Turkish historical adventure series Diriliş: Ertuğrul, titled Ertuğrul Ghazi in Urdu, has received an unprecedented response in Pakistan, rivaling records held by some of the biggest blockbuster Pakistani dramas in recent memory.
The show, also referred by fans as the ‘Turkish Game of Thrones’ is being screened during Ramadan on PTV and has generated stellar ratings for the state-run channel that is often labeled as the perpetual sick man of cable, satellite and terrestrial networks. It is also being simultaneously streamed on YouTube where it has been trending at the top (hits for the first episode alone have exceeded 11 million views) and viewership only seems to be building up.
Stars weigh in
That a foreign dubbed show is doing so well has generated some interesting reactions in the media fraternity. Actor turned televangelist Hamza Ali Abbasi who maintains considerable social media clout has lent his wholehearted support for the show, even playing its opening theme in a viral video that created a stir.
Hamza also injected some religious fervor into the discussion…
Great example of how to use television to spread what is good. My beloved Rasool Allah SAW was indeed Rahmat al lil Alameen…. Allah's mercy upon mankind. pic.twitter.com/urqIKLSCGG
— Hamza Ali Abbasi (@iamhamzaabbasi) May 5, 2020
The other side
On the other hand, are the show’s detractors, this time surprisingly led by film actor Shaan Shahid, who see it as an invasion of foreign content for an audience which just might be destined to watch the usual conveyor belt television variety of soaps for eternity, otherwise.
While lamenting the massive response the show is receiving, Shaan is likely not considering the fact that Ertuğrul Ghazi fills the enormous void on local TV screens of diverse entertainment that is not purely women-centric — and that includes history-themed shows and films.
Bohat achee baat hai … magar hum kab tak maangay howay lafzoon sai apni khudi ki dewaar mazboot karain gai… Ptv should produce epics like this … where is the funding … no tamasha phir bhi paisa hazam ♥️🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰
— Shaan Shahid (@mshaanshahid) April 28, 2020
Try to find our own history and it’s hero’s ..
— Shaan Shahid (@mshaanshahid) April 28, 2020
Not for the lack of trying, though. The Waar star himself directed a historical with strong religious themes titled Moosa Khan, but that was about two decades back and the end results were less than encouraging. Productions such as Moosa Khan perhaps have bolstered the confidence, or the lack of it, of local media houses and studios in creating content that will meet the quality expectations of an audience increasingly exposed to sharply produced foreign content.
Flashback
Previously in 2013, the craze for Turkish soaps following the sensational success of Ishq-e-Memnun had created a much stronger outcry by local celebs and producers that eventually led to restrictions being placed on foreign television shows on local channels. The United Producers Association was pretty vocal around that time and it remains to be seen how they react to the newfound love for Turkish content.
With all the attention coming the show’s way in the country, the opposition and the federal government (which has been instrumental in getting it on air) are naturally at loggerheads about it. However, Ertuğrul Ghazi continues to wins over new stars, with the latest to join the audience being celeb couple Ali Safina and Hina Tareen of Khaas fame.
Just finished 2 eps of #Ertugrul on Netflix. What ep are you guys at?
— Ali Safina (@AliSafinas) May 7, 2020
Interestingly, the show, whose central theme about the inception of the Ottoman Empire doesn’t sit well with quite a few middle-eastern governments, has been banned in some countries of that region. That though clearly is not an issue here.
Final word
The success of the show should serve as a wakeup call for Pakistan’s media fraternity to step-up their game and cater to an audience that is very receptive to shows that delve beyond the never-ending household sagas. If there’s one thing that Ertuğrul Ghazi’s success proves is that conceptually rich shows, be that about history or other diverse themes, if done right, have the potential to exceed anything that has been made previously in terms of popularity.
