As the UAE gears up to celebrate Eid, there’s another reason to rejoice.
Pakistani drama Actor In Law, starring Om Puri, Mehwish Hayat and Fahad Mustafa, opens in the UAE on Thursday.
tabloid! rounds up five things you need to know about this Urdu film, which is a mix of comedy, romance and satire.
1. Actor In Law, as the name suggests, is a tale of a flamboyant lawyer, Shan Mirza, who aspires to become an actor. His father disapproves of acting and doesn’t consider it a solid career. But the film takes a dramatic turn when Mirza, played by Fahad Mustafa, is given a dramatic case that could have an impact on his native Pakistan and his family. His fight for justice, and whether his acting skills will come to his rescue to get him out of a sticky situation, form the crux of the drama.
2. Legendary Indian actor Puri plays Mirza’s father. Puri is impressed with the films coming out Pakistan and predicts a great future for them. He was blown away by Urdu films including Khuda Ke Liya, Bol and Na Maloom Afrad.
“I had a great and talented team and they have shot the film very professionally. It falls in the category of films like Bol and Khuda Kay Liye,” said Puri in an earlier interview. Plus, he has been to India’s neighbouring country Pakistan several times and thanked its citizens for treating him warmly.“You all have treated me so well. I have never seen a pair of eyes looking at me suspiciously,” said Puri to reporters about his acting stint in a Pakistani film.
3. The film, reportedly, is also a social satire that touches upon Pakistan’s contemporary society. The film also dwells on the real-life scandal stirred up by Pakistani model Ayyan, who was accused of money laundering. Also in the mix? Young Pakistanis’ obsession with posting things on social media and expressing virtual outrage over the internet.
4. Actor In Law is in Urdu and is directed by Nabeel Qureshi of Na Maloom Afraad fame.
5. Mehwish Hayat plays a journalist in the film. The prospect of acting with an international star such as Puri made her excited and nervous.
“I was surprised by how warm and down-to-earth he was. He represents the culture of India and the Indian industry in such a nice way. He is extremely loving and we in exchange love him immensely,” Puri told reporters in the UAE. Meanwhile, the lead hero, played by Mustafa, considers Actor In Law as one of his most important films in his career.
“Pakistan has a lot of stories to tell the world. It is a refreshing story that highlights a lot of social issues with a little bit of humour,” he said at a press conference this week.
