We don't need another Fiza-Shiza, says Yasir Hussain

Actor calls for stricter censorship on drama serials

Yasir Hussain is a Pakistani drama serial and film actor infamous for his point-blank takes that often spiral into controversies. The Karachi Se Lahore actor recently appeared on a podcast hosted by Faysal Qureshi where he discussed his recent contentious statement at length.

"I say something on a podcast and someone blows it out of proportion," Yasir began, referring to his controversial comments on Ahmad Ali Butt's podcast Excuse Me. He then dived into his discussion with Faisal to offer an explanation.

"Here's what I meant. The dance performances in Lahore theatre are classed as adult entertainment. Kids don't go there," he identified. "Often, it is announced that strict action will be taken against such vulgarity. But the truth is, these illegal shows are raided because that's the only way for authority figures to extract money from their revenue, which the government otherwise only makes through legalised shows."

"The shows get raided, bribes are given, and everything goes back to the way it was. That's one point I was trying to make," Yasir clarified. "The other thing I said was, if we as a nation were as pure as we believe we are, Pakistan wouldn't be ranking at the top of global pornography consumption stats. Seeing as we are already ahead of such things, why not legalise those dance performances as well?"

"People misconstrued what I said. They believe that I'm demanding the legalisation of porn." The actor scoffed. "Look around you. That's already legal. Who am I to have a say in that? Of course, I don't believe that should ever be legalised. No one should watch that," he asserted.

On the topic of censorship in the industry, the 40-year-old actor said, "My only concern is, why are adult films banned altogether? Why not impose ratings so that only an audience that falls into the appropriate age range is able to watch adult films? But no, because it is a monetary issue, banning is the only route here, so no one gets to consume anticipated art until it is available on streaming platforms."

"As for PEMRA, I believe there should be more strictness over the content that airs on television. Any child can access it. Sometimes, it's plainly ignominious," he condemned. "For instance, that Fiza-Shiza drama serial that was subjected to public mockery. The one where these twin sisters married into the same household but their husbands got swapped on their wedding night, and then it was chaos when they found out."

The telefilm that Yasir was referring to is Judwaa - Haqeeqat, in which the brides Fiza and Shiza had never interacted with nor seen their grooms prior to their wedding day. It's only when they got swapped and spent the night with each other's husbands did they realise what had befallen them, which resulted in the characters' endless guilt over the stain on their holy matrimonies, as well as incessant internet trolling.

Yasir, however, did not react the way that most audiences did. "I don't think it was a laughing matter at all. In fact, it was a very strange thing to show on television. I feel the same way about any suggestive acts of intimacy. These scenes belong in film, not in family-friendly television. And ironically, bold scenes are exactly what our films are not allowed to show," he maintained.

When asked about the issue of censorship transcending local media, the Taxali Gate actor added, "Trying to impose bans on YouTube is idiotic. You can't possibly control that. It's counterproductive. If not YouTube, then the same video will be uploaded elsewhere," he stressed. "To what extent can you ban everything?"

Yasir's comments raise valid concerns regarding media reception in the Pakistani entertainment industry. If left unquestioned, this level of censorship can lead to the deterioration of artistic quality in the local scene.