Countries with good content don’t watch Pakistani dramas that’s why Indians are hooked: Yasir

‘Taxali Gate’ star divulged that actors are presented with 25-episode dramas that air for 40 episodes

In a recent appearance on a popular chat show, acclaimed actor Yasir Hussain didn't shy away from expressing his candid opinions about the state of the Pakistani entertainment industry, specifically addressing the quality of local dramas.

Opening up about his reservations, Hussain stated, "Our industry is not a good one. I don’t want my son to join this industry. If he wants to, it’s his choice and I will not stop him from anything. But it’s not my desire to see him as an actor."

The actor, known for his outspoken nature, continued to question the standard of work within the industry. "Is this what we call work? What kind of work do we have? An actor’s job is to act and to act well. It’s a field where actors strive to get recognition for their craft."

Hussain expressed disappointment with the consistently poor quality of work in Pakistani TV dramas. "We are consistently being offered poor work. There’s only poor-quality work in TV. The dramas that become ‘hits,’ from what aspects are they good? The actor is shown a drama of 25 episodes but it runs on air for 40 episodes. Tell me, how could it be good then?"

When the host pointed out the large fan following of Pakistani dramas, the Taxali Gate actor pinned it down to a lack of accessible alternatives. Hussain questioned, “Do you think everyone has Netflix in their homes?” before insisting that Indian appreciation for Pakistani content is largely driven by the lack of quality of their own dramas. 

“Have you seen the kind of dramas India makes itself? The countries which have the worst dramas are surely watching ours but no one else aside from them is watching our TV. I don’t think our dramas are being watched by Koreans or Iranians,” the actor maintained.

While language barriers could be one factor limiting the cross-border reach of Pakistani dramas, Hussain begged to differ. He stated, “The dramas we watch, we watch despite the language barriers. You go to the US, the UK, only the most despondent Pakistanis who have nothing to do there and who also want their children to learn to speak Urdu are watching our dramas.”

In a bold conclusion, the actor dismissed what he called a "bubble" of people believing the world is captivated by Pakistani dramas. "It’s a bubble [of people] who believe the whole world is watching our dramas. Where is the world watching us? Let’s face the facts."

Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.