Originally posted by: hypnotoad
Wahaj had a pay hike after the success of TB. Since SMD was the first show he signed post-TB, it would've been his highest paycheck by default. Even if Wahaj had signed an ARY drama or a Green drama after TB, it would have been his highest paycheck by default.
I find it hard to believe the pay scales differ so much by project. I mean the base rate here. If an actor charges a base rate of 10 lakh per episode in ITV, I assume they will have the same base rate whether it is an Ekta soap, a Gul soap, a soap on Zee, or Sony. Do people think Ayeza charged a lower base rate for Mein (ARY) than Humraaz (Geo)? Or that Danish's base rate was less for Shair (ARY) than Mann Mast Malang (Geo)?
From what I hear, actors are paid by episode on PTV, but the pay question is not even relevant here. Do people think Wahaj is that highly paid? I bet Danish, Feroze, Ayeza, Humayun, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Fahad Mustafa, Mahira, Mehwish are paid more. I won't be surprised if even Hania and Ahad get paid more. How come so many others can get paid more than Wahaj, yet still manage to do dramas where the stories are centered on them and have ample screen time?
I mean even look at Geo. Fees for Ayeza+Feroze or Dure+Ferzoe would be more than double the fees for Wahaj, but how come Kaddu can spend the money to get 100% of their time but with Wahaj, he only has money to pay for 50% of his time? Besides, the issue with SMD is not that Wahaj's scenes are cut. SMD is just not a BA-centric story. On paper, it is an ensemble led by Maya. Marketing it as a BA-centric story or adding filler scenes, beauty shots and ramp walks of Wahaj will not make it a BA-centric story or Wahaj the main character.
Jab Ali Raza ko Noor Jahan main side character #5 karne ke baad itne scripts aye the ke he could reject 16 of them before doing Iqtidar, Wahaj ko toh 160 scripts aye honge after TB. Am I to believe none were ML-centric roles, had worse writing than SMD, or had less scope than BA? Would no other PH except 7th Sky pay him his fees even though those other PHs regularly work with actors who are more expensive than Wahaj?
Wahaj should explain his selection process. Is there some medical or family issue that prevents him from working long hours or multiple days? In 2024, he did not even do that many ads or PS. His shooting time for SMD in 2024 was also less (most of it he finished in Nov-Dec). So, from where we sit, he was idling in Lahore for 80% of the year in 2024. Doing what exactly?