Actor and director Yasir Hussain has expressed his dissatisfaction with the standard of item numbers in Pakistani films, stating that he watches Nora Fatehi’s performances and doesn’t want to lower his standards by watching local item numbers.

In a recent interview with NuktahYasir Hussain opened up on various topics.

He also referred to the LGBTQ+ community in his theatre production Monkey Businessusing the word “gay” for homosexual men.

Commenting on that, he said, “People from that community exist in our society — some are even my personal friends — so what’s the issue in using the term?”

He further added, “Do we really think that by avoiding certain terms, the reality will disappear? If not, then what’s the problem?”

Yasir pointed out the hypocrisy in the cultural mindset, saying, “Pakistan tops the charts when it comes to watching explicit content online, yet people here are uncomfortable even hearing the word ‘sex.’”

He emphasized that people, including himself, tend to place mental restrictions on discussing certain topics, deciding on their own what’s acceptable or not.

Talking about item numbers, Yasir said he doesn’t enjoy the ones featured in Pakistani films because they don’t match the energy and professionalism of performers like Nora Fatehi.

“If you want to include item numbers in Pakistani cinema, then they should be executed like Nora Fatehi’s. You can’t do an item number and still try to enforce boundaries,” he added.

Nora Fatehi, a Moroccan-born Bollywood dancer and actress, is widely known for her powerful and glamorous dance performances.

We welcome your contributions! Submit your blogs, opinion pieces, press releases, news story pitches, and news features to opinion@minutemirror.com.pk and minutemirrormail@gmail.com