“It is common for awards to be bought,” says Zhalay Sarhadi

The actor opened up about the culture of award shows in Pakistan’s entertainment industry

Amid the glitter of Pakistan’s award season, actor Zhalay Sarhadi has sparked fresh debate with her candid remarks about the credibility of awards shows in the country.

Appearing on the popular talk show Gup Shap with Vasay Chaudhary, Zhalay — known for her roles in Uraan, Digest Writer, and the more recently Shirin Farhad — voiced her skepticism about how awards are won and distributed in the industry.

“I’ve learned one thing: if you want something — praise, recognition, awards — you have to ask for it,” she said. “People even beg for awards, and some actors pay for them. I don’t have awards because I can’t pay for them. I’ve heard that many awards are essentially sold and then handed out, which undermines their credibility.”

 

 

 

 

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Zhalay also criticized the structure of award shows, particularly those tied closely to specific TV channels. “Award shows should be conducted collectively. It’s not credible when a channel gives awards only to its own talent,” she explained. She added that she has seen cases where nominees lost out simply because they did not attend the ceremony.

Her remarks come at a time when award shows in Pakistan are under scrutiny. Last week, the Lux Style Awards 2025 were held in Karachi, bringing together the nation’s leading talents from film, television, music, fashion, and digital media. The ceremony, hosted at the historic Mohatta Palace, celebrated achievements across creative fields, with stars like Hania Aamir, Fahad Mustafa, and Yumna Zaidi among this year’s winners. Earlier this year, the HUM Awards also took place in Houston in May, honoring television and film personalities in fashion and style categories. The Lux Style Awards, long considered one of the country’s most prestigious honors, faced controversy this year over fairness and judging criteria, with some industry figures even distancing themselves from the event.

Whether Zhalay’s comments will spark broader discussion or reform remains to be seen, but her candid words serve as a reminder that the conversation around how artistic achievement is recognized in Pakistan’s entertainment world is far from over.