Yesterday, it was officially announced that actress Yumna Zaidi and Humayun Saeed will be pairing up for an upcoming drama for Green Entertainment, penned by the ‘Mere Pass Tum Ho’ screenwriter Khalil-ul-Rehman Qamar, and produced by Saeed’s wife, Samina Humayun.
This is the first time the two will be coming together on the screen together. Social media users were thrilled that the actress never stops dominating the screen.
Wow. What an absolutely amazing news. The king of Pakistani entertainment industry is coming back with another amazing project. Ladies and gentleman, let’s clap together for our very own Humayun Saeed.#HumayunSaeed@iamhumayunsaeedpic.twitter.com/IPaz8MR427
The poster’s giving Hollywood action film energy with that bow-tie & gun. And so excited to see Haissam Hussain, the maestro, at work again coz everything he does is exquisite! Yumna & Humayun are gonna kill it #haissamhussain • #yumnazaidi • #humayunsaeedpic.twitter.com/TmKkZ0aSdD
However, not everyone agreed that the news was exciting, slamming screenwriter Rehman and Humayun Saeed for once more, pairing an older actor with a woman decades younger than him. Yumna Zaidi is currently 33 years old, while Humayun is 51.
Many were happy with the casting because of the stellar performances both actors have given in past projects, but were concerned because of the age difference.
Humayun is brilliant actor but age difference bhot jyada nhi ho jaega https://t.co/S6lx8MVOHe
Saeed has been criticised in the past for working with younger women as romance leads in films, like Ayeza Khan is 32 years old but had played his wife in ‘Mere Pass Tum Ho’. While in the film ‘London Nahi Jaunga’, Kubra Khan was 30 years old.
Humayun Saeed is a good actor and his chemistry with various actresses has always been fantastic. But someone my parent’s age should not be the love interest of Yumna Zaidi, whos around my age, unless the story aims at highlighting such an age gap.
If we revert back on Pakistan’s pop culture history a bit, then some would remember in 2019, veteran actor Firdous Jamal was a guest on an ARY show where he said that Mahira Khan is of the age where she should be playing grandmother roles. A bit rich considering that men of the same age are still romancing younger women?
“Iss age pe toh ma ke roles play karne chahiye” says Firdous Jamal about Mahira who is in her mid-30s while 50-year-old Humayun Saeed plays lead roles opposite young girls in movies. https://t.co/ieUX7SC5vP
Hopefully, Pakistani dramas can listen and get out of this creepy mindset!
First Humayun & Sajal and now Humayun & Yumna Humayun darling I get that you are a superstar but I think its time to accept that you cant romance girls who are in their 20’s & 30’s. In order for romance to work, you also need to look good with them which you dont and wont!
In an interview with Independent Urdu, Humayun Saeed opened up about playing Dr. Hasnat Khan in Season 5 of ‘The Crown’ and talked about the controversial kissing scenes between him and Elizabeth Debicki, which had been slammed by social media users in Pakistan on the double standards male and female actors are subjected to.
Saeed had played Dr Hasnat Khan, a Pakistani born British heart surgeon who had a romantic relationship with the late Lady Diana from 1995 to 1997, and was described by the Princess as “the love of her life.”
Addressing the controversy now, Saeed said that he didn’t face extreme public scrutiny like he had expected from Pakistanis:
“I am well aware that in our society such things aren’t acceptable for us, but my scene and the way we executed it was done in a tasteful manner. And there was not a lot of backlash from Pakistanis on that scene, because it wasn’t like the way they had thought.”
Previously, Saeed had revealed in the talk show ‘The Fourth Umpire’ that the kissing scene was not real, and it was staged to look like it was real.
Talking about how he took on the role of Hasnat, who is a private individual and has not publicly discussed his relationship with Diana, Saeed revealed:
“It was not necessary that I imitate his every single move. While we were shooting for ‘The Crown’, there were two or three options on how we should develop his character. We knew that he was very successful in his career, but in his relationship with Lady Diana he was very shy so we decided to capture that. Maybe in reality he wasn’t that shy in his relationship, but we decided to capture that.”
Hailing from diverse realms of showbiz, the Pakistani showbiz industry icons have dominated the Top 50 Asian Stars list. Having greatly contributed to the entertainment industry, these Pakistanis celebrities were recognised nationally and internationally.
The list is published annually and this time, Pakistani actors and singers have made their nation proud. From Fawad Khan to Arooj Aftab, there have been eight stars who were listed among other South Asian artists on Britain’s EasternEye.
The list includes Fawad Khan, Sajal Aly, Atif Aslam, Ali Sethi and Shae Gill, Humayun Saeed, Hadiqa Kiani, Arooj Aftab, and Riz Ahmed.
In ascending order, Fawad Khan sits at number two. The handsome hunk broke records with his terrific performance in The Legend of Maula Jatt smashing all Pakistani box-office records globally.
Following Khan is the iconic singer Atif Aslam securing the 13th spot. Aslam also became the most-streamed Pakistani singer of 2022.
Sitting at number 16 is actress Sajal Aly. The diva made her international debut with the English film What’s Love Got To Do With It? that propelled her to international stardom.
At the 17th spot, we have Riz Ahmed. This British Asian actor has been shining bright like a diamond by winning a Best Live Action Short Film Oscar at the 94th Academy Awards for The Long Goodbye.
For the 38th spot, Arooj Aftab jumped in to make it to the list. The New York-based singer is the first female Pakistani artist to win a Grammy award for Best Global Music Performance, along with securing a Best New Artist nomination.
At number 40 we have the talented singer Hadiqa Kiani. The Pakistani pop icon with her soldout concerts, philanthropy, and humanitarian work during the flash floods in Pakistan helped her secure a spot on the list of accomplished artists.
Another fine actor of Lollywood who recently made his Netflix debut is Humayun Saeed sitting at number 45. Saeed’s fine acting skills helped him land a key role as Dr. Hasnat Khan in the popular The Crown series.
At number 46 is the Pasoori duo Shae Gill and Ali Sethi for the roaring success of their Coke Studio 14 single.
The reigning king of Pakistani cinema, Humayun Saeed is currently basking in the glory of his last blockbuster film London Nahi Jaunga and season 5 of Netflix’s globally successful web series, The Crown.
For his part in Season 5 of The Crown, Humayun Saeed recently disclosed on Mazaaq Raat that he had to go through several auditions. When he submitted his initial audition, he was shortlisted. When he was eventually chosen for the series, he then re-auditioned with a romance scene.
An extremely emotional moment that was left out of the series, according to Humayun Saeed, was also disclosed. They had to remove the sequence because they were unable to make the episodes of the television series longer than an hour. Diana informs Dr. Hasnat that she would be willing to convert to Islam for him at the moment. Although Humayun claimed to have appreciated the moment, it was ultimately removed.
Prior to the series’ release, Humayun chatted with Dawn’s Maliha Rehman and talked about Netflix’s award-winning juggernaut.
On being asked about the casting process, Humayun said, “It started with a call from Hamid Hussain, who is now my talent agent. He used to manage Bollywood star Nargis Fakhri, and I was in touch with him earlier to cast Nargis in my film. We had remained in touch since then.”
He added: “One evening, I got a call from him, and he informed me that there was a really important international project that he had in mind for me, but I would need to send an audition for it. I only remember auditioning for the first few projects at the start of my career, but I know this is a norm in the West and agreed to it.”
So, he sent the audition in, and soon after he was asked to do an online reading with Elizabeth Debicki, who jas essayed Princess Diana in the latest season. After ten days of waiting, he was told that he has bagged the role of Dr. Hasnat Khan.
‘The Crown’ follows the lives of the British Royal Family and Season 5 sees us in the 1990s nearing the end of Prince Charles and Lady Diana’s marriage. Enter Dr. Hasnat Ahmad Khan, played by Saeed, a British-Pakistani lung and heart surgeon who is most well-known for his romantic relationship with Princess Diana from 1995 to 1997, referred by her as “Mr. Wonderful”.
We just got a first glimpse of his character where he looks barely recognizable. Attention to detail in a show like ‘The Crown’ of course is incredible and it’s the same for Humayun’s look.
When asked about his research and prep work before stepping into the role, he had this to say:
“Before filming began, I got to do a workshop with a real surgeon in the UK to understand how a surgeon would behave and react on the job. Of course, I knew about Dr Hasnat Khan even before I got this role. After my casting was confirmed, the team shared research material with me on the doctor. It included a few interviews, as well as, some images.
“Dr Hasnat Khan is a very private person, which was why he and Princess Diana broke up — he couldn’t handle being in the limelight. Due to this, there is very limited material on him available in the public domain. So, I had to study whatever was shared with me in detail.”
Humayun, for most of his career, is seen playing the hero, so when asked about his transformation into a down-to-earth not very fashionable doctor, he had this to say:
“I would sometimes try to push up my hair right before a scene,” he laughs, “but the stylists on set would immediately notice and they would put my hair back in place. When I saw myself on screen for the first time, I was completely taken aback! I didn’t look like Humayun Saeed at all but like the doctor.
“On a serious note, the makers of ‘The Crown’ are extremely particular about details, and the look that they had created for the doctor had to be followed to the tee. It was very impressive seeing firsthand how they looked into every tiny nuance.”
Humayun also talked about how he could let his diet go for a change, seeing as how he’s often playing the hero which requires strict regimental diets.
“More than being intimidated, I feel that this show puts extra responsibility on anyone who is part of it,” he mused. “People naturally have strong feelings about characters in the show, and memories of the events that we are depicting. Also, some of the people we are representing are alive or have family members who are still alive and that means all of us who are part of this show has to take the responsibility of our roles seriously.”
He also lauded the screenwriter Peter Morgan for handling each character’s portrayal sensitively, calling it the show’s biggest highlight.
Speaking about the energy on set, Humayun revealed that most of his scenes were opposite Elizabeth Debicki, and that he was in awe of her commitment to her craft. Elizabeth of course, is best known for her work in ‘The Great Gatsby,’ ‘Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2’ and ‘Tenet.’
The artist doesn’t think that the series will give him a boost as an actor, rather he hopes to apply all his learnings from this experience to his future projects.
Actor Humayun Saeed’s Netflix debut The Crown’s season 5 premiered on 11th November. The London Nahi Jaunga star is receiving rave reviews for his performance in the series based on the royal British family.
While the local media and audience is glorifying Humayun’s reach as an artist, a section of netizens are criticising him for kissing his co-star Elizabeth Debicki in the show.
Here are a few comments by netizens:
Earlier this year, Ahad Raza Mir has also come under scrutiny for locking lips in Netflix’s web series Resident Evil.
Model-actor Iman Ali is known for being candid and blunt in her interviews. She often expresses her opinions without filtering them in interviews, which lands her in hot water.
Iman received severe backlash in 2020 when her tongue-in-cheek remarks about industry Pakistani superstars like Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed.
Iman released all her inhibitions and swung at every question with casual humour, giving usual rapid fire rounds a run for their money. She even said Humayun Saeed may as well have been a doodh/dahi bechnay wala (milk seller) with his typically Punjabi looks.
When asked about the country’s favourite superstar at the moment, Mahira Khan, Iman had no second guesses. “She should’ve stayed a VJ. She was really good at that and I really liked her at that,” said Iman, chuckling at her own answer.
Iman also made another revelation – she was offered Raees alongside Shah Rukh Khan before Mahira landed the coveted role. “The people who approached me told me it’s a role opposite Shah Rukh, so I asked them to send me the script. I guess they didn’t really like that,” said Iman.
When asked about Fawad Khan, Iman said, “He used to make really stupid jokes on set (they were co-stars in their debut film Khuda Kay Liye) so maybe a failed stand-up comedian.”
During a recent interview with DIVAonline, the Bol star clarified that she was in no way insulting or being insensitive toward Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan when she said that Mahira should’ve stuck to being a VJ and Fawad would’ve been a failed comedian.
According to the Khuda Kay Liye diva, her statement was spread in the wrong light from a throwback video. Now, Iman said that she was only answering the question ‘What career would they have pursued had they not been actors’.
On the work front, Iman is all set to grace the big screen with the upcoming film Tich Button co-starring Farhan Saeed, Feroze Khan, and Sonya Hussyn.
Pakistani superstar Humayun Saeed is essaying Dr Hasnat Khan, Princess Diana’s love interest in season five of the hit Netflix series, The Crown.
Saeed will be the second Pakistani to be cast in a Netflix Original which will premiere on 9th November 2022.
The actor will play alongside Australian actor Elizabeth Debicki who has been cast as Princess Diana.
Now Elizabeth has praised the London Nahi Jaunga hero in her latest interview, “I absolutely adored Humayun — he was such a lovely actor, and such a beautiful person,” she told Entertainment Weekly.
“You never know how that’s going to feel when you’re playing things like that with an actor. So I was very lucky to have him and I think he does such a beautiful job.”
When the news was confirmed earlier this year, Pakistani superstar Mahira Khan congratulated the Bin Roye hero.
Finaaaallly it’s out!!!! So proud! So excited!!! MashAllah mashAllah ✨ ♥️ What a show! What a star @iamhumayunsaeed@TheCrownNetflix
Dr Hasnat Khan, a British-Pakistani surgeon, is widely known for his romantic, two-year relationship with Diana. In May 1996, she visited his family in Lahore too. Diana’s friends are reported to have described Hasnat as the “love of her life” and to have spoken of her distress when he ended their relationship in June 1997. Dr Khan attended Diana’s funeral ceremony in September 1997.
Season 5 will be about the turmoil of Diana and Prince Charles’ marriage breakdown and the tragic death of Diana in August 1997.
Senior actor Firdous Jamal recently appeared on Ahmad Ali Butt’s chat show, Super Over. Firdous was asked to mark the acting skills of present-day superstars such as Humayun Saeed, Faysal Qureshi, Nauman Ijaaz, and Aijaz Aslam.
The Pyaray Afzal star marked Faysal Qureshi’s acting skills as four out of ten.
Jamal gave the same score to Aijaz Aslam.
He also mentioned that Naumaan is a five or six on ten.
As for the Mere Paas Tum Ho star, “Humayun Saeed has no acting skills, no voice, no character, no body language,” he said. “There are still people being fooled by the idea that he is doing good acting.”
The veteran actor added, “I don’t say anything to anybody on the basis of personal grudges, I talk on the technical grounds, I don’t watch their work as a normal viewer because I am an artist.”
Last year, Jamal slammed Imran Ashraf performance as Bhola from Ranjha Ranjha Kardi, Firdous Jamal responded, “Imran’s performance wasn’t a spontaneous one. In fact, it was pretension. He was acting and not behaving. Such roles have been performed in the past as well but unfortunately, you haven’t seen those precious acts. I don’t want to criticize any individual here, but sadly, acting is becoming a fashion these days.”
Superstar Humayun Saeed has spilled some beans on his fitness and young skin in a recent interview with ‘FWhy Podcast’. The Dillagi star shared the trick to his youthful and wrinkle-free skin.
He said, “I was working with an actress in London (The Crown) and there she asked me that what do you do with your face as you have a wrinkle free skin as she was younger than me and she had wrinkles on her face. According to me, because I eat a lot and don’t prefer dieting a lot maybe this is one of the reason behind a fresh face that I take a proper diet.”
The Bin Roye hero added, “I do jogging, but I prefer cardio over weight lifting which surely improves my health. I’m not in favor of heavy weight lifting at all.”
“When we were at a phase where I had to make tough decisions, I started crying, thinking about what will happen if she ends up marrying someone else,” he said. “My parents were also not in favour, they thought it was not the right age for me but we stood our ground. And it proved to be the right decision.” “The strong woman that she is, she guided me through life and work,” Saeed gushed about the partner.
Later in the discussion, the actor recalled Samina initially being insecure about his work and on-screen romance with female actors, adding that she later befriended most of them and got along well.
“She realised they were all nice people. All of her worries went away. She’d bring food to the sets and talk to everyone,” he joked. Moreover, Saeed addressed an old conjecture of being involved with another girl while having Samina in his life. He clarified, “There wasn’t another girl in a way that I didn’t officially go on dates with her or something.”
He added, “We met once or twice at a wedding or something and we’d talk on calls. I had contacted her to meet and I wanted to tell her about Samina only but Samina found out and gave me an ultimatum. That was it.”
For those unversed, Saeed married producer Samina in 1995, and the two are one of the top power couples in the industry.
During the conversation, Saeed also revealed that he had no plans for marriage until he met Samina and decided to take the plunge, despite the apprehensions from his family and friends.
On the work front, Humayun recently delivered a blockbuster film London Nahi Jaunga co-starring Mehwish Hayat and Kubra Khan.
Writer-director Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar recently appeared on SAMAA TV ‘s show Super Over, hosted by actor Ahmad Ali Butt. The Sadqay Tumhare writer made some revelations about his colleagues, Humayun Saeed, Mehwish Hayat, Mahira Khan and Naumaan Ijaz.
Qamar talked about his feud with superstar Mahira Khan, and said that he has forgiven her for calling him out post his brawl with Marvi Sirmed, but he will never forget any of it.
The Raees star tweeted on March 4th, 2020, after Sirmed and Qamar’s heated argument on the show Aaj Ayesha Ehtesham Kay Saath.
I am shocked at what I have just heard and seen!! Sick to the core. This same man who abused a woman on tv is revered and given project after project because of what? We are as much to blame if not more for perpetuating this thinking! #khalilurrehmanqamar
“This same man who abused a woman on TV is revered and given project after project because of what?”
While talking about Mehwish Hayat, who recently made Pakistan proud with her stint in the Disney+ superhero series Miss Marvel, Qamar said stated that London Nahi Jaunga was his last film with her.
He continued by saying that Hayat has worked a lot in the industry and now others should get a chance too.
Moreover, he also mentioned, “I’m tired of writing roles for Humayun Saeed as well.”
The Pyarey Afzal writer also disclosed that the famous actor Nauman Ijaz proposed a partnership in Khalil’s first drama serial Dastak aur Darwaza.
The writer said, “I auditioned Nauman Ijaz, and he failed, and then Usman Peerzada was selected.”
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