Merub Ali on social media stars in dramas: 'Dananeer is very talented', nepotism gets you 2 or 3 projects

Merub Ali has backed social media stars moving into Pakistani dramas, saying the industry is better for it because it brought in actors such as Dananeer Mobeen. She was speaking on the show Buzz, hosted by Hasan Chaudhary, in remarks reported by Images, Dawn on Monday, 2 November 2026.

What Merub Ali said

Ali started out as an Instagram influencer before her television debut in 2021, and she made her case from her own route in:

• Without social media, she said, "kids like us would have a hard time navigating" the industry and getting where they are.
• On Dananeer Mobeen, who debuted with her in Sinf-e-Aahan: "Dananeer is very talented."
• Asked about Romaisa Khan, another social media name turned actor, Ali called her a "beautiful actor" with real range.
• The industry needs fresh faces, she said, because viewers see some established actors all the time, even good ones.

On nepotism

Ali was blunt about family connections: "You'll get two projects, at max, maybe three, that too by talking to as many people. Then you'll be gone." Her point was that a name can open a door but cannot keep an actor in work.

Atabik Mohsin: an access problem

Ali's co-star in Izzat, Atabik Mohsin, said the industry has an "accessibility problem": newcomers often do not know where auditions are held or whom to approach. He told young actors to keep trying, saying there is enough work to go round.

The wider debate

The question of influencers taking drama roles has come up again and again in Lollywood as channels cast faces with big follower counts. Ali, Dananeer and Romaisa are three of the clearest cases of the route working, which is why the clip is circulating among drama fans.

More Pakistani drama and film news is on our entertainment desk.