Vasay Chaudhry (Punjabi, ; born on 12 November 1981) is a Pakistani screenwriter, actor, director, producer, host, and comedian. He is best known for writing sitcoms and comedy-dramas for Pakistani televisions. He is also known for writing films. He wrote Main Hoon Shahid Afridi and Jawani Phir Nahi Ani. While Mai Hoon Shahid Afridi was an average success, Jawani Phir Nahe Ani went on to become the highest grossing film of Pakistan cinema and broke box office records while earning more than 490 million at the box office. He also wrote Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2, which was released on 2018 Eid al-Adha and broke the all time biggest box office grosses record. It also went on to become the first Pakistani film to make 700 million rupees worldwide. Chaudhry is also known for hosting the comedy show, Mazaaq Raat, on Dunya News from 2015 to 2023.
Early life and education Chaudhry was born on 12 November 1981 and lives in Lahore.
His paternal grandfather, Chaudhary Eid Muhammad, worked in the world of movies before Partition, establishing Lahore's famed Ratan Cinema in 1945, cinema which would later be owned by Chaudhry's father. Because of Partition, Chaudhary Eid Muhammad had to move to Lahore from Ambala, where he ran cinemas as he did in Dehradun as well while he used to do bookings of the shows as far as Delhi. Chaudhary Eid Muhammad's son-in-law Afzal was the brother of famed villain actor Aslam Pervaiz.
He completed his A-levels studies from Lahore College of Arts and Sciences. Chaudhry enrolled himself at Government College University (Lahore) for a bachelor's degree but ended up graduating from University of Punjab, Lahore. Later, he began an MBA at Lahore School of Economics but dropped the course after the first semester. He later earned an MMA (Master's in Multimedia Arts) degree at National College of Arts.
He married Mahera Shah in 2008 and the couple have three daughters together.
Career
Chaudhry started his career in 1998 when he did a theatre play called Desperado. He recalls, "I had just a 45-second role in it! So I started off with a role – that calling it a cameo would be a disgrace! I began to pursue theatre seriously when I went to LACAS for my A-levels where I met Zain Ahmed (actress/director Samina Ahmad's son) and acted and assisted him on his play, Blood wedding". Afterwards, he went on to become head of the Dramatics Club in LACAS and directed an old Urdu play called Bari Dair Meherban Aatay Aatay for the Rafi Peer Theatre International Theatre Festival in 1999.
Chaudhry's first writing venture for television was a sitcom called Jutt and Bond in 2001, starring Fawad Khan in lead role along with Ahmad Ali Butt and Farah Tufail. It was television adaptation of his theatre play of the same name performed in 2000. Chaudhry approached Younis Butt to write the series; when he refused, Chaudhry wrote the show himself. He recollected the memories of Jutt and Bond while speaking to a newspaper "So, then I sat down to make the decision and thought about all the terrible dramas I have seen in my life. I thought about how bad could my writing really is, decided to give it a shot and wrote Jutt and Bond."
In 2010, after establishing himself in 25-minute sitcom business, he wrote his first long TV serial Dolly ki Ayegi Baraat, which turned out to be a huge commercial and critical hit. He continued writing long TV serials after success of Dolly. Chaudhry in an interview stated that he has started enjoying writing for film and TV more than sitcoms. Chaudhry's most famous TV plays as a writer include Timmy G, Dolly Ki Ayegi Baraat, Takkay Ki Ayegi Baraat, Inspector Khojee, Kash Tu Mera Baap Na Hota, Yeh Shaadi Nahi Ho Sakti, telefilm Armaan and Jackson Heights (drama). He terms his Eid Special play Kash Tu Mera Baap Na Hota which aired on Geo TV, 2011, as one of his personal favourite work along with Inspector Khojee and Jackson Heights. In cinematic work, he debuted with the script and screenplay writing for Main Hoon Shahid Afridi; it was declared a commercial hit of Pakistani cinema, 2013, and garnered accolades from critics and audience alike.
Chaudhry has been seen in TV commercials from time to time, prominent ones include MCB ad and Zong. Chaudhry wrote in the Herald (Pakistan) as a film reviewer and critic for a brief period, during 2002–03. Since then he has occasionally contributed towards writing on Pakistani media and cinema in Pakistan's leading newspapers like Pakistan Today, The Express Tribune and The News.
Chaudhry in one interview explained the reason for writing as "only to bring the people's attention to the various character types that exist amidst us. It is important to be a responsible role model but for most people, it is easier to pick ideas off the internet and ape them."
Chaudhry believes in self-censorship but insists "My target has always been to entertain people; I am not into "artistic stuff" as far as my work is concerned, at least not now. Even when I was doing theatre, I wasn't into it. I suppose it's because I am influenced by entertainment films of the 80s and 90s". He regards Anwar Maqsood and Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi as his gurus in comedy writing and laments the lack of fresh ideas and wit in majority of current comedies. Being a strong believer in originality he was quoted saying "It's mostly foreign concepts that we are picking up and then trying to localize and obviously failing. We need to learn to improvise rather than copy ideas."
Reception Chaudhry has been praised in the Pakistani press as a writer uniquely in touch and comfortable with Punjabi culture. He is a firm believer of "self-censorship" and calls himself old school when it comes to the views regarding a writer's moral responsibility towards his audiences. He credits this to his training in a pre-cable TV world and asserts that he "refrains from [writing] obnoxious jokes."
Television
Writing Chaudhry has contributed as a writer in various TV shows:
Year Show Channel Notes 2001 Jutt and Bond Indus TV, Channel G Sitcom, 102 Episodes 2001 Motor Chalay Pum Pum Pakistan Television Corporation Sitcom, contributed writing 2002 Yaraana Purana Sitcom, contributed writing 2004 Jallywood Sitcom, 7 episodes 2005–8 Rubber Band (TV Series) ARY Digital Sitcom, 176 Episodes 2006–7 Urban Desi Aaj TV Sitcom, Co-writing with Ali Kazmi, 65 Episodes 2006 Inspector Khojee Pakistan Television Corporation Sitcom, 52 Episodes 2009 Yes Sir A-Plus Entertainment 13 Episodes 2010–12 Timmy G ARY Digital Sitcom, 116 Episodes 2011 Kash Tu Mera Baap Na Hota Geo TV Eid special long play 2010 Dolly Ki Ayegi Baraat Geo TV Telenovela 17 Episodes, Chaudhry's First long TV series 2011 Takkay Ki Ayegi Baraat Geo TV Telenovela 16 Episodes 2012 Annie Ki Ayegi Baraat Geo TV Telenovela 19 Episodes 2013 Yeh Shaadi Nahi Ho Sakti ARY Digital Telenovela 27 Episodes 2013 Armaan Geo TV, PTV Telefilm 2013 Abhi Tou Main Jawan Hoon Geo TV, PTV Telefilm 2014–15 Jackson Heights Urdu 1 Telenovela 2014 Bad Times A-Plus Entertainment 2013–16 Hum Awards Hum TV Script writing and hosting of the show 2012 Dolly ki Aa Gai Baraat Geo TV Telefilm 2016 ARY Film Awards ARY Digital Script writing and hosting of the show
Acting Year Show Character Channel Notes 2004 Cafe Chill Geo TV 2005 Tamasha Ghar (Hari Bhari) PTV 2005–2008 Rubber Band (TV Series) Ali Toor ARY Digital 2004 Jallywood 2006 Inspector Khojee Himself PTV 2006–07 Urban Desi AAJ TV 2009 Yaasu Panju Har ARY Digital 2010 Na jaane kyun Haider PTV 2011 Kash Tu Mera Baap Na Hota Ifran Geo TV 2012 Annie Ki Ayegi Baraat Bobby D Geo TV 2009–13 Timmy G Timmy G ARY Digital 2013 Silvatain Mikaal ARY Digital 2013 Armaan Danny PTV & Geo TV 2014 Kahani Raima Aur Manahil Ki Wahaj Hum TV 2014 Pyarey Afzal Dr. Sibtain ARY Digital 2014 Nazdeekiyan Faiq Ary Digital 2015 Ishq for Sale Shehenshah Hum TV 2016 Mann Mayal Ifti Hum TV 2019 Love u Jatta Film 2021 Absolutely Knot Haseen Khalid Telefilm
Hosting Year Program Channel Notes 2005–2006 Bekaar Singh Dey Naal Channel G 2013–2015 Hum Awards HUM TV 2015–2023 Mazaaq Raat Dunya News Replaced Noman Ijaz2016 Lux Style Awards Geo TV Chaudhry wrote and hosted a segment with Fawad Khan and Ahmad Ali Butt 2021 Ghabrana Mana Hai ARY A 13 episode interview show hosted and scripted by Chaudhry2023Gup ShupSAMAA
Direction Year Program Channel 2004 Jallywood
Production Year Program Channel 2009 Yes Sir Adaptation of the British showYes Prime Minister
Guest appearances 2011: The Morning Show with Huma Amir Shah as himself 2014: Mehman Qadardan as himself 2014: Cocktail Dawn News as himself 2014: Mazaaq Raat as himself 2015: Tonite with HSY as himself 2015: Good Morning Pakistan (Team Jawani Phir Nahi Ani-Eid Special) as himself 2015: Jeeto Pakistan (Team Jawani Phir Nahi Ani Special) as himself 2016: Salam Zindagi with Faysal Qureshi as himself 2016: Star Iftar with Sarmad Khoosat as himself 2020: Say it all with iffat omer
Filmography +KeyDenotes films that are currently in cinemasDenotes films that have not yet been released Year Film Role Writer Actor Notes 2013 Main Hoon Shahid Afridi – 2015 Jawani Phir Nahi Ani Sheikh Film debut as an actor 2018 Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 2022 London Nahi Jaunga Harry 2025 Guest Appearance
Theater
Year Drama Role Notes 2000 Jutt and Bond2004–2005 Oop Singh2006 Inspector Khojee
Awards and nominations
YearFilm/DramaRoleAwardsCategoryResultRef. 20051st Indus Drama Awards Best Sitcom Drama Writer 2011 Dolly Ki Ayegi Baraat writer 10th Lux Style Awards Best Writer 2013 Armaan actor Tarang Housefull Awards Best Supporting Actor 2014 Main Hoon Shahid Afridi writer 1st ARY Film Awards Best Dialogue Writer Award 2016 Jawani Phir Nahi Ani writer 2nd ARY Film Awards Best Dialogue Writer Award 2016 Jawani Phir Nahi Ani writer 2nd ARY Film Awards Best Screenplay Writer Award 2016 Jawani Phir Nahi Ani writer 2nd ARY Film Awards Best Story Award 2016 Jawani Phir Nahi Ani actor 2nd ARY Film Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role Award 2016 Jawani Phir Nahi Ani actor 2nd ARY Film Awards Best Star Debut 2016 Jawani Phir Nahi Ani actor Lux Style Awards Best Supporting Actor
References
External links