Pakistani filmmaker and host Rafay Rashdi’s digital talk show Behind the Curtain became the only Pakistani talk show to make it to Amazon Prime. The second season of his show begun with an interesting episode featuring senior artist Naumaan Ijaz who addressed several issues faced by artists in the local film and television industry.
The Dunk star is known to be vocal about his opinions and address even those problems that not many in the entertainment industry want to talk about. The actor revealed that artists and producers have to beg for their own money from the broadcasters.
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When asked if it is true that artists get denied payments to an extent that they have no option but to name and shame, the actor further stated that there is no actor or producer in Pakistan who can say their payment is not stuck.
“Even my payments are stuck,” he revealed the ugly side of ‘big channels’. “How can I talk about anybody else? One channel owes me Rs45-50 million and another channel owes me Rs20-25 million.”
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“It’s been four-five years since one channel hasn’t paid me and three years since another. You go asking for your money and they make you run after several other people. A producer has to beg in front of the broadcaster for his own money and the broadcaster pays him the bare minimum from that amount just to shut him up,” claimed the veteran who has spent decades in the industry.
Disappointed by the corrupt system, he went on to add that there are no ethics, morals, law or professionalism. He also addressed the issues that came as a result of the pandemic.
“I’m sorry, but artists are working like donkeys nowadays,” he confessed. “Even during the pandemic, broadcasters blackmailed producers for content, who then blackmailed actors that they would be blacklisted if they didn’t work.” He added that a lot of actors had to hide when they tested positive for COVID-19 due to the fear of losing work.
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