Who exactly are the jury members?: Celebrities demand LSAs give everyone a 'fair' chance at winning

Farhan Saeed, Sajal Aly, others are raising their voice against the award show after its winners were announced

The 22nd Lux Style Awards (LSA) ceremony, an event that traditionally celebrates achievements in the Pakistani entertainment industry, faced significant criticism this year from renowned celebrities, who voiced their concerns over the selection process and lack of recognition for deserving talents, sparking a dialogue about the need for a more inclusive and fair awarding system.

Farhan Saeed, who was nominated in two categories, Best TV Actor (Male) and Best Film Actor (Male) for Mere Humsafar and Tich Button respectively, ultimately lost out in both. While Arsalan Naseer bagged the Best TV Actor award for Paristan, the Best Film Actor award went to Feroze Khan for Tich Button. Following the ceremony, Saeed took to his Instagram to share his sentiments.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Farhan Saeed (@farhan_saeed)

"If you had to fix it, it could have been done intelligently at least #LSA2023! I don’t say this for myself but for anyone who deserves a fair chance at winning for their hard work at any platform," expressed Saeed in his Instagram post, emphasizing the need for a more equitable awarding system and encouraging aspiring individuals in the industry. “I say this to encourage people who aspire to join our industry! I say this to keep people’s faith in us intact! Nevertheless, your [my fans’] love is the biggest award I have! Congratulations to all the winners!"

The post garnered support from fellow actors who also felt that the awarding process needed a critical review. Armeena Khan criticized the process as a "party pris" designed to favour a certain clique and promote self-aggrandizement. Zara Noor Abbas expressed support for Saeed and implied that Shahzaib [Pir Shahzaib, Saeed’s character from Badshah Begum] deserved recognition at the awards.

Rabya Kulsoom chimed in, expressing concern about hardworking individuals already in the industry who often go unrecognized. Calling for a more transparent and fair awarding process, the actor commented, “What if they, after working for good 7-10 years, leave the industry? If someone does good work, they need to be appreciated, awarded and applauded. It's as simple as that. It's sad to see a certain group managing all the awards with senseless timelines for nominations and submissions and giving it to their favourites. If not favorites but people who they think will benefit them in future. Sorry too much truth to handle."

Sajal Aly, another notable figure in the industry, raised crucial points through her Instagram Stories, urging LSA to consider honouring not only lead actors but also technical teams, supporting actors, and their valuable contributions. She highlighted the need to nominate artists based on merit and exemplary work, rather than popularity. "Award shows are a great way to appreciate art and artists and to encourage us as actors. I request Lux Style Awards and their jury to at least nominate those who have done stellar work. It is greatly disappointing to me as an artist that LSA routinely ignores other artists who are doing great work.”

The Mom star went on to name actors she believes should have been awarded, or at the least, nominated. “For example, Mehwish Hayat who was great in London Nahi Jaunga. Zara Noor Abbas for Badshah Begum and Ushna Shah for Habs. Who exactly are the jury members, do they watch our shows even? Or do they simply choose who is popular? she asked. “It is one thing to not win an award but to simply be ignored even if you have done great work is heartbreaking to not just one artist but to all.”

The What’s Love Got To Do With It? actor added, “My second request is, LSA also need to honor technical teams like DOPs and their very hard-working teams who create magic for us, us actors and for the audiences who see us. My third request is, please add a way/category to honour supporting actors. We have great actors who make our plays stronger because of their contributions. Let's appreciate them please. P.S., how could Jo Bichar Gaye not even be nominated?"

The collective sentiment among these celebrities highlights a growing concern within the Pakistani entertainment industry regarding the transparency, inclusivity, and fairness of award ceremonies. Calls for reform in awarding processes and the inclusion of diverse talents and contributions are gaining momentum, urging the Lux Style Awards and similar events to revisit their approach and ensure recognition for all deserving individuals within the industry.

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