Aspiring actor Saba Bukhari, who is also part of TV One’s Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi, has alleged that senior actors only promote their children and discourage newcomers.
In a recent interview with BBC Urdu, the actor opened up about her difficult experiences in the industry, saying: “Sometimes senior actors also give tough time to newcomers.”
Recalling her encounter with a senior actor, Bukhari said: “A senior actress was sitting beside me while we were waiting for our next scene and she said samajh nahi aata zara sa chehra hota nahi hai or aa jati hain moun utha kar.”
Bukhari further said: “Some senior actors have also advised me to leave the acting profession altogether.”
“They say that there is no nepotism in the industry, this is not true at all,” said Saba. “These senior actors and their family members are in the field and they promote their children and show their work. This is what my son/daughter is doing or have done.”
“After hearing that girls like me can not survive in the industry, I kept wondering if I should continue working in this profession or not,” lamented Bukhari.
Earlier, in a social media post, Bukhari had opened up on her harrowing experiences with the casting couch and shared the advice she got from different ‘men’ and ‘directors’ in the industry and how those words broke her from inside.
Faryal Mehmood, in a recent interview, had also talked about the casting couch in Pakistan and asserted that it exists.
Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi actor Saba Bukhari has opened up on her experience with the casting couch and shared the advice she got from different ‘men’, and ‘directors’ in the industry and how those words broke her from Inside.
“He said that: Tum may itna confidence toh hai nahi k tum is media may agay ja sako (You don’t have enough confidence to go forward in media industry),” wrote Saba alongside a picture of herself.
“He said that: Masla yay hai tum good girl ho aur iss field may good girl nahi chalti (The problem is that you are a good girl and good girls don’t survive in this field).”
“He said that: Aisa kaisay ho sakta kisi nay tum par attempt na kia ho (How is this possible that no one ever made a move on you).”
“He said that: Hum tumhay kaam q dain or paisay bhe dain jab k yaha larkian kam k liye sonay ko tayar hain (Why should we give you work and money when girls are ready to sleep for work).
“All these lines, words from different men’s (person’s) (director’s) broke me inside [and shattered] my dreams,” concluded the actor.
Featuring Yumna Zaidi, Yasra Rizvi, Wahaj Ali, Nadia Afgan, Naumaan Ijaz, Samiya Mumtaz, and Omair Rana in the lead, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi is a harrowing tale of child abuse and human trafficking in Pakistan. The drama has been written by Amna Mufti and directed by Kashif Nisar and is a Kashf Foundation Presentation.
A few weeks back, the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority issued a notice to the makers of Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi and directed TV One to review the drama’s content and modify it according to the regulatory body’s guidelines.
Yumna Zaidi has hit back at the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) for their notice on Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi (DNUTN), saying “we cannot make saas-bahu dramas only.”
Speaking to BBC Urdu, Yumna said that she doesn’t understand why PEMRA would take notice on her ongoing drama’s content.
“I was very disappointed [with PEMRA’s notice],” said Yumna. “I don’t understand what they want to promote [or show on television].”
“If we don’t talk about problems faced by people in government schools, gali mohallas or in the villages, then we’re only going to listen to bad news. If we force society to think about [such issues] through such content, then at least let it through instead of holding it back.”
“We cannot make saas-bahu dramas only,” lamented the actor further. “We make romantic dramas also. Different genres are given space [on television]. So this [DNUTN] should also be given a small space.”
Directing her comments towards PEMRA, Zaidi said: “I just want to ask PEMRA: ‘How can you do this?’”
The actor further said: “Other projects of mine have also previously received notices from PEMRA [Pyaar Ke Sadkay] but this one hurt more. It should not have happened. I was not happy with that.”
“Matlab kyun?,” she questioned, referring to the drama as a “very special project”.
Featuring Yasra Rizvi, Wahaj Ali, Nadia Afgan, Naumaan Ijaz, Omair Rana and Samiya Mumtaz besides Zaidi in the lead, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi is a harrowing tale of child abuse and human trafficking in Pakistan. The drama has been written by Amna Mufti and directed by Kashif Nisar and is a Kashf Foundation Presentation.
According to a press release issued earlier, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi will “bring some of the most heinous and deeply sensitive issues to light – while showing how humanity can still prevail in even the most insurmountable of situations.
The press release further said: “With three parallel stories on prostitution, human trafficking, and child abuse, the drama exposes the lowest ebb of our society.”
Meanwhile, while talking about her character in the drama, Yumna said that she plays a prostitute and while shooting for the party scenes, she was very grateful that this wasn’t her “real life”.
“The feeling was so haunting. And I felt so sorry for those women who are entrapped in such lives,” said the actor. “But I am happy that I am portraying the character of such a woman, who fights the system and breaks free.”
Omair Rana, who plays a key role in TV One’s Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi, has responded to the notice issued by the Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to the makers of Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi directing them to review the drama’s content and modify it according to the regulatory body’s guidelines.
In a series of tweets, the actor appreciated the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) efforts to combat human trafficking in Pakistan and said: “Our humble effort is to help them with their honourable cause by educating the masses of our everyday actions that feed the menace that is the modern slave trade.”
Rana further said that all evil is ugly and invited PEMRA “to do what is right, not popular”.
“Join us in this jihad and help us make our beloved Pakistan, pak (clean) of such vile elements in our society,” he added.
Founder of the Kashf Foundation Roshaneh Zafar, who has produced the show, responding to PEMRA’s notice said: “Indeed evil is ugly and reality has to be faced so we can do something about changing it.”
Indeed evil is ugly and reality has to be faced so we can do something about changing it. Thank you @omairana for being part of team #dnutn#dilnaumeedtonahin We must fight in the trenches for all victims of human trafficking as such bondage strips an individual of all dignity. https://t.co/rfDzK0EzaV
Zafar also shared a news report which highlighted widespread child labour in Islamabad and said: “This why we need shows like Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi to raise awareness on issues like human trafficking, child labour and human bondage.”
“Realisation is the first step towards redressal and resolution,” she added.
This why we need shows like #DilNaUmeedToNahi#dnutn to raise awareness on issues like human trafficking, child labour and human bondage. Realization is the first step towards redressal and resolution. pic.twitter.com/tmFe2BFbSz
According to the Federal Investigation Agency, human trafficking is the third-largest source of organised crime revenue in Pakistan. Furthermore, statistics from the US Department of State on Pakistan provincial police reported identifying 19,954 trafficking victims in 2019, with the majority of victims recorded as women and children.
Featuring Yumna Zaidi, Yasra Rizvi, Wahaj Ali, Nadia Afgan, Naumaan Ijaz and Samiya Mumtaz besides Rana in the lead, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi is a harrowing tale of child abuse and human trafficking in Pakistan. The drama has been written by Amna Mufti and directed by Kashif Nisar and is a Kashf Foundation Presentation.
Six episodes of the drama have aired so far. According to a press release issued earlier, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi will “bring some of the most heinous and deeply sensitive issues to light – while showing how humanity can still prevail in even the most insurmountable of situations.
The press release further said: “With three parallel stories on prostitution, human trafficking, and child abuse, the drama exposes the lowest ebb of our society.”
Yumna, in an earlier interview, while talking about the drama had said: “The story is based on multiple causes. It has three major tracks: human trafficking, child abuse and a young girl who wants to become a cricketer. As far as my track is concerned, it is about women trafficking. Parents from slums sell their young daughters. The drama explores where these girls end up and what kind of a life they spend. And, if any of them dreams big, how does she manage to pursue that.”
Earlier, PEMRA had also banned ARY Digital’s Jalan for going against the “social and moral ethics of Pakistani society” and had also directed the makers of Fitoor to check for “inappropriate dialogues and content” in the drama.
The Pakistan Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has issued a notice to the makers of Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi and has directed TV One to review the drama’s content and modify it according to the regulatory body’s guidelines.
In a notification shared on social media, PEMRA said: “PEMRA has issued a notice to TV One over content televised in the drama serial Dil Na Umeed To Nahi.”
“The channel has been directed to follow the quality of censor, according to the rules,” it adds.
The notice further directed TV One’s administration to modify the content according to PEMRA’s Code of Conduct and submit a report regarding the editorial board within five days.
Featuring Yumna Zaidi, Yasra Rizvi, Wahaj Ali, Nadia Afgan, Naumaan Ijaz, Samiya Mumtaz, and Omair Rana in the lead, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi is a harrowing tale of child abuse and human trafficking in Pakistan. The drama has been written by Amna Mufti and directed by Kashif Nisar and is a Kashf Foundation Presentation.
Six episodes of the drama have aired so far. According to a press release issued earlier, Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi will “bring some of the most heinous and deeply sensitive issues to light – while showing how humanity can still prevail in even the most insurmountable of situations.
The press release further said: “With three parallel stories on prostitution, human trafficking, and child abuse, the drama exposes the lowest ebb of our society.”
Yumna, in an earlier interview, while talking about the drama had said: “The story is based on multiple causes. It has three major tracks: human trafficking, child abuse and a young girl who wants to become a cricketer. As far as my track is concerned, it is about women trafficking. Parents from slums sell their young daughters. The drama explores where these girls end up and what kind of a life they spend. And, if any of them dreams big, how does she manage to pursue that.”
Earlier, PEMRA had also banned ARY Digital’s Jalanfor going against the “social and moral ethics of Pakistani society” and had also directed the makers of Fitoor to check for “inappropriate dialogues and content” in the drama.
Meanwhile, audiences have strongly criticised PEMRA’s notice and have called out the regulatory body for interfering unnecessarily.
Seriosuly. Pak has no child abuse issue, sex trafficking… bus close your eyes and u will live in lala land. God forbid if villagers or people are aware of social issues in Pak
Your comment about subject based stories reminded me of Shamoon Abbas’s movie. PEMRA needs to loosen up and allow content through, but also create a rating system and times slots for age appropriate content.
