Technology called itself a disruptive force which came to shatter the status-quo that concentrated power, wealth, influence and attention with a privileged few, leaving the rest in a perpetual state of aspiratory and passive consumption. Much like the closed-off profit-mongering industry which necessitates it, entertainment in itself has been redefined and restructured by the democratizing nature of digital platforms. Unlike previous barriers to entry – having influence and fame is attainable by everyone. Moreover, having a stake and direct, informal access into an individual’s life has made fandom a less isolating and more interactive occupation.

As the relationship between consumers and content creators becomes more interactive, digital platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram have broken previously held ideals about form, style, distribution and attention. No time has been more evident of this than 2020, and perhaps nowhere can the radicalized effects of giving digital access to the masses, changed how entertainment is consumed more than in Pakistan. With a population of 220 million, and one of the highest growth of internet users per year, we have the potential to create and run a profitable, self-sustainable digital economy. How revolutionized is our content creation now and what can we expect from an increasingly digital entertainment industry?