'Nayab' director says film was heavily cut for TV without his consent

Umair Nasir Ali says nearly half his film was cut for its TV broadcast without consultation

Director Umair Nasir Ali has expressed disappointment after discovering that large portions of his 2024 sports drama Nayab were edited out during its recent television broadcast without his knowledge or involvement.

In a series of Instagram Stories, Ali said Nayab had aired three or four times previously and that it had “always been heartening” to see the film reach a wider television audience.

However, the director said the latest broadcast prompted messages and calls from viewers who noticed that several scenes were missing from the version that originally reached cinemas.

“I began receiving messages and calls from viewers pointing out that several parts of the film had been edited from the version we made, without consultation. I must admit, seeing your finished work altered is a difficult feeling,” he wrote.

Ali compared the experience to changing a completed work of visual art, arguing that every element of a film contributes to its overall rhythm and structure.

“Cinema is an art form. Every scene, pause and transition is part of a larger rhythm, carefully shaped through writing, shooting and editing. In some ways, it is like altering parts of a finished painting to fit a particular wall,” he said.

Screengrab: Instagram/umairnasirali

Despite his concerns, the filmmaker clarified that his comments were not intended as an attack. He acknowledged that television broadcasting comes with scheduling and formatting constraints, while also recognising the channel’s contribution to Pakistani storytelling.

“I completely understand that television has its own formats, schedules and limitations. And knowing HUM TV's longstanding contribution to Pakistani storytelling and original content, I share this only as a sincere concern and in the spirit of respect for the creative process,” he wrote.

His appeal extended to broadcasters more broadly, with the director asking that filmmakers be included in discussions when films are adapted for television. “It is a small consideration, but a meaningful one for the work, for its creators, and for the film culture we are all collectively trying to build,” he added.

Ali later reviewed a screen recording of the film’s August 16 television broadcast to assess how much of the original production had been aired. He said Nayab has a runtime of approximately 155 minutes, while the broadcast included around 38 minutes of advertising, leaving substantially less time for the film itself.

According to his calculation, roughly 79 minutes of the film were broadcast, meaning around half of the original runtime was missing from the televised version.

Screengrab: Instagram/umairnasirali

The director said the extent of the cuts was particularly difficult from a creative standpoint. “Film is a craft, and for any artist, seeing your work altered like this is honestly painful. At this scale, it simply is not acceptable for anyone belonging to this fraternity,” he wrote.

Ali ended his message by directly appealing to the management to review the matter and establish stronger standards for how films are presented on television.

“HUM TV has long been one of the leading names in Pakistani drama. I sincerely hope the management looks into this and helps set the right standard for how films are presented on television,” he said.

Nayab marked Ali’s feature directorial debut and stars Yumna Zaidi as an aspiring cricketer, alongside Jawed Sheikh, Fawad Khan, Usama Khan, Noreen Gulwani, Huma Nawab and Adnan Siddiqui.

He is also the founder of production house Num Films and was involved in directing the re-recorded version of Pakistan’s national anthem released for the country’s 79th Independence Day.