Pakistani actor Nabeel Zafar has called for the introduction of a royalty system for actors, saying that several programs, including his popular drama Bulbulay, have been rebroadcast for years, but the artists receive no financial benefit from them.
In a recent interview, Nabeel Zafar said that the absence of a royalty system for actors is a major problem in the entertainment industry. According to him, Bulbulay is broadcast several times a day on different channels, but despite being repeatedly aired, the artists who worked on it receive no additional income.
Nabeel Zafar said that if he received royalties from these broadcasts, he and his children would be in a much better financial position. He said that digital platforms have now also become a complete medium, but the channels with which artists work outright refuse to provide royalties.
The actor also rejected the perception that acting is an extremely profitable field in Pakistan. According to him, showbiz is considered one of the highest-paying industries around the world, but in Pakistan, if an artist’s payment is delayed by even two days, difficulties begin for them and they have to struggle for survival.
Nabeel Zafar said this is why very few artists openly speak about the problems facing the industry. According to him, artists are in a state of helplessness, and despite everyone knowing about these problems, no one is willing to raise their voice publicly.
Regarding Bulbulay, Nabeel Zafar said that the drama has completed more than 800 episodes over 17 years, and both its audience and storyline have continued to grow over the long period. According to him, maintaining viewers’ interest for nearly two decades was not easy.
He said that continuously presenting new and interesting content with only four or five characters is the most difficult task because there is little room for repeating oneself in the story.
Nabeel Zafar said that due to a lack of financial resources, he entered the production field himself and established his own production company. According to him, initially he did not have enough money to pay other actors, so he also acted in the projects himself to keep expenses down.
He said that his formal debut in the field of direction came in 2003 with the drama Waada, in which he did not act but only performed directing duties.
The actor said that he now gives greater importance to his character before becoming part of any project. According to him, as he has grown older, he has become more careful and recently rejected several scripts in which he was offered only conventional roles such as a strict, angry, or soft-hearted father.
Nabeel Zafar said that he wants a character that has depth and provides sufficient scope for acting.
Regarding new artists, he said there is a major difference between passion and genuine talent. According to him, many people are interested in acting merely as a hobby, but not everyone who has an interest is necessarily talented.
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