Don’t phuppis ask awkward questions?: Yasir Hussain defends Nadir Ali in the age of cancel culture

Actor shed light on political correctness v entertainment and more

Actor Yasir Hussain in a recent interview shared his thoughts on various topics ranging from the cultural significance of item songs in Pakistani cinema to the challenges of comedy in the era of political correctness. He also discussed his 14-year age gap with his wife, the renowned actor Iqra Aziz, and his views on parenting.

In conversation with host Irza Khan in a podcast, Yasir began the discussion by shedding light on the cultural significance of item songs in Pakistan's film industry. He pointed out that item numbers have a long-standing history in Pakistani cinema and are an integral part of the entertainment industry. He also emphasized that these songs are not a recent phenomenon but have been part of Pakistani culture since its inception.

The 'item song' debate

"When there are item numbers in films, people say this is not our culture. But this is our culture. There are so many Madam Noor Jehan songs with brilliant dance performances. Same goes for artists. This is what culture is. Since the inception of Pakistan, these songs have been coming out. Since before that, actually," Yasir explained.

He also expressed his belief that talented female dancers from the past, should be given the opportunity to perform in films and award shows. “There is Deedar, Nargis. We should hire them for films and award shows. Whenever I host an award show or watch one, I feel they should be there. Reema should be there, Resham should be there. A lot of our artists don’t get the recognition they deserve, like Naseebo Lal jee, because there’s this cool/uncool factor in our industry. The way India has cashed on someone like Arif Lohar. We should learn from that.”

Age gap in relationships

The conversation took an intimate turn when the host brought up the 14-year age gap between Yasir Hussain and his wife, Iqra Aziz, who is 25 years old. Yasir's response highlighted that such age gaps are not uncommon in the entertainment industry and can be complementary to a relationship.

"Age gap between Iqra and I only came to people's attention when I talked about it. But in our industry, generally, every couple has a similar age gap. And I feel that's good. There should be this difference," Yasir noted. He went on to explain that Iqra is mature for her age, but even in cases where one partner is not as mature as the other, compatibility can still flourish. “Iqra is really mature for her age. But in the case that one is not as mature and the other is, the partnership is more compatible.”

Yasir also shared how his life transformed after marriage. He mentioned that he was accustomed to living alone, as all of his siblings had gotten married. However, his marriage to Iqra brought their families closer together. He described how Iqra's mother and his sister now live with them, leading to a more bustling and connected household.

On fatherhood and values

The conversation shifted to fatherhood, with the host inquiring about what kind of father Yasir strives to be. Yasir expressed his desire to instil certain values and provide guidance to his child. He highlighted that schools often fail to teach essential life values, and he aims to fill that gap by being a friend and mentor to his child.

"I just want to instil certain values and teach certain things and allow my child to grow in whatever direction he is naturally inclined to," Yasir explained. His approach focuses on allowing his child to develop their personality rather than imposing preconceived notions.

Comedy in the age of political correctness

The conversation took an intriguing turn as the host and Yasir discussed the challenges faced by comedians in the era of political correctness and cancel culture. Yasir shared his thoughts on the changing landscape of comedy, with people becoming more sensitive to jokes that they might not have found offensive before. "People have started taking offense to jokes they wouldn't have before. Maybe it's their right to take offense," Yasir acknowledged. He also cited the example of fellow comedian Nadir Ali, who had faced backlash for his questions in recent podcasts.

“They talk about Nadir Ali. But Nadir has catered to the masses all his life. I will talk about him because he was brutally trolled recently. When the host interrupted, “Nadir asks very awkward questions,” Yasir replied asking, “Don’t our phuppis [aunts] ask awkward questions? To this, Irza asked, “So, do we start considering Nadir a phuppo?” Yasir asserted, “Sure, why not?” He further held, “If you know a person will ask questions that will make you awkward, don’t go to his shows. He will not stop asking awkward questions. Don’t school him. He has an audience that appreciates him for doing what he does.

Yasir pointed out that humour, even if it touches on sensitive topics, can be appreciated by the right audience. He used the example of Umer Sharif, a late comic who made jokes that today might be considered sexist and racist but still garnered laughter from his audience. “You look up Bakra Qiston Pay right now, and listen to [late comic] Umer Sharif comment on women, the world, its people, politicians. You will find them racist and sexist and you will laugh. And you will see how the people who have bought tickets to watch him live are laughing too. Listen to a standard white man’s stand-up comedy – all their jokes are about sex, politics and religion. And all of them are sexist. Here, you’re can’t joke about any of those things. I’m not saying being racist or sexist is okay. I’m just saying, I’m sure it’s really difficult for Tabish [Hashmi] to run a show here. There are theatres worldwide that promote such open-minded conversations. They are PG-rated, they tell you this’ll be vulgar, or loud, or something or the other to filter the crowd.”

The conversation concluded with Yasir even advocating for the inclusion of mujras and dances in the entertainment industry and recognizing the importance of allowing various forms of entertainment, provided they are accessible and monetized. “There should be mujras, dances, why not? Whoever wants to watch can watch, whoever doesn’t, shouldn’t have to. They’re still happening, but underground, open to raids. Isn’t it better that these forms of entertainment are monetized? If you tell Rauf Lala to not crack a joke today because it’s sexist, he won’t understand. He’s done this his whole life. How will you change Amanullah sahab? It’s as pointless as telling your grandmother to not invade your personal space. They don’t know what personal space is.”

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