After the massive success of Turkish historical drama Resurrection: Ertugrul following its broadcast on PTV, Urdu-speaking fans are now eagerly asking when will “Barbaros,” TRT’s in-production series, be aired in Pakistan.
Before Ertugrul was aired online in 2020, Pakistani and Urdu-speaking audiences had to wait years until the hit series was available at home in their language.
As of now, it remains unclear whether there will be a deal between Turkish producers and Pakistani channels to bring new series such as Barbaros to Pakistani screens without any delays.
Known as the Muslim Game of Thrones, Resurrection: Ertugrul it made its debut on Turkish television in 2014 and only ended in 2019, originally with 150 episodes and over 400 episodes on streaming service Netflix.
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.
Turkish star Çagatay Ulusoy, who starred in the hit Turkish drama The Protector, will not be joining the cast of TRT’s new series “Barbaros” after talks with the broadcaster reportedly collapsed.
The rumor circulating through the grapevine is that insistence on casting Ertugrul star Engin Altan Düzyatan in the historical drama, which is seen by many as Turkey’s new hit in-the-making, is the reason Ulusoy called it quits.
Ulusoy, initially eyed to play the role of Oruç Reis, was also rumored to move onto other projects after repeated delays occurred in shooting “Barbaros.”
Meanwhile, new details have emerged that after jumping the “Barbaros” ship, Ulusoy has entered talks to join a new series produced by Ay Yapım, which is behind global hits such as Black Money Love and What is Fatmagul’s Fault, called “Word of Honor.”
Düzyatan is said to be currently in talks to play the role of the elder brother of the famous Ottoman admiral Barbaros Hayrettin Pasha, who conquered Tunis in 1534 and is known as Father Oruç.
Turkey is one of the top five series-exporting countries in the world, enthralling audiences from Latin America to Central Asia.
Dozens of Turkish series are being followed by more than 500 million viewers in over 150 countries, according to Turkey's Culture Ministry.
Resurrection: Ertugrul has attracted particular acclaim with viewers from over 70 countries.
