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Veteran actor of Pakistani dramas, Shehnaz Sheikh revealed how much she was paid for her blockbuster serials ‘Ankahi’ and ‘Tanhaiyaan’.
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In a new interview with a digital media station, TV veteran Shehnaz Sheikh disclosed her salaries for her hit dramas, as she spoke about the increased competition among fellow actors in recent times, unlike in the 80s.
“I belong to the era when there wasn’t a concept of brands, and because there weren’t many brands, eventually there wasn’t much competition [for salaries], because what would you do with all that money,” she said.
The veteran continued, “I remember when I did Ankahi, I was paid Rs.800 per episode, including wardrobe, food and even transport, without any additional charges. Later when I did Tanhaiyaan after three years, my payment was increased to Rs.1000 per episode, and this was specifically about the top list, A-grade actors.”
“Things change, and they are changing for good and for bad. Actors today are paid a lot, not all of them, but most of them. Whether they deserve it or not, that’s a different discussion altogether,” Sheikh explained.
Further discussing the role of social media in changing the entertainment landscape today, the actor expressed, “I’m grateful that we didn’t have these [smart] phones and social media back then, because you cannot imagine today the life we spent at that time, without any hesitations or this constant alarm of being recorded by someone.”
“[These days] your privacy is gone, it’s finished, but at the same time, the amount of information and knowledge you have on your fingertips [with the technology]. I can’t imagine the rest of my life today being without social media, I love it,” she concluded, with a mention that she enjoys watching reels and TikTok videos, also because it gives her freedom to skip if doesn’t like specific content.
Notably, the veteran is set to return to TV screens with a new talk show on PTV, however, when asked about the acting comeback, Sheikh shared that makers don’t show interest in making the type of projects that she wants to do, hence, she is trying to enjoy her retired life.
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