Bushra Ansari says ‘Pakistan Idol’ selected some contestants merely for the 'comedic effect'

Veteran actor and singer Bushra Ansari, who co-judged the 2013 Pakistan Idol with singers Hadiqa Kiani and Ali Azmat, has now opened up on how the singing reality show was actually scripted to a great extent.

Earlier this week, on Tabish Hashmi’s talk show Hasna Mana Hai, the Udaari actor shared that while Pakistan Idol definitely played its part in showcasing some undoubtedly talented singing, some parts of the show were completely staged. The main purpose was to sell the show in a way that stands according to the standards of the international show Pop Idol.

Talking about the harsh comments the judges would give to the contestants, Ansari said that while Kiani had a balanced attitude towards strictness and being rude, Azmat could play the rude critical judge part very well. However, for her, the critique part was the hardest. “I even asked the management to fire me because I couldn’t treat people harshly. That’s not me,” she said.

But the makers of Pakistan Idol then showed her videos of judges from Indian Idol, especially Sunidhi Chauhan to take inspiration from. “She was thrashing the contestants. She would shout and yell,” she said.

While concluding, she also added that the mere show was not just scripted but several contestants there were merely included for comedy effects and were not meant to be taken seriously. Ansari, however, did not take any names.