Syed Noor says casting TikToker Jannat Mirza was a disaster

LAHORE: For decades, filmmaker Syed Noor represented the old-school magic of Pakistani cinema — the kind built on larger-than-life stars, packed cinema halls, and audiences willing to queue for a glimpse of their favourite faces on the silver screen. But somewhere between TikTok fame and Instagram virality, the rules of celebrity changed. And according to Noor, not necessarily for the better.

In a candid interview clip now making the rounds on social media, the veteran director spoke with surprising bluntness about one of his most talked-about casting decisions: choosing TikTok sensation Jannat Mirza for the film “Tere Bajre Di Rakhi”.

“It was nothing short of a disaster,” Noor admitted, with the kind of honesty rarely heard in an industry that usually prefers polite silence over public regret.

The director explained that despite the effort poured into the film, audiences simply did not show up at cinemas. He said, “Why would fans buy movie tickets to see someone they already watch for free every single day on their phones?”

“There was a time when film stars had their own loyal audience,” he reflected, describing an era when moviegoers eagerly waited months — sometimes years — for the next big release featuring their beloved actors.

That anticipation, he implied, has been replaced by an endless social media scroll where celebrities are constantly available, endlessly visible, and perhaps no longer special enough to command a cinema ticket.

The filmmaker stressed that viral popularity alone cannot carry a movie. A successful film, he argued, still depends on the fundamentals: a compelling story, convincing performances, and the irreplaceable spectacle of the cinematic experience itself.

His remarks have reignited a larger debate inside Pakistan’s entertainment world, where producers increasingly chase digital influencers in hopes of capturing younger audiences. But Noor’s comments suggest a harsh reality the industry may not want to hear: millions of followers do not automatically equal millions at the box office.