Arts and dramatics often play a huge part in cultural exchange between the countries. Dramas of any country tell the tale about the cultures and the norms of the society. However, in this regard, period dramas or those dramas that are based on history are different. In these dramas, an era is created and it more so happens to be similar to time travel where the viewers watching the drama are taken back to the times when the characters they see on screen were alive in real life and were struggling to create history.
It won’t be wrong to say that Turkish period drama Ertugrul Ghazi has become a phenomenon in Pakistan. It was after it was dubbed in Urdu and started airing on PTV, it gained overnight popularity and now everyone is talking about it because it hit home with the Pakistani audience and they are enjoying exploring the history that is being told in the series.
Pakistani audiences are passionate about dramas but this is a different content that they are coming across. This is the reason they are connecting to it on an emotional level, however it is unfortunate that this passion has driven them to the level of criticism because some of them are unable to set the difference between the reel life and real life of the actors.
Here’s What Pakistani Viewers Did To Turkish Stars
It was after they started learning more and more about the Ertugrul Ghazi’s star cast that they decided to follow their favorite Turkish stars on social media, but unfortunately they decided to treat them exactly how they treat their own Pakistani celebrities; with criticism. Be it Esra Bilgiç who played the role of Halima Sultan or Engin Altan Düzyatan who played the role of Ertugrul Ghazi, none of them were spared the wrath of the Pakistani viewers who were irrationally finding it hard to accept that the characters they have fallen in love were played by actors who lead a normal life.
This is when the Pakistani viewers assigned themselves the duty of moral and religious police because they started trolling the Turkish stars by commenting on their choice of clothes, their choice of keeping pet dogs and also making impolite comments upon the star’s spouse. For these commenters, it might just be an unsolicited comment that they are passing, but they are forgetting about the fact that it is also going to leave an impression of their country.
The Ertugrul Ghazi star Engin Altan Düzyatan thanked the Pakistani audience for the overwhelming response in terms of popularity that they have given to the series but on the other hand, Pakistani audience are finding it hard to keep their comments civil and not cross the line in the name of criticism. The things that Pakistani viewers have said to the Turkish stars are bizarre and uncalled for. They have taken it up on them to teach them about the religion and are constantly asking the Turkish actors whether they are Muslims or not because Pakistanis can not stop being judgmental.
What Pakistani Viewers Took Away From The Turkish Series In Real Life
In this day and age where social media is a part of everyone’s life, it doesn’t take a rocket science for people to figure out the mentality of the general audience belonging to a certain country. It is unfortunate that the purpose for which the Turkish Series was aired on PTV has been completely lost and the Pakistani viewers have boiled it down to conveniently forgetting about the message by making it all about the actors who have portrayed those characters.
The comments are overflowing which highlight the disappointment of the Pakistani viewers and in stead of talking about the efforts of the real Islamic Heroes from the past, they are only talking about the life of actors who have played these roles. Then there are also those who are insinuating that Pakistanis are coming to pass judgments, which in other words is nothing short of a mockery itself. Very rarely a few decent viewers have tried to undo the damage by posting positive comments but they are nothing in comparison to the negative comments that have already been posted under the Turkish actor’s pictures.
Some decided to bash their own Pakistani countrymen by pointing out the flaws, by resorting to profanity and abusive language. In their perspective, they were doing Turkish stars a favor by defending them and fighting with fellow Pakistanis but when looking at the bigger picture, it just shows that either way, they continued to troll and showed their sense of entitlement to have an opinion by passing final verdicts.
The Few Pakistani Fans Who Made Sense
Do you think Pakistani viewers should behave more responsibly? Is there a need for a regulatory authority which moderates the comments and helps prevent these kinds of unnecessary exchange of opinions which shows Pakistan in a bad light time and again? Pakistani viewers are leaving a bad impression on the Turkish actors, what do you have to say about it? Feel free to share your opinion in the comment section below.