Millions of fans of Turkish television series Diriliş (Resurrection) Ertugrul, known as the Muslim Games of Thrones, have been flocking to social media platforms to share their favorite characters, quotes, and scenes from the globally-acclaimed show. Pakistani celebrities, including singers and actors, have also joined the fandom.
Former Pakistani actress Aisha Khan, now Aisha Uqbah Malik, revealed her personal favorite, saying, "Hyme Ana is by far our favourite character from Ertugrul."
Turkish actress Hülya Darcan plays "Hayme Hatun," mother of the titular charcater Ertugrul and grandmother of Osman I, founder of the Ottoman Empire.
"Leadership, steadfastness, love and loyalty are depicted impeccably by this graceful lady. What a phenomenal phenomenal actress!," she added on an Instagram caption, posting a photo of Hülya Darcan.
Khan, who is currently watching the second season of the show, also praised the Turkish drama’s representation of Islamic culture, values and history.
Turkish television series Resurrection: Ertugrul has become a major hit in Pakistan since the national broadcaster PTV began airing Urdu-dubbed episodes of the show in April.
The series has also inspired Pakistan to erect statues of Ertugrul Ghazi in a residential area of Lahore.
Ertugrul Gazi surged to fame in Pakistan when Prime Minister Imran Khan endorsed the series and said watching it would promote "Islamic history and ethics" among the country's youth.
More than 58 million people watched the first episode on PTV's YouTube channel in two months and the entire show has had more than 250 million views in Pakistan.
