the figure exists in the stone I just remove the superfluous. So I think now I can shed the superfluous and can see the real shape of things”, concluded Amjad Islam Amjad with a soft smile.