Pakistani celebrities like Khushhal Khan, Ramsha Khan and Nadia Afgan address the issue of delayed or non-payments within the acting industry.
Pakistani celebrities are addressing how delayed payments for on-going projects is a severe problem within the entertainment industry, and how it can impact an actor’s livelihood.
Actors Khushhal Khan and Ramsha Khan brought up this topic when speaking to BBC Asian Network about their on-going show ‘Duniyapur’, where reflected on how the issue of delayed or non-payments to actors or crew workers is startlingly common within the entertainment industry, and how it causes an issue for those who depend on their professions to make a living and provide for their families.
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Both stressed that they were privileged to work with a great script and had been provided with their payments on time, but Khushhal emphasised that it is important that actors are recognised for the work and dedication they are giving to their projects by being handed their payments on time
“It’s disrespectful not to pay on time because we’re there on time, we’re showing up, we’re doing everything that we can. And for like however a long period of time, nine months a year, we’re giving our best doing a 110% every single day. The least we expect is to pay us on time.”
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Ramsha added that she has now started to deal with the issue by refusing to show up on set when she’s not given her payment for a project. The ‘Hum Tum’ actress shared she knew several other actors who weren’t paid since the last one or two years for their projects, that they give up chasing after the production team.
Khushhal and Ramsha pointed out the lack of solidarity among actors within the Pakistani entertainment industry to put an end to this issue, by sharing that today if the actors were to take a stand, there will be three or four actors who would drop the matter “There’s no unity”remarked Ramsha.
Ever since this interview went viral, veteran actress Nadia Afgan stepped in to reveal that due to issues regarding delayed payments and limited royalties over acting projects, she has stopped working with certain production houses who are known for withholding checks from actors.
“Ye baat…I have literally stopped working with everyone except for two production houses only because every production delays payment. That we have to repeatedly ask for our money. That we don’t get royalties. And the channels are making tons of money from youtube and are not willing to pay us our dues.”
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In 2021, Pakistani celebrities brought up issue of royalty payments for re-runs
Read more: Celebrities unite to demand royalties for artists
In 2021 several A-list celebrities like Ayesha Omar, Ushna Shah and Yasir Hussain demanded that entertainment channels provided veteran actors with royalty payments for re-running their dramas on the television screen again.
Taking to Instagram to highlight this matter, Ayesha Omar shared it was heartbreaking to witness how senior actors were denied the financial support they needed after dedicating so many years in the industry.
“Heartbreaking to see yet another senior actor and someone who has given so much to our industry, suffering and reminding the government/industry giants about their due rights,” the ‘Bulbulay’ actress shared.
Read more: Celebrities come forward to demand royalty payments for reruns
