Actor Shaan Shahid pulled no punches during a recent television appearance, taking aim at what he called a culture of comfort and closed circles that has held Pakistani cinema back from reaching its true potential.

“Everyone is very good in their own areas. Some are strong in rom-coms, some in films, some in dramas and shows, they all have their own complete package. In my opinion, most actors prefer to stay in their own comfort zones and they like to live in their own Disney World,” Shaan said.

“They don’t wanna challenge their craft. When you work with another actor, you have to challenge your own craft.”

He did not stop there. Shaan went on to highlight how the writing community in Pakistan’s film industry operates in a similarly self-contained way, with projects rarely moving beyond familiar circles.

“The people who write these films usually write only for their own circle,” he said. “Most rom-coms and comedy films are created within the same groups, they write together, produce together, and take these films to 80, 90, or even 100 crore.”

Shaan was quick to clarify that he holds no grudge against the model, but argued it creates an artificial economic structure within the industry.

“That’s fine, I’m not against it,” he said. “But it feels like they’ve created a kind of artificial balance or economy. You can clearly see it. For example, if a film like Bhulla is made on a budget of 7 crore and earns 26 crore, it can lead to 10 to 15 new films being made. But when a big hit like Maula Jatt happens, no wave of new films follows. Even if Karachi-based films do well, it doesn’t lead to more films starting in Punjab,” he said.

He also pointed to ballooning production budgets as a growing problem, laying much of the blame on the crossover of TV and commercial directors into cinema.

“Ever since commercial and TV directors moved into films, they have significantly increased production budgets,” Shaan pointed out.

“There was a time when we thought the industry would reach a strong position, but even after reaching that level, it feels scattered and unbalanced. No one is really benefiting from it,” he added.

Shaan is one of Pakistani cinema’s most enduring figures. He started his acting career in 1990 with his film debut in Javed Fazil’s Bulandi, opposite Reema Khan, and has since appeared in hundreds of Urdu and Punjabi language films. Over his career he has won numerous awards including a Pride of Performance, four National Film Awards, fifteen Nigar Awards, and five Lux Style Awards.

His most recent film, Bullah, released on Eid-ul-Fitr 2026, marks his return to the big screen in a lead role. The Punjabi-language action drama, directed by Shoaib Khan and written by Nasir Adeeb, follows a principled vigilante in Punjab’s spiritual heartland who battles systemic injustice and a ruthless mafia lord.

The film attracted more than 25,000 viewers on its opening day alone, earning over Rs23.6 million within its first two days of release.