Anwar Maqsood believes that Digest writers have entered the drama industry today that led to more saas-bahu content.
Speaking to Urdu News, Maqsood shared that he has taken a side from the drama industry as ratings occupied a huge space. “I have stepped back [from writing] because what is happening on the television in the recent times, there is no place for me. The rating has mostly occupied a decisive place, the directors or producers have been left behind in every respect,” he believes.
“Digest writers have entered the field. Since 70% of the population of our country is illiterate, they like typical saas-bahu narratives and it has become a trend,” he said.
“I don’t call today’s drama good or bad. I think there is no drama today. Then what is this? I leave it for you to decide,” he maintained.
Read: ‘Hindustan aur Pakistan men Moin se bara adakaar nahi dekha’ Anwar
Moreover, Anwar highlighted that Pakistani writers adopted Indian content that led to the downfall. “In the beginning, Ashfaq Ahmed, Bano Qudsia, Munnu Bhai, Suraya Bijaya wrote the dramas. Noorul Hadi Shah also wrote very good plays and made his place. When Indian dramas paved their way to the Pakistani screens, we thought that they would learn something from our dramas, but on the contrary, our writers started learning from them. It was then that our drama industry began its demise,” he pointed out.
The veteran writer suggested today’s writers read more books and avoid saas-bahu stories. “Nowadays, it seems that the playwrights do not have any books in their houses. I request those who are writing the drama, please shun the quarrels and conspiracies of the mother-in-laws,” he concluded.
