Turkish actor Engin Altan Düzyatan, who won hearts globally with his portrayal of Ertuğrul in Diriliş: Ertuğrul, has done it again, but this time not in a drama. This time he has won hearts by reminiscing about Pakistan in real life.
With more than 5.2 million fans following him on Instagram, Engin is still in the hearts of Pakistani fans.
In a recent interview, the actor fondly recounted his first visit to Karachi during the COVID-19 pandemic and shared a few humorous and unforgettable moments:
“My trip to Pakistan was absolutely amazing. The crowd adores Ertugrul that much! I had just reached Karachi, was settling in my room, and then a group of people entered. I said, ‘This is my room,’ but they said, ‘Yeah, yeah, come, come — we’re here for photos!’ It was insane — nobody paid attention to social distancing!”
He chuckled while recounting how shocked he was with the nonchalant mindset towards COVID-19.
“People kept saying it’s a lie, and nobody dies from it. And amazingly, nobody was dying!
Engin also recounts a dramatic but touching experience that took place while visiting a renowned mosque in Pakistan: “I was greeting the Imam when suddenly the mosque became crowded with almost 4,000 to 5,000 people. There was no security, and the national guards had to intervene eventually to save me. It was overwhelming but incredible.”
Engin Altan in Pakistan
In spite of the pandemonium, Engin Altan had nothing but praise for the affection he received in Pakistan.
Pakistani fans have inundated social media with love and gratitude for the actor. He was appreciated by many for not mentioning controversial TikToker Kashif Zameer, who had earlier conned him while on one of his visits.
“It’s a great gesture that he didn’t mention Kashif Zameer. A true gentleman,” posted one user.
We are so sorry for that unpleasant experience. Pakistan loves you, Engin!” another one told him.
Pakistanis still welcome Turkish culture and actors with open arms, and Engin Altan’s humble and ironic account has only made them love it more.
