‘Without Indian and Bangladeshi fans, our dramas would have no YouTube audience,’ says Nadia Afgan

Evergreen actress Nadia Afgan believes that if it weren’t for the fans of Pakistani dramas in India, Bangladesh, and other foreign countries, no one would watch Pakistani dramas on YouTube.

She recently made a guest appearance at a podcast where she spoke about her showbiz career and the drama industry.

“In the past, actors used to rehearse before shooting, but now that doesn’t happen. New actors are in a hurry,” she said.

“Most actors live fast-paced lives today. They don’t take the time to rehearse. They arrive on set, read the script, and jump straight into shooting, all while juggling other projects,” she added.

“Although some of the new actors are good, most of them lead very busy lives,” Afghan said.

“In the past, the popularity of dramas was measured by TRP, but now it’s determined by how much a drama is watched on YouTube.

“Most of Pakistan’s dramas are viewed more in India and Bangladesh because people there see a drama for what it is—they don’t start issuing fatwas after watching,” she pointed out.

Afghan explained, “Pakistani viewers, on the other hand, start criticising the dramas immediately, questioning why certain things were shown in a particular way. But these are the same people who enjoy watching dramas with sensitive themes, like a pregnant character’s journey.”

“I have many fans in countries like India and Bangladesh who appreciate my work.”

She concluded that “fans of Pakistani dramas, not just for me but for the entire industry, are large in foreign countries like India and Bangladesh.

“In my opinion, if they stopped watching Pakistani dramas on YouTube, no one would be watching them there.”