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Express Tribune
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
"Dramas Are Made in a 2-D Format:" Deepak Perwani on the Regressive State of Pakistani Entertainment
Deepak Perwani is a household name in Pakistan, not only for his iconic fashion designs but also for his acting chops. With decades of experience as one of the country's leading designers, Perwani has carved a space for himself in both the fashion and entertainment industries. Known for his influential work in both areas, Deepak has contributed to Pakistani pop culture as both a creative genius and a public figure. These days, he is shining on the small screen with his role in the hit drama Qarz-e-Jaan. But recently, Deepak turned his attention to the state of Pakistan's entertainment industry, particularly the limitations and censorship challenges plaguing the country's drama sector. He recently appeared on the DigiTales podcast, where he shared his insights on the fashion history of Pakistan, his influential family, and, notably, the stagnation he believes the local drama and film industries are experiencing. While he acknowledged that Pakistani dramas have gained immense popularity both locally and internationally, Deepak also pointed out how the country's entertainment sector remains stagnant due to significant restrictions. He explained that Pakistani dramas, while highly regarded abroad, are still stuck in a "backward" state. 'Our dramas are doing great, but we are still backward,' he said, reflecting on how the industry's creativity is stifled by PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) regulations. According to Deepak, even the portrayal of simple things like red blood in a scene is prohibited, making it impossible to create crime thrillers or show intense dramatic moments that are often central to gripping stories. "How come we don't have crime thrillers? How come we don't have true crime stories?" he questioned. Deepak's frustration doesn't end there. He also pointed out how absurd some of the restrictions are. He revealed that, in many dramas, a husband and wife cannot be shown sitting on the same bed together, even in an affectionate or romantic context. The sheer number of limitations, from banning certain depictions to restricting specific themes, discourages drama creators from taking risks or doing something different. After all, when you have so many barriers, you're just stuck making the same type of story again and again. In an industry heavily burdened by these constraints, Pakistani creators often play it safe to avoid the wrath of the censor board. Shows that are considered 'too provocative' for the mainstream audience or are deemed inappropriate by the board are often banned outright, costing producers huge amounts of money and reputational damage. This results in a cycle of repetitiveness—leading to the production of shows that follow the same tired tropes. For example, dramas like Barzakh and Churails attempted to break away from the formulaic storytelling of typical "saas bahu" plots or mafia and land-grabber sagas, but the risk involved in producing such content is high, and not all networks are willing to take it. The stories that have flooded television for years involve evil mother-in-laws plotting against sweet daughter-in-laws, a charming but scheming sister-in-law, and of course, the cousin who's hopelessly in love with the protagonist and will do anything to tear the couple apart. However, Deepak's podcast appearance didn't solely focus on the limitations of the drama industry. As a fashion icon with over 30 years in the business, he shared some entertaining anecdotes from his career in the fashion world. He recalled a particularly wild night when he received a call in the middle of the night informing him that the lead actor's sherwani had been stolen just hours before a crucial shoot. "I had to rush and grab one of my own sherwanis to get the shoot done,' Deepak said, laughing. The chaos didn't end there; the actress, who was supposed to perform a dance number, refused to dance with the hero's cousin, demanding script changes to have a solo with the hero instead. To close out the discussion, Deepak shared his thoughts on the controlled nature of the state, not just in the entertainment industry but across society in general. He emphasized that in such a controlled environment, it's impossible to build a true cultural foundation. He quipped that without freedom, there is no culture to build! In an industry where creativity is constantly boxed in, it's clear that the real drama in Pakistani entertainment happens off-screen.
Khaleej Times
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
UAE: How Houthi rebels used misinformation to disrupt global trade routes, explain experts
The Red Sea crisis has provided a striking example of how non-state actors can manipulate narratives to achieve strategic objectives, said a US Vice Admiral on Sunday. Kevin Donegan, former US NAVCENT & Fifth Fleet Commander, highlighted the Houthis' sophisticated disinformation campaign, which, he said, successfully altered global trade routes and economic stability. 'In the case of the Houthis, their disinformation campaign has really altered the narrative as it allowed them to achieve success; they've been able to amplify and make it seem like they're doing a lot more than they really are. The end results were that they completely altered the global supply chain,' he explained. Houthis changed the routing of the global supply chain and impacted the cost of European and Asian trade; 'that's pretty incredible for a non-nation state,' he added. Donegan, who was speaking at the International Defence Conference in Abu Dhabi a day before the world's biggest International Defence Exhibition (IDEX) kicks off in the UAE capital, emphasised that while information warfare is not new, the velocity and scale at which it can be executed today present new challenges. The Houthis, he said, combined social media with traditional media platforms they had seized in 2014; they conducted daily press briefings where officials made misleading claims, often supported by unrelated or manipulated video content. 'In one case, they basically said they sunk the USS Eisenhower as it was leaving the Red Sea... Despite evidence that they didn't, it didn't matter because they had the pairing of television, print, daily press briefings, video, and even music videos to augment that,' said the Vice Admiral. Ayesha Manzoor Wattoo, Director General of Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), warned of the broader dangers of disinformation, particularly in political stability and public health. 'Consequences of disinformation campaigns are huge. If state and non-state actors start spreading disinformation during elections, people lose trust in the entire electoral process, leading them to not accept the democratically elected government.' She cited Pakistan's 2024 elections, where a political party's propaganda falsely claimed the elections would be rigged, eroding people's confidence in the process. She also highlighted how misinformation campaigns have been used to destabilise Pakistan's Baluchistan district. 'A small militant group, with the help of our enemies through their social media platforms, is spreading lies and malicious propaganda that Baluchistan wants freedom from Pakistan. This is just to destabilise and sabotage the progress and growth Baluchistan is going to see through the CPEC corridor.' Wattoo noted how public health has also suffered due to misinformation, citing how fake news about COVID-19 vaccines led to widespread hesitancy in rural Pakistan. 'Because of the literacy rate of people living in rural areas, they were hesitant to get vaccinated due to so much fake news regarding the origin and the vaccination of the disease.' Wattoo also referenced the role of Facebook in spreading racist and inflammatory content against Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar in 2007, which fuelled violent attacks. Similar tactics have been used in India and the UK, where false social media posts have incited protests and unrest, she added. Liisa Past, Cyber Security & Strategic Communication Expert and Former National Cyber Director of Estonia, described this evolving landscape as a 'world of mutual assured doubt.' She warned that AI has become both a threat and a tool in the information war. 'AI is a force multiplier for the attacker because it allows them to create content that talks and feels native,' she said, explaining how AI-generated content can convincingly mimic public figures and influential voices. 'Once you figure out one area, whether it's media regulation or cybersecurity, the threat actors shift their focus. We've seen this cycle repeat itself as nations defend critical infrastructure, only for attacks to move into the grey area of information operations.' The panelists agreed that disinformation campaigns are becoming more sophisticated and pervasive, which calls for urgent countermeasures. 'The real fact of the matter is this isn't going to go away,' Donegan added. 'It's here to stay. So, the last thing that I'll say is it's about trusted information. That's really what we're talking about here — what information sources you can trust.'
