Legendary Pakistani actress and comedian Bushra Ansari has expressed deep concern over the declining standards of comedy and entertainment in Pakistan. The Pride of Performance award winner believes Pakistani TV drama has lost the quality content it once had during its glorious past, with only three to four percent of current plays having any real worth, while there is little or no substance in comedy.
The veteran actress, who rose to fame through iconic PTV shows like Angan Terha, Fifty Fifty, and Show Sha, lamented how commercialism has overtaken artistic integrity. She notes that while commercial elements in plays have brought considerable wealth to artists, this prosperity came at the cost of compromising the standard of productions.
Remembering the golden days of PTV, Ansari emphasized that despite being the only channel, the state broadcaster offered quality content, from Ashfaq Ahmed and Bano Qudsia’s plays to Dhoop Kinaray and comedy serials like Uncle Urfi and Fifty Fifty.
Highlighting the stark contrast with today’s comedy, she pointed out that legends like Moin Akhtar, Athar Shah Khan, and Anwar Maqsood never resorted to lowbrow humor or low comedy. Her comments reflect growing concerns about how entertainment has shifted from clever, meaningful humor to content that relies on vulgarity and cheap laughs.
Ansari’s critique serves as a wake-up call for the industry to return to quality storytelling and sophisticated comedy that educates while entertaining, rather than merely chasing ratings through controversial or vulgar content.
