Humayun Saeed urges government to back local streaming platform

Actor and producer Humayun Saeed has urged the government to support the development of a homegrown streaming platform, saying it could help local dramas and films reach wider audiences, including internationally.

Actor and producer Humayun Saeed has urged the government to support the development of a homegrown streaming platform, saying it could help local dramas and films reach wider audiences, including internationally.

In an interview , Saeed praised the distinctive identity of Pakistani dramas, citing their writing, dialogue delivery and use of Urdu. He said local productions had their own style but faced challenges in reaching international streaming services.

Saeed said Pakistan should establish its own over-the-top (OTT) platform rather than rely solely on foreign services such as Netflix. He argued that a local platform would give filmmakers, producers and actors more opportunities to showcase their work and develop content for digital audiences.

Pointing to India’s experience, Saeed said domestic streaming platforms had emerged before the industry expanded its reach through international services. He also urged the government to give greater attention and support to Pakistan’s entertainment industry.

Saeed also discussed the growing role of social media in discovering new acting talent. He said platforms such as TikTok had created new opportunities for aspiring performers to showcase their abilities, although online popularity did not necessarily translate into acting skills.

Citing actor Hania Aamir as an example, Saeed recalled first seeing her on the short-video platform Dubsmash before casting her in a drama. He said social media could help introduce new talent to the entertainment industry, but an actor’s abilities needed to be assessed beyond short online videos.