Usman Peerzada is a lot of things. He can act, direct and write on film and drama projects, making him a force in the world of entertainment. One thing he isn’t is a civil award recipient, and that’s not something he wants to be either.
Peerzada appeared on an episode of the podcast Koi Reh Tu Nahi Gaya with Shahzad Nawaz on Friday where, during a conversation on state patronage of the arts, the host asked the actor if he had personally been recognised for his services to the arts.
“No no, I haven’t received any award, nor do I want one,” Peerzada told a surprised host who asked him where he had gone wrong.
The actor shot him a look and said, “I have no idea,” leading Nawaz to counter by asking if the state had gone wrong instead. That earned him a second “I have no idea”.
The host said people who had been working for two or three years were being recognised, so the state had a responsibility to appreciate senior members of the fraternity.
