NEAZ Mohamed Shane Subhan had a passion for the sciences while growing up and entertained the dream of becoming a medical doctor, but many things happened in his life that completely changed his dream and moved him into other directions. But he is not at all regretful of the way his life has turned out!

Today, he is the Director of the Government Information Agency (GINA), an executive member of the Indian Arrival Committee (IAC), Head of the Dramatic Arts Academy (DAA), co-host of “Guyana Today” on NCN, and host of radio programmes “Indian Memory Album” (Voice of Guyana), “Tangy Tuesday” (100.1 Fresh FM), “Aap Ki Mehefil” (89.1 FM) and “Memories and Melodies” (90.1 FM).

“I literally stumbled on television. It wasn’t something I was thinking of,” he told the Chronicle in an interview a few days ago.
Subhan, 47, was born at Peter’s Hall, East Bank Demerara, but spent many of his years at Craig, a village further up. He wrote the Common Entrance Exams at Peter’s Hall Primary and secured a place at the St. Joseph’s High School. He did his “O” Levels there; “A” Levels at Bishops’ High School and pursued a Degree in Chemistry (Biology minor) at the University of Guyana in the late 1980s.
His first job was that of teaching at the Houston Community High School. He was however interested in working at the Guyana Sugar Corporation’s (GUYSUCO) central laboratory that was housed in the Guyana Stores Building, but the teaching job came through first.
After he heard from GUYSUCO, he switched to working in the lab. Thinking that he was well on his way to becoming a doctor, things again took a twist. GUYSUCO had a very talented and vibrant drama group that Subhan was asked to join.
They were doing a play called “Feud” and he was cast in a role. This was the first time that he went to act at the National Cultural Centre. Incidentally, Ron Robinson was in the audience and apparently appreciated Subhan’s performance.
Robinson approached Subhan and offered him a role in a play he was doing called “Night of January 16.” Subhan’s acting career moved ahead from this point.
But his interest in theatre was not awakened at this point, he recalled. While at St. Joseph’s High, he was asked to participate in a Phagwah skit. Though hesitant at first, he agreed to play King Hirana Kashapu. The school loved it! And when he went on to Bishops’, despite being of a Muslim background, he suggested that they do a skit for the Hindu society. “I came up with a skit, they liked it and I was a part of it. I ended up acting, dancing, even though I knew nothing about these things. It was a hit,” he recalled.
Despite his religious background, he was voted President of the Hindu Society while at Bishops’ High School. “Because of the love for theatre that I started to develop and because people trusted me in that direction they felt I had what it took to manage the Hindu Society.
I owe a lot of what happened in my life to those humble beginnings from school.”
Having started theatre in 1982, he has acted and directed numerous plays over the past 32 years including “Maa Ka Pyar” (Mother’s Love”), “Vishwas” and “When Chocolate Melts”, which won Best Play/Playwright in the 2013 National Drama festival. He also wrote numerous one-act plays, skits and hundreds of satirical articles.
Other plays that he directed are “Tulsidas”, “Do Bhai,” “Deedar,” “Dosti,” “Kanyadaan.” “Bhagban,” “Namaste,” “Dress Rehearsal For A Funeral”, “Gana Bhajana 1, 2 and 3” and “A Tribute to Rabindranauth Tagore.”
Subhan explained that he developed an early likening for Indian music and this continues to be reflected in the radio programmes that he hosts.

All rounder

Subhan joined GINA November 18, 2002 and was seconded to the then GTV, now National Communications Network Inc. He served in various capacities from that time to January 2007, including news editor, assistant television/radio coordinator, head of the special events and news programming department, head of the graphics department and coordinator of “Guyana Today”. He was appointed director since February 2007.
Furthermore, Subhan has been a Member of Parliament during 1998 to 2001 following the 1997 General Elections. He was involved in the combat of the spread of HIV/AIDS including acting in three World AIDS Day plays, conducting numerous interviews and attending many workshops over the years and covering major HIV/AIDS related activities.
He was also part of the first Regional Workshop on Transformative Media and Arts for Latin America and the Caribbean held in Tobago.
Other related involvement includes participation in a Design Workshop to development a Radio Serial for Guyana under the MARCH project and as a Consultant for the Caribbean Family Planning Affiliation to conceptualised advertisements and related materials to target the Indian population across the region.

Disciplines

Subhan explained that he has a commitment to certain disciplines, such as that involving people’s time. “I’m very strong on time. I don’t like when people come late. I think we need to respect time. That is a part of me. You have to have the discipline to be able to make what you do work in theatre.”
Furthermore, many might be surprised to know that apart from being serious he also has a sense of humour. “Some people say I come across to them as a very serious individual but when they get to know me they realise I am just a regular guy. I joke with everyone.”
Subhan is happily married to Elsie and their six children are Shoaid, Saif, Shane and Sabir, Jennifer and Debbie.

(By Telesha Ramnarine)