LAHORE (Web Desk) – Veteran Pakistani actor and screenwriter Syed Mohammed Ahmed has announced that he no longer wishes to write television dramas, blaming increasing producer interference, the growing use of artificial intelligence in scriptwriting and the industry’s declining respect for original writers.
Speaking during an appearance on journalist Sheeba Khan’s podcast Dareecha, Ahmed shared his concerns about the changing landscape of Pakistan’s television industry and explained why he has stepped away from screenwriting despite having written several successful dramas over the years.
Ahmed said many talented writers continue to produce quality work, but their scripts are often heavily altered by producers and production houses seeking commercially successful content rather than meaningful storytelling.
He cited the example of writer Sarah Majeed, describing her as a capable and creative storyteller whose work, like that of many others, is frequently modified after submission.
According to Ahmed, producers increasingly dictate the direction of scripts, leaving writers with little creative authority over their own work.
Recalling one of his own experiences, he revealed that he had written 17 episodes of a television serial before being instructed to remove everything after the 11th episode and rewrite the story according to the producer’s preferences.
Ahmed said he eventually accepted that producers would make changes regardless of a writer’s intentions and therefore allowed them to alter his scripts as they wished.
He explained that every writer has a unique voice and perspective, and it is impossible to write according to someone else’s personal style.
“If my writing is not what they want even after revisions, then they are free to change it themselves,” he remarked during the conversation.
The veteran writer also expressed concern over the increasing use of artificial intelligence in script development within Pakistan’s television industry.
He alleged that several writers now rely heavily on AI tools to produce complete television scripts in a short period without properly adapting the dialogue to local language or cultural realities.
According to Ahmed, AI-generated dialogue often sounds unnatural because it fails to reflect the way people in Pakistan actually speak.
He questioned how some writers were able to produce multiple television serials within a few months, saying it normally takes him nearly a year to complete a single high-quality script.
Ahmed argued that such output would be impossible without extensive reliance on artificial intelligence or uncredited collaborators.
He also highlighted what he described as a growing culture of uncredited labour, claiming that some established writers delegate work to students or content teams who edit AI-generated material without receiving public recognition.
According to him, production companies continue to promote well-known names because those names attract audiences, even if much of the actual writing is completed by others.
Discussing his own future, Ahmed said financial needs affect everyone, but he had decided to stop writing because he no longer wished to produce stories centered on repetitive family conflicts and stereotypical characters.
He added that he had written a drama focusing on an important issue affecting women and girls in Pakistani society, believing it had the potential to encourage meaningful social change.
However, he said the project received little interest from producers, who remained silent after hearing the script.
Ahmed suggested the story challenged social attitudes that many within the industry preferred to avoid addressing.
He expressed disappointment that socially relevant themes often receive less attention than conventional television content designed primarily for ratings.
Despite stepping away from screenwriting, Ahmed remains active as an actor and continues to be regarded as one of Pakistan’s most respected performers.
His remarks have reignited discussion within the entertainment industry about creative freedom, the ethical use of artificial intelligence in storytelling and the need to better protect the rights and contributions of screenwriters.
