Our dramas ask people questions they don't want to hear: Fahad Mustafa

The actor beleives that the audience should make its decision over a serial after the story is finished

Popular actor Fahad Mustafa seems to have done it all when it comes to the local entertainment industry. Having started his career as an actor in Television dramas, Mustafa has seemed to closed that chapter altogether with his focus being on films and hosting his popular game show called Jeeto Pakistan.

In a recent interview with BBC Urdu, the Na Maloom Afraad star shared that unlike other actors, he does not have the ability to make time for acting in TV dramas while doing films, advertisements and handling his production house. "Thank God I'm doing a lot, producing TV dramas, hosting the game show Jeeto Pakistan, working in commercials and making films right before the Corona pandemic. Maybe I can't do so much simultaneously so I'm not acting.in dramas," he said.

The actor, who started his film career with the Pakistani film Namaloom Afraad added that acting in a drama takes time, which he does not have. "If I do dramas, then I won't be able to do all this. Right now I am a producer and I think for others.
It has a different flavour, but if you start acting in a play, everything else will be affected. It's not that I don't have the heart to work on TV, maybe I don't have the time. I might do it when the time comes," he said.

Talking about the content of Television dramas nowadays, Mustafa stressed that the primary aim has always been entertainment with a possible moral lesson always being secondary. "Not every play can teach people. "We can't teach people with every drama, but we try to do as much as we can, TV is now a business as well as an entertainment, and we can't always persuade people to do specific things or not," he said.

As a producer, the Actor in Law has delivered multiple hits this year alone including TV shows like Bala, Cheekh, Nand and Jalan. According to Mustafa, the title of a TV drama has a lot to do with its popularity. Speaking about Nand, Mustafa said "If the name of this drama had been something else, it probably wouldn't have happened. We come directly so people know."
Adding further, he said, "It's the age of social media, people are watching pocket films, so they have to come up with 26 to 30 episodes to stay connected."

Speaking about audience criticism on the content of dramas, Mustafa argues that people should have some patience. "If the audience has to make a decision, do it after the story is over, not in the middle. Like it or not, people are watching dramas and it is being watched not only in Pakistan but also abroad.Not only do these dramas go on trend, but people also enjoy them.
Isn't it time to end the ban?" he said. 

Among other things, Mustafa shared his two cents on the authorities routinely banning certain types of programs. "Our dramas ask people questions they probably don't want to hear, and you always flinch or run around saying you're wrong, Maybe that's why our dramas are banned and removed. We also talk to PEMRA officials, they are good people, it is our job to keep them busy," he said. 

Have something to add to the story? Share in the comments below.