JEDDAH: Renowned Turkish actor Engin Altan Düzyatan who played the lead role in the historical drama serial ‘Ertugal Ghazi’ has said Pakistanis’ support was the major reason behind his global fame.
He made the remarks while speaking at the Red Sea Festival in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
He said his drama was popular in Saudi Arabia but upon its release in Pakistan, it got unprecedented fame. The Turkish production earned heroic status in Pakistan after state television broadcast a version dubbed in Urdu.
He said it was because of the support of the Pakistani community that his drama came to be known across the world. Therefore, they deserve to be named as the real elements in the success of Ertugal Ghazi.
Responding to a question, he said it was difficult for him to come out of his role after the shooting of the drama ended. “Though every role is important to me, Ertugrul was special as it made me popular across the world. Besides, playing the role involved performing different stages of the character’s life,” he stated.
Talking about his favourite character, he said he had been acting since the age of 15 and was a professional actor since age 20. Düzyatan said he wished to perform the role of Kemal Ataturk.
“Movies bring people from different countries closer. In times of wars and conflicts, here we are talking of love and movies, and they make people happy,” he said when asked whether he was surprised at being invited to the film festival in Saudi Arabia.
Duzyatan has also produced two documentaries before embarking on bigger projects, stating that production required as much creativity as acting.
Talking about the difference between television and film performances, he said a character in a series was not as deep as in a movie due to time constraints, especially since movies delved deeper and had a greater impact on the artist.
It is pertinent to mention that after the phenomenal success of Ertugal Ghazi, Düzyatan visited Pakistan in December 2020 to reciprocate the love he got from the fans in the country.
In August of the same year, the Turkish actor met three sick Pakistani children via video link. The event was arranged by the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi and was attended by the Turkish consul general and prominent Pakistani actors.
