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They scorched the silver screen with their electric chemistry in Khoobsurat and now Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor and Pakistani heartthrob Fawad Khan will come together once again for the screen adaptation of author Anuja Chauhan's bestseller Battle For Bittora. (Also Read: Can't Wait to Work with Fawad Khan Again: Sonam Kapoor)
The pair have been finalised to play the lead in the movie, which will be produced by Sonam's sister Rhea Kapoor. The filming rights have already been purchased by actor Anil Kapoor's company.
Battle For Bittora is the story of twenty-five-year-old Jinni, who works for an animation studio in Mumbai, and lives a carefree and independent life until her grandmother commands her to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from their hometown Bittora. She finds herself pitted against the irresistibly attractive ex-royal Zain Altaf Khan. What ensues is a bitter battle between the two young contestants, complicated by their passionate love story.
While Fawad has played the aristocratic prince to utmost perfection in Khoobsurat, Sonam will no longer be the royal misfit she played in her previous movie. The protagonist in the novel represents the illustrious Pande dynasty of Pavit Pradesh and Sonam will most likely be seen donning a regal look in the film.
Sarmad Khoosat, the director of various admired serials in Pakistan, popular for his acclaimed drama "Humsafar" has offered his first ever leading character movie role to actor Fawad Khan, for his debuting movie.
Sarmad has had immense success in the drama industry of Pakistan with the audience and critics' positive feedback on "Humsafar" which was an immediate hit starring Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan and their chemistry on screen, which drove not just the fans, but the ratings off the charts.
Now, Khoosat has decided to take a step forward in his career and move on to directing films. Since the drama serials are being televised in India, Sarmad was interviewed by Times of India and was quoted to remark "I like Fawad as an actor and a star but our approach and our process of working don't match and for me the process of filming a drama or a film is more important than the outcome"
Fawad Khan who has already been in two movies, a local production "Khuda Kay Liye" and his recent Bollywood debut "Khoobsurat" for which he has received raving reviews and immense appreciation and is ranked high, on local and Bollywood film makers casting list.
Sarmad Khoosat was also quoted to say, "Our actor-director relationship was extremely nice till Humsafar but after that I had reservations about a few things with him."
From Sarmad's interview it was clear that he was not inclined to be working with Fawad Khan but with his debuting movie offer being made to Fawad, it seems that his mind has been changed for the better.
http://www.breakingnewspak.com/sarmad-khoosat-wishes-to-cast-fawad-khan-for-his-debut-film/
THE PLOT
Humsafar, based on Farhat Ishtiaq's novel of the same name, tells the story of Ashar, who under circumstances beyond his control is forced to marry his first cousin Khirad. With nothing to connect them in terms of upbringing and outlook, Ashar finds himself pigeonholed in a marriage, adjusting to which gets tougher by the day. Khirad, on the other hand, is forced to cope with a double loss " the death of her mother who compelled her to marry Ashar before she died and the constant helplessness she feels stuck in a marriage with a man who is a virtual stranger.
Complicating matters is the presence of Ashar's best friend Sarah who, deeply in love with him, goes out of control and even slits her wrist when she learns that Ashar is being forced to marry another, though he doesn't really reciprocate the feelings she has for him.
THE PLAYERS
Much like Zaroon in Zindagi... the plot of Humsafar largely revolves around Fawad's Ashar. And there is a lot that connects the two " like Zaroon, Ashar is well read and well bred and modern in his world view. Ashar is a good son and a great friend, always ready to put the interests of others before his own, even if that means being forced into a marriage that he is unhappy in. But unlike Zaroon, whose thoughts and actions were coloured with a chauvinistic streak, Ashar goes out of his way to make things comfortable for the woman he's been forced to marry. From trying to engage in small talk with her that she rewards with monosyllabes to whipping up cups of coffee that they sip together silently, Ashar is the man any woman would want to have as her partner... caring and compassionate, even when life, as he knows it, has hit a roadblock. And when Fawad, er, Ashar looks at Khirad with those puppy eyes, love isn't really the same again.
Complementing Ashar is Khirad (Mahira Khan). Mousy and reserved at first, Khirad has now gradually learnt to voice how she feels, even as she struggles to share her life " and her bed " with a man, who despite being her cousin, she doesn't know at all. What Ashar mistakes as Khirad's coldness and detachment is actually revealed to be the pain she feels being thrust into his life against his will.
Sarah (Naveen Waqar), the other major player in Humsafar, is a stubborn woman who is determined to make Ashar her own even though she knows he doesn't really love her. An attention seeker who easily flies off the handle, Sarah is the one who complicates the already precarious dynamics between Ashar and Khirad.
WHAT WORKS
Fawad Khan is the reason why most (women, particularly) tune in to Humsafar. Smart and suave, Fawad makes Ashar an extension of himself, lighting up the screen with that smile that crinkles his eyes. Fawad ensures that you feel Ashar's angst even as he struggles to bring about a semblance of normality in his life. And yes, that baritone still has the power to hook you.
Fawad and Mahira as a pair are refreshing, their subtle chemistry making you root for this couple who, though distant and detached now, make you want to believe that they will end up together. No wonder the two are a hit pair on the Pakistani small screen and have swept up quite a few hit Jodi awards together.
The plot and pace of Humsafar is a huge plus. Just 26 episodes long, the makers ensure that each episode packs in enough to make you want to look forward to the next day.
The side players " Ashar's dad, Sarah's mom, Ashar's colleagues... " are all well cast, each doing his or her bit to keep the plot engaging.
Our only grouse: Can there be a little less rona dhona please? For that there is always the daily Indian soap!
At first it was Zaroon who kept Indian fans glued to their screens, and now it's Asher from Humsafar who continues to melt hearts in India. Though the personalities of Zaroon and Asher are completely different from one another, the one thing that is common between them is the man who played both of these characters, Fawad Khan.
Zindagi Gulzar Hai' introduced Fawad Khan as Zaroon Junaid to Indian audience. He instantly attracted huge fan following and became the topic of discussions. Social networks were abuzz with the keyword Zaroon Junaid.
It was the first time Indian fans had got the taste of Pakistani dramas. Zee TV, through its new channel Zindagi TV, took the initiative of bringing Pakistani dramas to its audience. It was a completely new and pleasant experience for people in India who were fed with typical Saas Bahu drama serials for years.
Pakistani dramas, especially Zindagi Gulzar Hai, was a completely different world for them. The stories and characters were something they could relate to. Everyone had something they could relate to.
The experience was so enriching that many thought Zindagi Gulzar Hai was the highest peak Fawad Khan could climb. "How could there be a better and more interesting drama than Zindagi Gulzar Hai", they would wonder.
However, as soon as Zindagi channel started airing Humsafar drama serial, they realized that what they considered the highest peak was infact the peak of a small hill.
Humsafar, with the powerful performances of Fawad Khan as Asher, Mahira Khan as Khirad and Naveen Waqar as Sara has had a bewitching effect on audience in India. And they are not shy aboutFAWAD FEVER IS STILL SOARING HIGH ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
The return of the romantic hero
Kishwar Desai
INDIAN audiences and, indeed, the Indian film industry, have been thrown into confusion by the arrival of one actor from across the border, Fawad Khan. Will we Indians now have to redefine, if not our borders, then at least our current concept of male beauty, thanks to Fawad's non-muscular physique and all-natural good looks? As thousands of screaming women fans will testify, Fawad Khan through the film "Khubsoorat" is giving a serious challenge to our Bollywood hunks, emphasising the return of the romantic hero. And this time it is clearly the women who are taking the lead in deciding whom they consider charismatic and beautiful'.
 Pakistan actor Fawad Khan is now quite the rage in India too. |
The startling impact of yet another (though very different) Khan makes one wonder why women in India had for the past few decades abdicated their responsibility to decide what are the attributes of male sumptuousness? Why had we allowed ourselves to fall into the trap of beauty customisation'? Our irregularities and warts are what make us stand out, and the concept of what is eye candy' for women can never have a one-size-fits-all formula. Apart from that, one wonders whether we, as Indian women, are really attracted to aggressive, macho men? And yet it was the Akshay Kumars and Salman Khans who, with their boringly rippling muscles, had dominated the popular imagination for the past few decades.
While Miss Universe and Miss World competitions currently set the standards' for women, men have contests where they are usually ranked according to their sculpted bodies. While women need that hourglass figure as well as a gorgeous face, the competitions for men are quite content to focus on their muscular attributes. It is the Greek notion of male beauty celebrated in Michelangelo's David (incidentally, it does have six pack' abs!) that had begun to dominate the Indian imagination. Or was it just a secret conspiracy by gym equipment manufacturers?
It's a body image quite contrary to our own ancient sculptures and paintings (of which we have a long tradition) in which women are decidedly voluptuously endowed (though narrow waisted) but it is the men who are rather skinny and decidedly non-muscular. In fact, I would go so far as to say that our epitome of attractive men, taken largely from mythology, had earlier been based on the sylph like figures of Ram or Krishna. Perhaps these notions were set in the past few centuries by the great artist, Raja Ravi Verma, but even in the earlier schools no sculpture and painting demonstrated an obsession with muscular physiques. Our heroes always tended to be rather slim, and with slightly feminine looks.
Are we, in a post-Fawad world, ready to reset our measure for male attractiveness?
Driven by testosterone, men obviously still think that only men should judge what should be appreciated in other men. Thus instead of reading books, or reciting poetry to us, they spend all their time in sweaty gyms trying to design a body that they think we will be enraptured by. And right now we even have a childish competition between our male actors on the internet, where they are egging each other on to show their six or eight or 10-pack abdominal muscles. Don't they realise Indian women no longer want pure brawn?
Boys, we should tell them, can you stop sweating, and please calm down! Can we, women of India, tell you what we find delightful? Just look at this perfect specimen' that has appeared on the horizon!
And yes, he is the most khubsoorat' part of the eponymous film, with the heroine Sonam Kapoor paling into the background. Fawad Khan is suddenly India's heartthrob with millions of Indian women happily spending three hours in a dark auditorium in the arms of a screen hero who never sheds his clothes or even looks like he knows how to lift weights or use a treadmill. What a relief! When Sonam Kapoor admires his long eyelashes, or confesses to lusting after him (onscreen) she is probably echoing the words of Fawad fans, who see in him the return of the romantic' era, when women were called chaudvin ka chaand' and treated gently. The last we saw this phenomena was in the Seventies with the rise of another narrow-shouldered romantic hero, Rajesh Khanna.
And how refreshing was that! So while Aamir, Salman and Shah Rukh appear to have reconstructed' their faces and bodies into perfectly toned and sculpted flesh, all artificial to the extreme, we have been struck by an au naturel Pakistani package. The irony, of course, is that it has taken an actor from Pakistan to remind us of the importance of love and romance! Physical boundaries might always exist, but Indian and Pakistani women have now found a new reason to bond.
Rapid Fire with #FawadKhan in this week's Masala mag!
It has been more than three weeks since Khoobsurat released (September 19) and the romantic comedy is still running in theatres. At least here in Mumbai. It is an impressive feat given thatBang Bang and Haider released on October 2 and took a chunk of box office share.
How did a film, made on a budget of Rs 12 crore with an opening in 850 plus screens in India, collect Rs 25 plus crore in two weeks, outscoring Daawat-e-Ishq in process? Or the question on everyone's mind is what one Jose Mourinho infamously asked - while complaining about referee/UEFA bias towards FC Barcelona - "Por que?"
Why?
Sonam Kapoor and the film's producer Rhea Kapoor have one person to thank - Fawad Khan. And so full of gratitude they are to their leading man that he has been signed for another film to be produced by Rhea, starring her older sister, Sonam - Battle for Bittora, an adaptation of Anuja Chauhan's book.
The mere mention of Fawad Khan's name elicits a range of reactions among women. Wide eyes, rosy cheeks, toothy smiles, heavy sighing, the list goes on. Girlfriends unabashedly admit that the sole reason why they are running to theatres twice, sometimes thrice, to see what is a fluffy, feel-good film is to drool at the sight of Fawad Khan. The scene in which Khan's shirt is off for a tiny second and his bare, slightly hairy chest is seen has reportedly drawn "awws" and "ooohs" in the theatre. We are not making this up.
Once again. Why? What is it about Fawad Khan that has made the Indian female population across all age groups (Confession: My 50-something mother is a fan) gush about him.
There are various factors to note:
1) Handsome men on Indian small screen have been a rarity. When Khan was first seen inZindagi Gulzar Hai on Zindagi, the housewives, long fed on unending saas-bahu shows featuring ordinary looking men, suddenly found themselves wondering not where can I buy that jhumka or sari from but where can I find a man/husband as hot as Fawad Khan? Answer: Across the border.
2) Offer "Fawad fever" in small doses. Unlike Hindi TV shows, which are dragged endlessly,Zindagi Gulzar Hai ran for only 25 episodes, making TV audiences, ahem mostly women, hungry for more of the dishy actor. (Husbands and boyfriends now know that they will be ignored when a Fawad show is on.) After the show ended, Zindagi aired the promo of telefilm Behadd on loop, in process teasing and testing the patience of the audience. As soon as Khoobsurat neared its release date, the channel began airing the promo of one of his most popular shows, Humsafar. The strategy of always having Fawad on air is clever. It keeps audience sated.
3) There's no one quite like him in Bollywood. The truth is that there is a dearth of irresistible heroes (Think: Ryan Gosling) who can act well and are happy to star in a chick-flick. Actors here have not been game for being swooned over for their good looks. The guidelines to pass off as an attractive hero in the Hindi film industry include bronzed bodies, ten-pack abs and bulging biceps. What makes Fawad Khan appealing is that he is strikingly real and beautifully normal. It helps that he looks dapper in both Western and Indian wear. For a change, it's nice to have a hero who doesn't look capable of beating up ten men at a go. It's an entirely different matter that girls most probably don't want Fawad Khan getting into fights and ruin his face. Khan's lanky self is enough to want him.
4) It's all in the eyes. Few actors can say a lot with their eyes alone. Khan is one of the few who knows how to kill with the way he looks. Zindagi milks this asset of his. For instance, theHumsafar trailer features wordless shots in which Khan simply looks: to admire a woman secretly from the corner of his eye, in anger, to suggest a hint of a smile (you have to earn a Fawad smile as Khoobsurat proves), and intensely enough to make you go weak in the knees.
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