Renowned actor Yasir Hussain has addressed rumors claiming he called for the legalization of pornography, clarifying that he only advocated for the legalization of theatre dances in Lahore to boost government revenue.
Previously, social media and news outlets alleged that Hussain supported the legalization of pornography after he mentioned “adult entertainment should be legalized” during Ahmed Ali Butt’s podcast.
In a recent interview on Faysal Qureshi’s podcast ‘Pressure Buhat Hey,’ Yasir explained, “The dances in Lahore theatres are considered ‘adult entertainment’ because children do not attend them.”
Hussain suggested that the government could generate income if these performances, which he said require expensive licenses globally, were legal. He proposed that instead of the standard Rs1,000 ticket price for regular theatre shows, these performances should charge Rs4,000, with the extra amount going to the government.
“So much revenue could be generated if it were legal. Currently, these shows happen daily, but illegally. If they were legal, the only change would be that the government benefits financially,” he said.
Hussain pointed out that the government often raids theatres, collects money, and shuts them down, only for the shows to restart days later. He emphasized that this system brings no benefit to the government.
He further added, “If we were truly pure, Pakistan wouldn’t be ranking first or second in porn consumption. We are involved in this, so why not legalize these dances?”
He also urged the censor board to assign age ratings to films, a practice used worldwide, to allow the Pakistani film industry to grow. He said that if a movie was restricted to a certain age group, only the producer would face a partial loss, but the film shouldn’t be banned entirely for adults.
He added that banning content on YouTube was pointless since it could be uploaded on other platforms. He also suggested that PEMRA should impose stricter regulations on television content, as children can easily access inappropriate material with a remote.
Hussain criticized a recent scene in a TV show where twin sisters accidentally switch husbands, calling it inappropriate and not humorous. He argued that content deemed suitable for films should not be allowed on television, while the same content is being restricted in cinemas.
