IN order to give great pleasure, sometimes one must suffer greatly. Beauty thus is created from
supreme agony. Look at the great artistes who languished in poverty during
their lifetimes, dying unrecognized only to be acclaimed as geniuses
afterwards. They have been immortalized but fame means nothing to them now.
So do we want that sort of immortality?
'How long does a man live, after all?
A thousand days or one only?'
It’s uphill work for those cursed with that niggling bug known as ambition. I for one have found it a great trial. Rewards came and went. Success arrived, but armed with pressure, tension, bad temper, greed. To what lengths some people will go to try a hand at ‘being remembered forever’.
As far as people of my ‘trade’ are concerned, ‘forever’ means as long they are functioning as actor or artistes. It’s the trade of television acting that I am talking about. They are or used to be at any rate a totally different breed from the world of film and stage (rather like kissing cousins... from afar!) being more related to radio. Recently, however, everybody seems to be bosom pals with distant relatives and there is this interesting, though often exasperating, confusion at the recording hangouts these days. You never know who it is you are talking to, and from where.
That, however, is not the point. What I really want to find out is where the beauty of this once creative trade has flown (and it definitely isn’t Hollywood). Instead of heading towards the desired immortality, why are we on course for possible self-destruction?
Did you know that the tradition of Pakistani drama is unique? Nowhere in the world is there anything comparable. There are long-term dramatic series, or sitcoms or talk shows, but no limited episode-wise plays. Only recently have our neighbors started to seriously compete, but, good or bad, our style stands out.
Somewhere in the recent past, however, we have slowly started to slide into horrifying mediocrity. Repetitive, clichéd storylines and pretty, glossy pictures with the end result being totally forgettable and an insult to entertainment-starved viewers in this country. The solution, for the lucky ones, is the cable channels that have mushroomed recently.
But I know that our viewers long for the emotionally stimulating, absorbing (yes, often unbelievably melodramatic) drama of the good old days. So where is it? Have all the older writers and actors and directors gone away or simply lost touch? What about the generation that is following? I feel so sorry when I discover that the majority of our new talent is in business to make money only and to get their faces known in order to be famous and thus make more money. The glamour, the perks of being recognized everywhere and given preferential treatment, the display of tantrums is not too hard on the ego, either. But there is a serious lack of grooming and nobody seems bothered about doing really well. Who is going to watch? So nobody grows or improves his craft. Even if blessed with talent, they cash in on those gestures or histrionics that they know are sure winners. It sounds very harsh, I know. But where is the desire to create, to absorb yourself in the process of creation, to explore yourself and push your abilities to the limit?
The problem, used to be that no one took acting seriously. It’s a hobby. You have fun and then return to serious work. Like banking. So what do you do? people will ask. ‘I act in plays’. ‘Oh that’s nice... magar aap kaam kya karte hein? It’s the same old story it was 400 years ago. Actors? In the same category as fools, court jesters, gypsies. No offence whatsoever to any of the aforementioned for they are all entertainers who are there for a very good purpose. To serve humanity... just like doctors or engineers or assistant commissioners (all of whom are considered ideal matches for Pakistani girls) but they have always been on the fringe of respectable society. All right to watch and enjoy from a distance and that’s about all. Although that attitude has greatly changed; people have realized there is a lot of money to be made in this thriving industry and quite a lot of effort is involved. It’s gaining some grudging respect even, but it’s a slow process.
I feel that what they outwardly despise (so blatantly), they secretly crave for, namely, the desire for liberation of the soul, a certain freedom from mundane reality. In the sixty-odd years that most normal (I won’t say ordinary) people live their active lives, the actor can live a hundred, a thousand different ones. You actually defy time and age. You can indeed live forever. Who wouldn’t envy that state of complete power? It is only your fear that stops you.
Why are we so scared to explore what is inside us? Is it that horrifying? If so, wouldn’t it be better out in the open, anyway? The truth is that the majority of us are afraid to simply let go. We must know where we are going and want to know, where we will end up. If inhibition is let loose we are not sure we can control it. It’s amazing that people are hesitant about even letting out a good, healthy yell. What will others think and say? It’s the old, hypocritical ‘look respectable and do everything on the sly’ school of thought.
Perhaps the truth (and the reality) need not be so shocking. One can safely say that history has been made, and progress expedited by people who searched for truth and who had the courage for introspection, too. Such was Shakespeare’s exploration into the deep rooted vices in human nature like jealousy and ambition, and Faiz’s discovery of man’s indomitable spirit in the face of adversity, his strength and moral courage.
It is that truth and that reality our directors, new and seasoned, should emphasize. Actually, it’s good that so many people are now considering TV direction as a career. There are many talented young men and women making a name for themselves in this field. Some started raw, while others have a background or training to support them.
I feel at times though that there is a lot of plagiarism in their work. It can also be difficult for the masses to relate to the themes of some plays which might mean more to the viewers from the culture they were adapted from. Perhaps there is too much action and too little thought. Fancy lighting, beautiful faces and shot upon shot of breathtaking mountains and jumps into the river are wonderful, but the work of an artiste reflects the way he sees the world. That depth can only be reached if we find our own voices and develop our own style. I am talking of young people, of course. The veterans have defined their technique but the ones who will be eventually taking over need to move ahead and beyond, to find new realities, to rediscover old truths and unmake them so that they crackle with life and vitality. Otherwise, the same old hackneyed topics will seem tiresome and you and your work will be forgotten sooner than you created it.
The journey, however, has just begun. There are so many new discoveries to make. I hope there will always be people prepared for that.
So do we want that sort of immortality?
'How long does a man live, after all?
A thousand days or one only?'
It’s uphill work for those cursed with that niggling bug known as ambition. I for one have found it a great trial. Rewards came and went. Success arrived, but armed with pressure, tension, bad temper, greed. To what lengths some people will go to try a hand at ‘being remembered forever’.
As far as people of my ‘trade’ are concerned, ‘forever’ means as long they are functioning as actor or artistes. It’s the trade of television acting that I am talking about. They are or used to be at any rate a totally different breed from the world of film and stage (rather like kissing cousins... from afar!) being more related to radio. Recently, however, everybody seems to be bosom pals with distant relatives and there is this interesting, though often exasperating, confusion at the recording hangouts these days. You never know who it is you are talking to, and from where.
That, however, is not the point. What I really want to find out is where the beauty of this once creative trade has flown (and it definitely isn’t Hollywood). Instead of heading towards the desired immortality, why are we on course for possible self-destruction?
Did you know that the tradition of Pakistani drama is unique? Nowhere in the world is there anything comparable. There are long-term dramatic series, or sitcoms or talk shows, but no limited episode-wise plays. Only recently have our neighbors started to seriously compete, but, good or bad, our style stands out.
Somewhere in the recent past, however, we have slowly started to slide into horrifying mediocrity. Repetitive, clichéd storylines and pretty, glossy pictures with the end result being totally forgettable and an insult to entertainment-starved viewers in this country. The solution, for the lucky ones, is the cable channels that have mushroomed recently.
But I know that our viewers long for the emotionally stimulating, absorbing (yes, often unbelievably melodramatic) drama of the good old days. So where is it? Have all the older writers and actors and directors gone away or simply lost touch? What about the generation that is following? I feel so sorry when I discover that the majority of our new talent is in business to make money only and to get their faces known in order to be famous and thus make more money. The glamour, the perks of being recognized everywhere and given preferential treatment, the display of tantrums is not too hard on the ego, either. But there is a serious lack of grooming and nobody seems bothered about doing really well. Who is going to watch? So nobody grows or improves his craft. Even if blessed with talent, they cash in on those gestures or histrionics that they know are sure winners. It sounds very harsh, I know. But where is the desire to create, to absorb yourself in the process of creation, to explore yourself and push your abilities to the limit?
The problem, used to be that no one took acting seriously. It’s a hobby. You have fun and then return to serious work. Like banking. So what do you do? people will ask. ‘I act in plays’. ‘Oh that’s nice... magar aap kaam kya karte hein? It’s the same old story it was 400 years ago. Actors? In the same category as fools, court jesters, gypsies. No offence whatsoever to any of the aforementioned for they are all entertainers who are there for a very good purpose. To serve humanity... just like doctors or engineers or assistant commissioners (all of whom are considered ideal matches for Pakistani girls) but they have always been on the fringe of respectable society. All right to watch and enjoy from a distance and that’s about all. Although that attitude has greatly changed; people have realized there is a lot of money to be made in this thriving industry and quite a lot of effort is involved. It’s gaining some grudging respect even, but it’s a slow process.
I feel that what they outwardly despise (so blatantly), they secretly crave for, namely, the desire for liberation of the soul, a certain freedom from mundane reality. In the sixty-odd years that most normal (I won’t say ordinary) people live their active lives, the actor can live a hundred, a thousand different ones. You actually defy time and age. You can indeed live forever. Who wouldn’t envy that state of complete power? It is only your fear that stops you.
Why are we so scared to explore what is inside us? Is it that horrifying? If so, wouldn’t it be better out in the open, anyway? The truth is that the majority of us are afraid to simply let go. We must know where we are going and want to know, where we will end up. If inhibition is let loose we are not sure we can control it. It’s amazing that people are hesitant about even letting out a good, healthy yell. What will others think and say? It’s the old, hypocritical ‘look respectable and do everything on the sly’ school of thought.
Perhaps the truth (and the reality) need not be so shocking. One can safely say that history has been made, and progress expedited by people who searched for truth and who had the courage for introspection, too. Such was Shakespeare’s exploration into the deep rooted vices in human nature like jealousy and ambition, and Faiz’s discovery of man’s indomitable spirit in the face of adversity, his strength and moral courage.
It is that truth and that reality our directors, new and seasoned, should emphasize. Actually, it’s good that so many people are now considering TV direction as a career. There are many talented young men and women making a name for themselves in this field. Some started raw, while others have a background or training to support them.
I feel at times though that there is a lot of plagiarism in their work. It can also be difficult for the masses to relate to the themes of some plays which might mean more to the viewers from the culture they were adapted from. Perhaps there is too much action and too little thought. Fancy lighting, beautiful faces and shot upon shot of breathtaking mountains and jumps into the river are wonderful, but the work of an artiste reflects the way he sees the world. That depth can only be reached if we find our own voices and develop our own style. I am talking of young people, of course. The veterans have defined their technique but the ones who will be eventually taking over need to move ahead and beyond, to find new realities, to rediscover old truths and unmake them so that they crackle with life and vitality. Otherwise, the same old hackneyed topics will seem tiresome and you and your work will be forgotten sooner than you created it.
The journey, however, has just begun. There are so many new discoveries to make. I hope there will always be people prepared for that.
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