Pakistani stars of Love Guru, Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed, on filming in the UAE
The pair, who last starred together in the 2015 romantic drama Bin Roye, were recently in Dubai to promote the family entertainer. They had earlier shot the song Aa Tenu in the emirate, featuring several locations including the Palm Jumeirah.
'The UAE feels like home,' Khan tells The National. 'It's a melting pot of so many cultures, and it never feels like I've left home. What is amazing and beautiful about the UAE is that it is a common ground for so many people. Nationality and stuff like that gets left behind, and I love that it is so safe for women.'
Directed by Nadeem Baig, Love Guru is named after Saeed's character, a Casanova and 'professional break-up artist', who falls head over heels for architect Sophia, Khan's character.
Saeed, who is also a producer on the 280 million Pakistan rupee (Dh3.66 million) film, is counting on Khan and his popularity to turn the film into a success.
'I want people to like the film. If that happens, you recover,' he says candidly. 'When I made Main Hoon Shahid Afridi [a film he starred in and produced in 2013], I learnt a lot about failure. But my subsequent successful films Jawani Phir Nahi Ani and Punjab Nahi Jaungi helped me gain confidence. I just pray everything goes well, and it usually does. Inshallah, this will work, too.'
A major star in Pakistan, Saeed was also in the fifth season of the critically acclaimed Netflix series The Crown, in which he played Dr Hasnat Khan, a surgeon who had a relationship with Princess Diana.
Both he and Khan share a passion for their work. 'I love doing what I do. Even if it's one project a year, I have to keep working,' Khan says.
One of the most influential stars in Pakistan, Khan is often in the spotlight for her vocal stance on several hot topic issues.
She was the first major star to publicly call out Pakistani screenwriter Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar for verbally abusing a female journalist during a televised debate in 2020. Qamar, who was widely criticised for his comments, responded by saying he committed a 'sin' by working with Khan.
The incident was recently revived during the promotional tour for Love Guru. Comments by Khan saying she could have handled the situation better and more privately have led to her being accused of backtracking.
'I was scared to open my social media today. My manager told me: 'You speak and say things from the heart and you expect people to take it in the same vein. You also expect everyone to understand the nuance of what you've said,'' Khan says.
'So I either go completely silent for a while or I step up. And when I choose to be vocal, there will always be these kinds of reactions, like 'I can't believe she said this' or 'Did she just say we should do this or that?'.
'Whatever it is, I will stand by what I'm saying. Because for now, this is what I feel.'
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