Is Turkey taking over Pakistan?
Turkey and Pakistan have shared an interesting history. We have been friends and allies for a long time. Sharing resources, cultures, and ideas, both the countries have learned a lot from each other. In the past decade, the Turkish entertainment industry has grown massively. From producing top-notch drama serials to giving new opportunities to models, the industry is taking over the world. As Pakistanis, should we be worried about this?
It all started with the popularity of Ertugrul, a historical nonfiction drama about war, romance, and sacrifice. Pakistani brands were quick to jump on the opportunity to get the famous star of the drama, Esra Biglic, to become the brand ambassador. QMobile and Jazz invested huge amounts of capital into producing high quality advertisements that featured the Turkish artist. Similarly, Ertugrul star Didem Balcin was chosen as Maria B’s brand ambassador. J. signed Turkish stars Cengiz Coşkun and Nurettin Sönmez as their brand ambassadors. Burcu Kiratli, who played Gokce Hatun in Dirilis: Ertugrul teamed up with Pakistani designer Ali Zeeshan for a bridal shoot. I do not think I need to explain anymore because I am sure by now you understand the extent to which Turkish stars have entered the Pakistani entertainment industry.
It is good that Pakistanis have been so welcoming and excited about this mix of Turkish and Pakistani entertainment but we must tread carefully. Our industry is vulnerable right now and our economy is facing a huge blow because of the global pandemic. There is nothing wrong with supporting foreign entertainment but we must not neglect our own along the way. What do you think about this matter?