May 28, 2002	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 15,1423

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PESHAWAR, May 27: Mismanagement on the part of Peshawar TV top brass is affecting the performance of the Peshawar centre, as many senior artistes allege that they are being ignored, insiders told Dawn.

Many senior artistes said that they had to beg for petty roles, because producers were casting such people who did not even know the ABC of acting.

A senior artiste said that he was recording a scene for along with a so-called artiste who didn’t know how to deliver a dialogue. Upon his request the producer replaced the artiste with a senior actor. Another senior artiste, Javid Babar, claimed that some of the artistes didn’t know acting and blamed the TV producers for promotion of such actors.

Cold-shoulder attitude of the TV producers and management has forced many senior artistes to move to other PTV centres to earn name and fame.

“We had people like Firdous Jamal, Shariqa Fatima, Rashid Naz, Jehangir Jani etc., who went to other centres and proved their mettle on national as well as international circuit,” said a senior artiste, who happens to be one of the pioneers of the Peshawar centre.

Many local artistes who are totally dependent on the PTV for their sustenance are running from pillar to post to get roles in plays but the TV producers have adopted a unique way of fleecing them.

“When we receive cheque from the PTV for our work, we have to pay a certain amount to the producer concerned. This may have proved beneficial to many producers but at the same time affected the performance and economic condition of the actors,” alleged many artistes.

According to them, there was a complete cultural drought in Peshawar because of lack of stage and film activities and they were compelled to rely on the PTV only.

The artistes also argue that there was only one drama allowed to the centre on annual basis in which all the local actors could not be cast. The centre, they said, needed at least one Urdu play on quarterly basis so that majority of the local artistes could perform.

Secondly, lack of private production and other commercial activities also cost the local artistes dearly. For mega projects, the centre invited known artistes from Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad which curtailed the chances of local actors to show their skills.

There are also reports about rift between the producers of Pushto and Hindko language programme, which has brought the reputation of the station into disrepute. Some of the producers tend to cast local journalists in PTV programmes leaving aside the professionals which has deprived many senior people of their livelihoods. This practice has also provided them with an opportunity prevent the news against the PTV from appearing in the press.

Not only the performers but the PTV employees are also unhappy with the attitude of the administration towards their longstanding problems. In the absence of competent administration, the PTV employees union has virtually taken over the responsibility of the running its day-to-day affairs.

Established on Dec 5, 1974, the centre has 573 employees whose salaries and other benefits eat up huge amount of income generated through commercials.

As a matter of fact, the PTV General Manager, being a gentleman has paved the way for the all-powerful employees union to run the affairs. Its intervention in administrative affairs has increased so much so that even the GM and other officials are helpless before them.

The PRO of the centre who is basically a producer, has been calling the shots. His involvement in union activities is no longer a secret.

The local showbiz journalists often allege that the PRO does not provide them necessary information. Similarly, the local artistes say that they are not getting due coverage in the press as compared to the artistes of the country.—AY