Veteran actor opens up about unpaid salaries, 12-hour shifts, and an industry that no longer values its seniors
Veteran actor Ismat Zaidi attended a morning show with hosts Nadia Khan and Zohaib Hassan, where she spoke about a horrible experience of on-set humiliation and harsh working hours.
In the interview, Zaidi touched on various issues within the industry, highlighting favouritism toward lead actors and newcomers, and the lack of care shown to elderly supporting actors. She specifically pointed out one incident that left her in tears.
“In other countries, seniors, no matter how old they are, receive respect as they age. Here, believe me when I say that even if I was crying or fed up, I did not receive even an ounce of respect,” Zaidi said.
She added, “I as an actor have not slept for two days, I am not alert, I am diabetic, and have multiple issues for not being able to catch up with scenes and times, I am literally dead inside, and then the director yells at me in front of 50 people. It is insulting.”
“I literally cried that day,” the actor recounted.
The actor further reflected on the hard work she has put into the industry over the years, saying, “I thought in my heart, I am a woman who has been working in the field for 30 years and I am getting old and starting to lose my memory, maybe they should care more about me and my time.”
Zaidi also agreed that newcomers, especially male lead actors, receive more screen time. “I just don’t get it. I think stories are written in a way where the male lead gets all the scenes. It should not be that way”, she said, comparing the current industry environment to her time, where even supporting actors received appreciation.
The actor also criticised poor scriptwriting and the lack of regard for the national language. “Now when you look at dialogue, there is nothing. They are saying anything at this point and are ruining the Urdu language,” she said.
She further admitted, “Nobody has time, it’s just about money now. I have even worked with actors who are producers and they only care about the money.”
Zaidi also commented on tough production schedules, pointing out that lead actors often get to decide their own timings while supporting actors are forced to adjust accordingly. “Newcomers have more value now. If someone else already gives the dates and timings, they don’t ask me. I’m like am I not part of this production?”
Pointing to examples from her experience, Zaidi stated, “The dates they get from you — if they take 25 days, 20 of those automatically get changed or disappear.”
She added, “If they call us at 10:30am and I work until 10:30pm, that becomes a 12-hour shift. Everywhere else in the world, people work eight-hour shifts.”
The actor concluded saying, “Everyone has their own lives and commitments. They think you can just sign a contract and they have bought you. They can drag you along and make a chutney out of you.”
She further revealed that despite sometimes not receiving her salary for up to four months, she had learned to tolerate these conditions.
Zaidi’s comments shed light on harsh working hours and difficult conditions that older actors in the entertainment industry may often be forced to endure. Her interview also highlights the need for better treatment, fairer schedules, and greater respect for senior artists in showbiz.
