Shaan Shahid criticises industry trends and says actors prefer comfort zones

Actor Shaan Shahid has said that prominent Pakistani actors Fahad Mustafa and Humayun Saeed tend to remain within their “comfort zones” instead of challenging their craft, comments he made during an appearance on the show Rise & Shine.

When asked whether he would consider working with the two leading stars, who also head major production houses, Shahid said there is always something to learn from collaborating with other artists. However, he remarked that both actors appear to prefer staying within their established space rather than experimenting with more challenging roles, adding that they live in their “own Disney world”.

During the discussion, Shahid also spoke about the broader state of Pakistan’s entertainment industry. He said that while film budgets have increased significantly, creative thinking has not evolved at the same pace. According to him, the industry has become more focused on box office numbers rather than artistic quality.

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He cited his own recent film Bullah as an example, saying it was made on a modest budget yet performed well commercially, suggesting that strong storytelling matters more than high production costs.

Shahid also praised Punjabi cinema, stating that it continues to connect strongly with audiences despite limited budgets, unlike mainstream Urdu films which he believes are increasingly driven by commercial calculations.

The actor criticised the growing influence of social media metrics, saying that success is now often measured in likes rather than talent, which has negatively affected content quality. He added that people without real skills are entering fields like singing and comedy due to online visibility.

Shahid also commented on industry divisions between cities such as Karachi and Lahore, calling them harmful to artistic collaboration. He further criticised inflated film production costs, arguing that they discourage new filmmakers.

On cross-border collaborations, he said he never supported the idea of relying on Bollywood for industry growth, while also stressing that artists should make their own choices freely.