# Vasay Chaudhry

Vasay Chaudhry (Punjabi, Urdu: واسع چوہدری; 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 all the previous 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 since 2015.

## 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 |
| 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 Ijaz |
| 2016 | 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 Chaudhry |

### 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

Key :
| | Film are currently on Cinema |
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Film | Role | Writer | Actor | Notes |
| 2013 | Main Hoon Shahid Afridi | – | Yes | No | |
| 2015 | Jawani Phir Nahi Ani | Sheikh | Yes | Yes | (Film debut as an actor) |
| 2018 | Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2 | Sheikh | Yes | Yes | |
| 2022 | London Nahi Jaunga | Harry | No | Yes | |

## Theater

| Year | Drama |
| 2000 | Jutt and Bond |
| 2004–2005 | Oop Singh |
| 2006 | Inspector Khojee |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Film/Drama | Role | Awards | Category | Result |
| 2005 | | | 1st Indus Drama Awards | Best Sitcom Drama Writer | Nominated |
| 2011 | Dolly Ki Ayegi Baraat | writer | 10th Lux Style Awards | Best Writer | Nominated |
| 2013 | Armaan | actor | Tarang Housefull Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Won |
| 2014 | Main Hoon Shahid Afridi | writer | 1st ARY Film Awards | Best Dialogue Writer Award | Won |
| 2016 | Jawani Phir Nahi Ani | writer | 2nd ARY Film Awards | Best Dialogue Writer Award | Won |
| 2016 | Jawani Phir Nahi Ani | writer | 2nd ARY Film Awards | Best Screenplay Writer Award | Won |
| 2016 | Jawani Phir Nahi Ani | writer | 2nd ARY Film Awards | Best Story Award | Won |
| 2016 | Jawani Phir Nahi Ani | actor | 2nd ARY Film Awards | Best Actor in a Supporting Role Award | Nominated |
| 2016 | Jawani Phir Nahi Ani | actor | 2nd ARY Film Awards | Best Star Debut | Nominated |
| 2016 | Jawani Phir Nahi Ani | actor | Lux Style Awards | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated |