Actor Faysal Quraishi has warned that paid negative reviews are hurting Pakistan’s already small film industry. He made the comments in an Instagram video on Sunday, October 25, 2026, Dawn Images reported.

Faysal Quraishi did not name a film in the video. But it came days after he and actor-producer Hareem Farooq said a paid campaign was spreading negativity about their new Punjabi comedy, Mango Jutt. Both actors earlier shared screenshots on Instagram of a chat that suggested negative posts about the film had been paid for.

The screenshots alone do not show who was behind the posts or how big any campaign was, Minute Mirror noted.

Signs of a paid review

In his video, Faysal Quraishi pointed to a few things that, in his view, give paid reviews away. He said some people post reviews without even watching the film. When several people are part of the same effort, he said, they often use the very same words.

Timing is another clue, according to Faysal Quraishi. He said many serious critics wait until the opening Friday, Saturday and Sunday have passed before writing a review. Paid reviews, he said, start pouring in from the very next day.

Faysal Quraishi said it is fine for a film to get mixed reviews, and that some of the world’s biggest films are disliked by many people. But he said nobody except the audience has the right to make a film a hit or a flop. He added that paid attacks on any film or drama damage the whole industry and make moviegoers, who already spend a lot on tickets, trust reviews less.

He ended the video with a warning to those behind such campaigns: “one day you will get a taste of it yourself.”

A rocky road for Mango Jutt

Mango Jutt released in cinemas across Pakistan and abroad on October 16, 2026. Hareem Farooq produced the film and plays the female lead opposite Faysal Quraishi, who plays a strict police officer. It is Hareem Farooq’s first Punjabi film and her first big-screen role since Heer Maan Ja in 2019.

The film has faced trouble before. Writer-director Abu Aleeha said in September that he left the project after disagreements over its editing.

Reviews have been divided. Dawn Images’ own review said star power could not save the film without a good story. Pakistani Cinema, a film site, called it a fun entertainer that deserved better and praised the two leads.