Pakistani actor and television host Faisal Qureshi has said that Pakistani television dramas are now standing shoulder to shoulder with Netflix productions, thanks to their fast-growing global audience.
Speaking on a recent podcast, Qureshi said Pakistani dramas have expanded their reach far beyond local audiences and are now attracting viewers from around the world. He explained that Pakistani television serials, which are available free of charge, are increasingly being compared with high-budget Netflix productions.
What makes this comparison striking is the huge gap in budgets. Qureshi noted that a successful Pakistani drama typically costs up to Rs200 million to produce, while some Indian Netflix series are made with budgets of around Rs400 million, roughly double. Yet, despite spending far less money, Pakistani dramas are holding their own in terms of popularity.
To prove his point, Qureshi claimed that the view count for a single episode of a hit Pakistani drama can sometimes exceed the total views of an entire successful Netflix series, calling it clear evidence of the industry’s growing international appeal. He also praised local talent, saying Pakistani actors can stand alongside performers from anywhere in the world.
Qureshi shared a personal story to illustrate how popular these dramas have become. He said he once saw a man sitting next to him in a cinema watching a Pakistani drama on his phone, and a friend had told him about a similar experience.
Interestingly, in other recent interviews, Qureshi has also spoken about why Pakistani content still isn’t featured on Netflix itself, pointing to smaller subscription numbers in Pakistan and regional market dynamics as key reasons, even as the shows themselves clearly draw global eyeballs through platforms like YouTube.
Qureshi’s comments add to a growing conversation about Pakistan’s entertainment industry and its expanding footprint on the world stage, driven largely by strong storytelling rather than big budgets.
