Actor says Pakistani dramas draw more YouTube views per episode than Netflix shows
Faysal Quraishi sat down for an interview with Fahad Abid to discuss local drama promotion and actor royalties. PHOTO: Screengrab
Actor Faysal Quraishi stressed that Pakistan should focus on promoting local content rather than foreign productions, arguing that Pakistani dramas on YouTube often received more views than episodes on Netflix.
Appearing on a podcast, he stated that Pakistani dramas were watched globally through free platforms, receiving millions of views. “If you look at our episodes on YouTube and compare them to an episode on Netflix, ours would have more views,” Quraishi said.
The actor added, “Netflix and other platforms are running in Pakistan, but even then our dramas are watched around the world, whether by Pakistanis or people who understand Urdu or Hindi. Our competition is directly with Netflix series, and they go towards billions because our serials have so many episodes.”
Quraishi also argued that India did not air Pakistani drama serials because of the competition they posed, while stressing that every country prioritised its own entertainment industry. “If we discuss competition, India is a big player, so why do they not play our dramas? Because they have their own thing. Their narrative is to stick to their local people,” he stated.
Despite this, he expressed positivity regarding colleagues such as Mawra Hocane who have worked in the Indian entertainment industry. “I think it is good when people go and work there,” Quraishi said.
Discussing the global potential of Pakistani media, the actor noted the need for higher budgets, and argued that a film’s success ultimately depended on audience satisfaction. “If we make people spend Rs2,000 at the cinema, they want to get what they are promised. If they expect to get scared, they should be scared. If they expect to cry, they should cry, and if they expect to laugh, they should laugh,” he noted.
Further, Quraishi stressed that performers should receive royalties, saying it was standard practice for creators to earn a share of the revenue generated by their work.
He also urged actors to advocate not only for themselves but for future generations. “Every person should stand up for themselves and think about the people after us and the future too. Do you really think people 100 years ago would have imagined Karachi becoming as busy as it is today?” he said, adding that meaningful change only happened when people were willing to push for it.
On the professional front, Quraishi is set to star in the upcoming drama Wafa Jurm Ho Jaise. The actor most recently appeared in Behroopia and Khaie.
