Actor Usama Khan says Pakistan isn't producing content global OTT platforms demand

Blames censorship, 'ban culture' for lack of true-crime, political, historical stories

Actor Usama Khan shared his thoughts on OTT platforms such as Netflix, arguing that Pakistan's censorship rules and culture of bans prevented filmmakers from telling bold stories. He also called for more documentaries on the country's historical and political subjects.

Khan posted a series of Instagram stories highlighting what he described as the reality of Pakistan's entertainment industry. He argued that censorship had restricted the production of factually accurate documentaries that many viewers may like to see.

Screengrab: usama.khan11/Instagram

"When we analyse the potential of OTT platforms in Pakistan, we must consider that global streaming platforms will not solely rely on the conventional family-centric content dominating our media today," the actor wrote. He added, "While they will undoubtedly highlight the positive, culturally rich aspects of Pakistan, their business model thrives on unfiltered realism."

According to Khan, the platforms "will demand stories rooted in true events - gripping true-crime, political thrillers and deep dives into complexities of our institutional systems."

Touching on these themes, the actor questioned, "In a society where the government consistently enforces a 'ban culture', are we truly ready to welcome global OTT platforms?" He added, "Our industry has relied almost exclusively on family dramas, not by choice, but because creators face severe censorship whenever they attempt to touch upon politics, crime, or history."

Concluding his remarks, the actor urged the reconsideration of censorship policies and emphasised the importance of allowing documentaries and work that may find an audience on global streaming platforms such as Netflix.

 

Screengrab: usama.khan11/Instagram

Professionally, Khan is well-known for his soap opera Sanwari and hit dramas like Siyani, Dobara, Aik Sitam Aur, and Ishq Jalebi.