The issue of delayed payments to actors and crew members has been a long-standing problem in Pakistan’s entertainment industry. Recently, several Pakistani celebrities have raised their voices against this malpractice, highlighting its damaging effects on the livelihood of those involved in the field.
Khushhal and Ramsha Khan Address Delayed Payments
During an interview with BBC Asian Network about their show Duniyapur, actors Khushhal Khan and Ramsha Khan discussed how widespread the problem of delayed or non-payments is in the industry. While they were fortunate to receive timely payments for their ongoing project, they noted that many others are not as lucky.
Khushhal emphasized,
“It’s disrespectful not to pay on time because we’re there on time, giving our best every single day. The least we expect is to pay us on time.”
Ramsha shared her strategy for dealing with such situations, stating that she now refuses to show up on set if her payments are not made. She revealed that several actors she knows have not been paid for projects completed one or two years ago, leading them to abandon follow-ups with production teams.
Both actors stressed the lack of unity among their peers in addressing this issue.
Ramsha remarked,
“If actors take a stand, three or four will drop the matter. There’s no unity.”
Nadia Afgan Joins the Conversation
Following the viral interview, veteran actress Nadia Afgan also voiced her concerns about delayed payments and the lack of royalties in the industry. She shared her decision to work only with select production houses due to these recurring problems.
Nadia expressed her frustration, stating,
“I have literally stopped working with everyone except for two production houses only because every production delays payment. That we have to repeatedly ask for our money. That we don’t get royalties. And the channels are making tons of money from YouTube and are not willing to pay us our dues.”
