Fifty Fifty (Urdu script: ففٹی ففٹی) is a popular Pakistan Television Corporation sketch comedy series that was aired on the national television PTV from 1978 to 1984, based loosely on the American comedy show Saturday Night Live.[1][2] The programme was a sketch comedy considered by many critics to be one of the best television shows to be produced in Pakistan.[1]
| Fifty Fifty | |
|---|---|
 DVD cover | |
| Genre | Sketch comedy |
| Created by | Anwar Maqsood |
| Directed by | Shoaib Mansoor |
| Country of origin | Pakistan |
| Original language | Urdu |
| Production | |
| Producers | PTV Productions Shoman Productions |
| Production locations | Karachi, Pakistan |
| Running time | 60 minutes (per episode) |
| Original release | |
| Network | Pakistan Television Corporation Network |
| Release | 1978 – 1984 |
The content of the show includes satire and parody, with some slapstick comedy. It is widely considered to be a trendsetter in its genre, with its content being ethnically balanced and written to respect all Pakistani communities. Regulars on the show included TV actors Ismail Tara, Zeba Shehnaz, Ashraf Khan,Majid Jahangir, and Khalid Abbas Dar. Some golden-era songs by Naheed Akhtar and Ghulam Ali were also featured on the show. It was produced and directed by acclaimed Pakistani film and TV director Shoaib Mansoor and written by Anwar Maqsood.[2]
Fifty Fifty and Alif Noon were the two prominent comedy series on Pakistani television in the 1980s. Their writers were regarded as being dedicated to creativity and patriotic values, and that is why they are still the most-in-demand comedy serials.[3][1]
Cast
edit- Majid Jahangir
- Ismail Tara
- Zeba Shehnaz
- Ashraf Khan
- Bushra Ansari
- Durdana Butt
- Arshad Mehmood
- Asma Abbas
- Javed Sheikh
- Mukhtiar Surhio
- Latif Kapadia
- Pandit Satyanashi
- Salahuddin Toofani
- Umer Shareef
- Anwar Maqsood
- Fareed Khan
- Ghulam Mustafa
- Moin Akhtar
- Khalid Abbas Dar
Awards
edit| Year | Award | Category | Recipient(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 1st Indus Drama Awards | Special Award for Direction | Shoaib Mansoor | Won |
| Special Award for Performance | Zeba Shehnaz |
References
edit- ^ a b c Nadeem F. Paracha (5 July 2015). "Smokerrs' Corner: Satire in the time of cholera (Fifty Fifty TV show)". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 9 February 2019.
- ^ a b "Fifty-Fifty: The best PTV show ever?". All Things Pakistan website. 15 July 2006. Archived from the original on 19 February 2007. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
- ^ Anwar Maqsood and Qazi Wajid remember Moin Akhtar (Fifty Fifty (comedy show) writer and actors) Dawn (newspaper), Published 22 Oct 2013, Retrieved 9 February 2019