Latest news with #LoveGuru
Express Tribune
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Humayun on another high
With the release of Love Guru last month and Main Manto Nahi Hoon airing this Friday, Humayun Saeed reflected on what keeps him motivated to entertain the Pakistani audience. The actor appeared in an episode of Geo Podcast with Mubashir on Friday, where he talked about his love for cinema and how he acted in his first drama while working at a factory. "I was a general manager and made sure shipments were released on time. My brother was paralysed at the time so I needed the money. That factory really taught me how to work hard," said Saeed. "At the same factory I once acted in a play at a celebration party and my boss, who was a part time model, suggested that I act in TV dramas. He referred me to a couple of places and I did my first drama, Karoron Ka Aadmi in 1995." "My father was a religious man. He would not have approved of acting so I hid my first TV drama from him." he laughingly recalled. "Eventually people started telling him, 'Your son looked good on TV', and my secret was out!" Saeed moved on from it after his first project. "I forgot about acting after my first job, I thought that was it. But after a few days, I started getting more offers." said Saeed. "I left my job at the factory then and shifted to acting." Launching local films Saeed was one of the first actor-producers to give Pakistani feature films a try. His films Main Hoon Shahid Afridi and Jawani Phir Nahi Aani were released in 2013 and 2015, respectively. "They were a risk at that time," he shared. "I invested PKR700,000 in the first film and did not make as much in return. People were quizzical about this decision but I kept creating more." "And I was right," he added. " I put in PKR600,000 into making Jawani Phir Nahi Aani and it made around PKR5 million at the box office. The film was not dead. People were interested in watching if given the right content." The actor was nervous about making another feature hit after the first one."Jawani Phir Nahi Aani had four male leads so it had more chances of being a success," Saeed remarked. "I had to do a solo male lead film after that and people challenged me. 'Let's see if you can make this work,' they said - and I did make it work. Punjab Nahi Jaungi then released worldwide in 2017 and it made even more than the first two." The producer shared his two cents about recent India-Pakistan tensions as well. "It was really upsetting that Sardaar Ji 3 did not release in India just because it had a Pakistani actor. Hania Amir was casted when relations between the two countries were good. Imagine the financial loss it must have been for the producers, it's extremely sad," he said. Insights on Pakistani TV Regarding his three-decade experience in TV, he said, "Pakistan makes some of the cheapest dramas cost wise around the world. Yet they are still watched so much." Saeed played Lady Diana's love interest, Dr. Hasnat, in UK based Netflix series The Crown, in 2022. "While I was working for the team, I saw that the show was directed by five different directors. Each director came with their own team that had people to research and make the creative decisions. That takes money," noted the actor. "Pakistan does not currently invest on that big of a scale on TV dramas. Imagine how far our TV shows will go if we put in that much money too. And we aren't short of talent," added Saeed. Talking further about his role as Dr. Hasnat, the star recalled, "I had COVID-19 when I was asked to audition for The Crown. They gave me the script and told me to record myself playing the scene. I was asked not to tell anyone else about it." "They really loved my work," he continued. "I gave a second audition but then didn't hear back for a while. I thought the role was given to someone else. Twenty days later, I received a call. I had bagged it!" Saeed smiled and shared, "While I prefer to work in my own country, I was really proud to play a Pakistani character. Moreover, working in Hollywood was an experience of its own. I was really nervous because my part had a kissing scene too. But the team was really confident in my skills and it ended up going well." Saeed is all set to appear in Main Manto Nahi Hoon alongside Sanam Saeed and Sajal Ali. His film opposite Mahira Khan, Love Guru was released on June 6 and is playing successfully in cinemas worldwide. For future, Saeed eagerly revealed, "I have a couple of dramas lined up that will be completed soon. I am also aiming to release at least two movies this year, one romantic and one action. I want to play the lead in both."
Express Tribune
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Pakistan makes cheap dramas and yet they are widely watched: Humayun Saeed
With the release of Love Guru last month and Main Manto Nahi Hoon airing this Friday, Humayun Saeed reflected on what keeps him motivated to entertain the Pakistani audience. The actor appeared in an episode of Geo Podcast with Mubashir on Friday, where he talked about his love for cinema and how he acted in his first drama while working at a factory. 'I was a general manager and made sure shipments were released on time. My brother was paralysed at the time so I needed the money. That factory really taught me how to work hard,' said Saeed. 'At the same factory I once acted in a play at a celebration party and my boss, who was a part time model, suggested that I act in TV dramas. He referred me to a couple of places and I did my first drama, Karoron Ka Aadmi in 1995.' 'My father was a religious man. He would not have approved of acting so I hid my first TV drama from him.' he laughingly recalled. 'Eventually people started telling him, 'Your son looked good on TV', and my secret was out!' Saeed moved on from it after his first project. 'I forgot about acting after my first job, I thought that was it. But after a few days, I started getting more offers.' said Saeed. 'I left my job at the factory then and shifted to acting.' Launching local films Saeed was one of the first actor-producers to give Pakistani feature films a try. His films Main Hoon Shahid Afridi and Jawani Phir Nahi Aani were released in 2013 and 2015, respectively. 'They were a risk at that time,' he shared. 'I invested Rs700,000 in the first film and did not make as much in return. People were quizzical about this decision but I kept creating more.' 'And I was right,' he added. ' I put in Rs600,000 into making Jawani Phir Nahi Aani and it made around Rs5 million at the box office. The film was not dead. People were interested in watching if given the right content.' The actor was nervous about making another feature hit after the first one.'Jawani Phir Nahi Aani had four male leads so it had more chances of being a success,' Saeed remarked. 'I had to do a solo male lead film after that and people challenged me. 'Let's see if you can make this work,' they said - and I did make it work. Punjab Nahi Jaungi then released worldwide in 2017 and it made even more than the first two.' The producer shared his two cents about recent India-Pakistan tensions as well. 'It was really upsetting that Sardaar Ji 3 did not release in India just because it had a Pakistani actor. Hania Amir was casted when relations between the two countries were good. Imagine the financial loss it must have been for the producers, it's extremely sad,' he said. Insights on Pakistani TV industry Regarding his three-decade experience in TV, he said, 'Pakistan makes some of the cheapest dramas cost wise around the world. Yet they are still watched so much.' Saeed played Lady Diana's love interest, Dr. Hasnat, in UK based Netflix series The Crown, in 2022. 'While I was working for the team, I saw that the show was directed by five different directors. Each director came with their own team that had people to research and make the creative decisions. That takes money,' noted the actor. 'Pakistan does not currently invest on that big of a scale on TV dramas. Imagine how far our TV shows will go if we put in that much money too. And we aren't short of talent,' added Saeed. Talking further about his role as Dr. Hasnat, the star recalled, 'I had COVID-19 when I was asked to audition for The Crown. They gave me the script and told me to record myself playing the scene. I was asked not to tell anyone else about it.' 'They really loved my work,' he continued. 'I gave a second audition but then didn't hear back for a while. I thought the role was given to someone else. Twenty days later, I received a call. I had bagged it!' Saeed smiled and shared, 'While I prefer to work in my own country, I was really proud to play a Pakistani character. Moreover, working in Hollywood was an experience of its own. I was really nervous because my part had a kissing scene too. But the team was really confident in my skills and it ended up going well.' Saeed is all set to appear in Main Manto Nahi Hoon alongside Sanam Saeed and Sajal Ali. His film opposite Mahira Khan, Love Guru was released on June 6 and is playing successfully in cinemas worldwide. For future, Saeed eagerly revealed, 'I have a couple of dramas lined up that will be completed soon. I am also aiming to release at least two movies this year, one romantic and one action. I want to play the lead in both.'
Gulf Today
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
India-Pakistan conflict hits shared love of film, music
"I grew up watching Bollywood. We have same traumas, we have same stories," says Pakistani film critic While conflict raged between the powerful militaries of India and Pakistan, a battle was also fought on the cultural front lines despite years of shared love for films and music. The deadly fighting in early May — the worst in decades — affected artists previously untouched by animosity between their leaders. Ali Gul Pir, a Pakistani rapper and comedian with a huge Indian following, released a song years ago mocking Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A young boy walks past a film poster, Love Guru, featuring Pakistani actress Mahira Khan, inside a cineplex in Lahore. AFP While he was spared consequences then, in May his YouTube channel and Instagram profile were blocked in India. "Indians now recognise that the digital space serves as a bridge between Pakistanis and Indians, and they seem intent on severing that connection," Pir told AFP. Former cricket stars pose with Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Bannerjee ahead of the start of the World T20 match between India and Pakistan at The Eden Gardens Cricket stadium. File / AFP The collapse in bilateral relations was caused by a deadly April attack on tourists in Jammu and Kashmir, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad. Pakistan denied the allegation and, after tit-for-tat diplomatic retaliation, their militaries fought for four days before a ceasefire was reached. Pakistan's pop singer Annural Khalid sings inside her studio in Lahore. AFP The conflict hit the music industry for the first time, with Pakistani singer Annural Khalid also remembering how her Indian following dropped off. "Delhi was my top listening city before the ban," said Khalid, who has 3.1 million monthly listeners on Spotify. "I suffered a great loss in the audience" from India, she told AFP. Shehzad Ghias, a Pakistani social media influencer, speaks with Sajeer Shaikh, a Pakistani film critic and content creator, during his podcast in Karachi. AFP "Listeners were deprived of content because music was turned into something it is not," Khalid added. The conflict also scrubbed out some prior exchanges, such as the soundtrack of the 2017 film "Raees" on Spotify in India. It now shows only Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan, without his Pakistani co-star Mahira Khan. 'The same traumas' With Pakistan producing just a handful of movies each year under strict censorship rules, Bollywood has always proven popular among viewers. "I grew up watching Bollywood. We have the same traumas, we have the same history, we have the same stories," said Pakistani film critic Sajeer Shaikh. Pakistani actors and directors have for decades seen making it to Bollywood as the ultimate recognition. Sunny Deol, Ameesha Patel (L) attend the promotion of their upcoming Indian Hindi-language film 'Gadar 2' at the India-Pakistan Wagah border post. AFP But this month, Indian star Diljit Dosanjh announced his latest movie, "Sardaar Ji 3," which features four Pakistani actors, would be released "overseas only," after New Delhi banned Pakistani content and artists from productions. "Abir Gulaal," a love story starring Pakistan's Fawad Khan and Indian actor Vaani Kapoor, was scheduled to hit Indian cinemas on May 9 but the release was postponed. Even some in the industry who had previously backed the cross-border artistic trade changed their tune last month. "Everything should be banned... cricket, films, everything," said Indian actor Suniel Shetty, who has a big fan following in Pakistan. A man looks at a film poster, Love Guru, featuring Pakistani actress Mahira Khan, outside a cineplex in Lahore. AFP He starred in the 2004 movie "Main Hoon Na," which subtly promotes peace between India and Pakistan. "It's something really unfortunate about politics, creating that rift and putting boundaries around art," said Dua Zahra, assistant manager at Warner Bros South Asia's music label in Pakistan. 'Let's just make art' As part of its measures in the wake of the Kashmir attack, New Delhi's ban on some Pakistani YouTube channels included private broadcaster HUM TV. The channel, which says around 40 percent of its viewers are from India, simply told its fans to use a VPN to continue watching. A Pakistani vendor poses for a photograph with pirated copies of Indian Bollywood film 'Raees' at his shop in Karachi. AFP Since Modi took office more than a decade ago, many Indian critics and filmmakers have warned that Bollywood is now increasingly promoting his government's Hindu nationalist ideology. While the conflict has created divisions on the cultural scene, there are signs that the trade will endure. Over a month after the ceasefire, three Indian films were in the top 10 on Netflix Pakistan, while the top 20 trending songs in India included two Pakistani tracks. Pir, the rapper and comedian, vowed to "bridge gaps." "Let's not make war, let's just make art," he said. "Let's just not bomb each other." Agence France-Presse
Express Tribune
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
She just wants to act
It is as formulaic as any rom-com could be: girl meets boy, girl's parents hate boy, girl's father hires a man to break them up, girl falls in love with hired muscle. Slap on an easy-to-remember title (Love Guru), throw in two bankable stars proven to sell box office tickets – such as, say Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed – and you have on your hands a blockbuster before it even hits the theatres. "I thanked God that the film was a success, "gushes Mahira in an interview with Independent Urdu. "This was something we all needed." Back with co-star Humayun ten years after their hit film Bin Roye, Mahira's latest feel-good film tells you all you need to know after a mere flicker through its trailer. With Humayun's eponymous love guru (i.e. the aforementioned hired muscle) making the use of airborne hot air balloons and violins under a suspiciously dry London sky to woo his fake lady love, there are no plot twists to be had, and no expectations unmet when you have memorised the rom-com manual. And if the box office figures speak the truth, then Love Guru has achieved its ambition of wooing all lovers of rom-coms. However, box office hit or not, success is not something Mahira wishes to dwell on for too long. Itching to set her sights further and move onto the next project, she adds, "But then you start to think, 'What's my next project?' And you move forward. I think all actors do this. At the moment, I am reading over two [projects], and I'm trying to decide which one I'll do next!" Understanding Sophia When it comes to her role as Love Guru's leading lady Sophia, Mahira is confident she had her character under her skin from the start – and wherever she did not, she says she could always count on director Nadeem Baig to straighten things out. "Whenever I didn't understand something Sophia was saying or doing, I would ask Nadeem, and he would guide me a lot," she recalls. "But by and large, I knew what Sophia was all about and I had her all figured out." As a woman in her forties, Mahira has faced backlash inhabiting a conventionally younger character on screen, but any negative comments about how many years she has been around the sun fall off her like water off a duck's back. "I have never hidden my age – nor did I hide my marriage or my divorce or my child. I have to be true to myself," she mandates. "I don't care about anyone else. And when it comes to people's opinions – I welcome them. They don't bother me." Illustrating that she does, in fact, put some thought into the roles she takes on, the actor adds, "Whenever I get a project, I will think over it ten times, and there have been times when I've said, 'Listen, this is not age appropriate, I don't want to do it!' I'm particular about that as well. I want myself and the next generation to be comfortable." Working with Humayun Age backlash aside, the success of Love Guru has been largely down to its promotion before release, with the trailer for the film having been splashed out in Time Square, Manhattan. "That was really cool," admits Mahira, before going on to add that what was harder was making sure Humayun did not flee before the promotional work for the day had been done and dusted with. "I was then thinking, 'Oh my God, I hope Humayun doesn't run off, because I have to record a reel with him!" Mahira's comments appear completely on brand for Humayun himself, who had conceded in an earlier interview on a local talk show – without a moment's hesitation – that he found the promotional work far more laborious than shooting the actual film itself. "Promotion is harder than filming. It looks as though I'm enjoying it, but it's a lot of hard work!" Humayun had said at the time. Upcoming roles Despite Humayun's limited enthusiasm for promoting his films, Mahira has no qualms about sharing screen space with him again – and she hopes that this time, there will not be another ten-year gap. "We were about to do another film that is very close to my heart, actually, and a very intense love story" reveals Mahira. She adds, however, that what she really yearns to do is take on a role loaded with action. "I don't know when an offer will come," she laments. "I'm in talks with someone about action – let's see! I was in Maula Jatt, but I had no action in that film – and I wish I did." As for what lies ahead, viewers can look forward to seeing the star opposite that other bankable male, Fawad Khan, for the third time in Neelofar – a film whose praises Mahira cannot sing highly enough (albeit albeit sprinkled with a dose of caution lest she ramps up expectations beyond reach). "People should see it because we've made it with a lot of love," she noted. "Whether or not it succeeds or they find it any good – that is another thing altogether!" Meanwhile, those with an eye on upcoming Netflix shows will be aware that Mahira is also slated for a part in Pakistan's first series for the platform, Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo. Keeping a pulse on expectations, the yet-to-be-aired show features an ensemble cast including Hania Aamir, Iqra Aziz and Ahad Raza Mir. The release date has been pushed back to October, and Mahira hints at a departure from the characters she usually takes on. "I've never been in that zone before. I think you all will be amazed," she promises. Unmoved by Indian bans Love Guru is not the only thing making waves in entertainment circles; Indian social media bans on Pakistani artists have made waves in the showbiz industry. It is, however, something Mahira says she has "zero reaction" over. "I still have a lot of love for my fans. Fans are fans, people are people. That has very little to do with politics, although of course, the two do become intertwined," she notes. Reflecting on trigger-happy governments targeting artists in the first instance, she continues, "It's strange, isn't it? That if there is a war or political problem, the first thing that is attacked is on artists. Why is that so? Because artists are the people that connect people – so that is the first thing that gets banned, so there is no chance of any love between anyone. We are, as they say, the soft power. We are very important." Mahira, however, remains philosophical about any imminent bans, noting she has far more avenues in which to practice her craft than just films. "If tomorrow my films are banned, then I will go into dramas or theatre." As a final reminder, this A-lister has just one thing to say: "I am an actor. I just want to act."
Arab News
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
Pakistani films attracted ‘biggest' Eid collections in 5 years, says largest cinema chain
KARACHI: Pakistani films that released on the Eid Al-Adha last week attracted the highest Eid box office collections in five years, the sales and marketing head of the country's largest cinema chain said on Friday. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @ Pakistani romantic comedy 'Love Guru,' starring acting powerhouses Humayun Saeed and Mahira Khan released in cinemas worldwide on Eid-ul-Adha. The other prominent Pakistani movie that released in theaters across the world was 'Deemak,' a horror movie with A-list actors Faysal Qureshi, Sonya Hussyn and Samina Peerzada starring in lead roles. As per official figures released by Love Guru, the Pakistani film collected Rs 12.8 crores [$457,143] in Pakistan during the first three days of Eid Al-Adha, making it the biggest ever Eid weekend opener in the country. 'If we look at Eid [film] business since Covid, we did the biggest business this year [on Eid],' Adnan Ali Khan, the sales and marketing head of Cinepax Cinemas, told Arab News. 'Meaning highest in five years.' He said this does not include The Legend of Maula Jatt film, which enjoyed record-breaking box office business but was not released on Eid. 'Love Guru got 50 percent of the shows and that is why it generated huge numbers,' Khan explained, adding that Deemak was the second-best performing film on Eid while Hollywood flick 'From the World of John Wick: Ballerina' secured the third-highest collections. Khan said since Love Guru was released worldwide, the international box office collections for the opening weekend were clocked in at Rs15.4 crores [$546,000]. This means the film raked in a total of Rs28.2 crores [$999,186] in the first three days of the release. After the first five days of its release, Love Guru has collected Rs19.10 crores [$676,500] locally while Deemak has generated around Rs4 crores [$142,000] at the box office, Khan said. However, there have been speculations around the authenticity of these figures, particularly at the local box office. There hasn't been an official detailed division of box office collections in cinemas across Pakistan. Pakistani film critic Kamran Jawaid, however, brushed aside claims these figures were fabricated. 'ONLY FOR THE DELUDED' 'When the audience comes out of cinemas in droves at seven in the morning — and that too from multiple shows — then countering claims about fabricated figures is only for the deluded,' Jawaid told Arab News. He said the high footfall in cinemas across the country puts to rest the opinion that attendances at cinemas are too low due to expensive ticket prices or that audiences no longer harbor interest in Pakistani movie. 'One just has to make movies that people are willing to shell money out on, whether it is Mission: Impossible: The Final Reckoning, which also ran shows till morning two weeks before Eid, or Love Guru,' Jawaid said. The Pakistani film critic broke down the numbers based on the number of screens and seating capacity of Pakistani cinemas. 'Although not big, counting all 91 screens, Pakistan's total seating capacity is a little above 21,000, which equates to 21 million in ticket sales per show/slot, with an average ticket price of a thousand,' he said. 'An average of four shows per day leads to 84 million in gross income. Depending on the number of screens a film like Love Guru gets — which is roughly between 30-40 percent of the country — per-day estimates range between 25 to 33 million in gross receipts,' Jawaid explained. 'Given that the tickets are selling hot, one cannot refute the legitimacy of the quoted figures.' Khan said the movies garnered the highest numbers at its cinemas in Packages Mall in Lahore, followed by Jinnah Park in Rawalpindi. 'We are running late night shows every day,' Khan said, adding that the coming weekend was also expected to feature 'packed' theaters as the cinemas have bookings in advance. 'We need four Pakistani movies like Love Guru every year,' he said. 'However, Deemak has started gaining momentum now alongside Love Guru.' Deemak distributor Nadeem Mandviwalla said the film has collected Rs5.58 crores [$197,200] in six days while it is expected to cross Rs7 crores [$248,000] by the end of this week. 'It is a very encouraging figure for Deemak,' Mandviwalla said. Jawaid, however, looked toward the future of Pakistani cinema. 'Pakistan's cinema needs one Love Guru a month to revive audience's interest,' he said.
