Actor defends host as ‘spontaneous,’ says reviewing dramas inevitably invites disagreement
Actor Ali Ansari in an interview addressed the recent controversy surrounding television host Nadia Khan mocking Sajal Aly’s performance in the drama Zanjeerain.
The host, while reviewing episode 18 of the drama, questioned the realism of a scene in which Sajal’s character softly calls out, “Is someone there?” while fleeing danger. To illustrate her point, Nadia performed an exaggerated imitation of Sajal’s on-screen run, drawing laughter from her co-host.
Clips from the segment quickly went viral on social media, dividing viewers between those who found the impression humorous and those who believed it crossed the line from criticism into mockery.
Ansari, when prompted to discuss the incident, stated, “Even though I haven’t seen the specific scene, Sajal is family to me. I know that whatever Nadia said was just in the flow while enjoying her segment.” He added, “Trolling happens on social media when a fabricated snippet, edited just to please viewers, is taken out of context. Without setting the proper context, it leads to online bashing based on something that distorts the actual meaning.”
Ansari also shared that he had “known Nadia for a long time,” saying that “one thing about her is that she is very spontaneous.” He went on to argue that reviewing dramas inevitably invited disagreement and backlash. “When you end up reviewing dramas, it is not necessary that everyone will agree with what you say, or that you won’t face trolling; that is simply part of being in the entertainment industry,” he said.
The actor noted that he, personally, had come to see criticism as a sign of relevance rather than failure. “When you are getting hate, it means you are doing something right.”
Moving to discuss the entertainment industry, he also weighed in on what he believed needed to change in Pakistan’s drama production.
The first thing, Ansari said, was the content itself. “People have watched the same repetitive tracks and are done with them; they want something different,” he said. According to the actor, the recent shift on OTT platforms had made the audience accustomed to non-formulaic storylines. “We can easily change our narrative style within our given limitations,” Ansari said.
He also stressed that execution mattered just as much as writing. “Directors and writers must opt for effective and strategic storytelling. How you execute the story matters tremendously, and the visual quality of a drama should never be compromised,” Ansari said.
The actor lastly mentioned money as the missing piece. “Production houses need to put more budget and financial investment into innovative, out-of-the-box elements in execution,” he noted.
Talking about the unpredictability of the entertainment industry and how projects were received, Ansari stated that there were “hits and flops.” He added that “sometimes things don’t turn out the way you presumed — but that unpredictable journey is what makes a drama whole.”
The actor added: “It’s a simple formula: you either want to watch a drama, or you don’t. No one can force the audience to appreciate a show.”
Shifting focus to his new drama Bombay Tailors, Ansari spoke about why he found his character relatable, especially in an age where career paths look nothing like they used to. “You don’t necessarily have to follow in your father’s footsteps or stick to a pre-defined path. If someone wants to be an actor today, they can build a platform on TikTok or YouTube, produce their own content, and become a hero or producer. Everything has become accessible,” he argued.
Ansari, who is married to Sajal’s sister Saboor Aly, stressed the idea that, today, success in show business looked different than before, and that audiences ultimately decided what works, regardless of how much effort went into a project.
Known for the drama Kaffara, he is currently featuring in the drama Bombay Tailors alongside Anika Zulfikar.
