'Disrespect is a big red flag': Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed on love and heartbreak in Eid release 'Love Guru'

Dubai: What happens when you put two of Pakistan’s most beloved screen icons—Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed—back together for a romantic comedy? You get undeniable charm, a whole lot of teasing, and candid confessions about love, heartbreak, and why rom-coms are harder to pull off than people think.

“I’m so happy you guys are doing a romantic comedy,” I tell them, unable to hide my excitement. “I’m a sucker for a good rom-com.”

“So am I,” Mahira laughs. “I love it. I hope I’m not jinxing it.”

They both know the stakes are high. The genre is beloved, but notoriously difficult to land.

“It’s not so easy... You’re so right,” Mahira continues thoughtfully. “We’ve been talking about this for a while. Whether it’s comedy or action or drama—when it’s a romantic drama, it’s still easier. You kind of have a pulse on it. But romantic comedy? You just don’t know. Especially in this time and age.”

She takes the example of the regency era Netflix hit 'Bridgerton'.

“When you have a good romance, it works. Look at Bridgerton and all those show which are around romance. They work."

And that’s exactly what they’re banking on.

“There is nothing worth fighting for except love”

Both actors wear their hearts on their sleeves when the conversation turns to love—its beauty, its chaos, and its cost.

“Oh yeah, it is,” Mahira says without pause when asked if love is still the most powerful currency we have today.

“There is nothing in this world… I don’t believe in any sort of fighting or violence. If there’s anything worth fighting for, it’s love. So I really, truly, genuinely believe that.”

Humayun, ever the realist, cuts to the core: “Disrespect is a big red flag.”

For Mahira, it’s more internal. “You know when you start doubting who you are, when your self-worth starts getting impacted—that’s a big red flag for me. And I’ve been there. Sometimes it’s not even the fault of the other person. Or, well… maybe it is. But you start feeling like you don’t have self-worth. That’s very important. I think that’s where you may want to rethink it, for sure.”

Friend-zoned, famous, and fabulous

Their chemistry is electric, but don’t mistake that for flirtation. The camaraderie between Mahira and Humayun is built on a shared history, inside jokes, and, as it turns out, being perpetually scolded on set.

“Our director Nadeem would walk in, and we’d both be at it,” Mahira recalls, laughing. “He would just be like, ‘Oh my God, why am I...’ and walk out again.”

Humayun plays along, feigning innocence. “But it’s all about you.”

“No, but we are not good friends at all,” Mahira says with mock seriousness. “Sorry. We friendzoned each other. No—I friendzone him. I’m joking. I friendzone everybody.”

It’s this kind of easy rapport—equal parts teasing and tenderness—that makes their on-screen pairing feel authentic and alive.

Blockbuster dreams vs. critical love

Ask an actor what they’d rather have—box office gold or glowing reviews—and you usually get a diplomatic answer. Not these two.

“Don’t say a mix of both,” I warn.

“Box office,” Humayun says immediately. “Yes, I will. In cinema, I go for blockbuster success and critical acclaim is what I want for dramas'

Mahira’s eyes widen. “That’s so interesting. Why is that?”

“Because it’s pre-sold,” he replies, matter-of-fact. “Not dramas.”

Simple logic. And honesty—something both of them seem to value as much as they do a good script.

Do soulmates still exist in a swipe-right world?

In a world overwhelmed by dating apps, ghosting, and algorithm-driven love, where does old-fashioned romance stand?

“Do you think everybody will find love?” I ask. “Especially now, when we don’t even know if we’ll find our next Uber ride?”

Mahira nods, suddenly serious. “Do you believe in kismet? I do. So now, if you believe in kismet—which I think everybody believes in, mostly—then you know someone out there is made for you. And somehow the whole universe will align for you to get him or her to you.”

“But,” she adds, grinning again, “if you’re the other kind—you know, where you believe, yeah, destiny whatever, but I have to make my own destiny—then you go on all these apps. Like, I’m gonna find myself someone. Either way, I do believe that there are soulmates. Yeah. I’m a… oh, I’m a total romantic. Total romantic.”

Choose yourself. Love will follow.

As the conversation winds down, Mahira offers one last bit of wisdom—one that might just be the heart of their new film:

“Choose yourself. Love yourself. And then find love.”

And just like that, you remember why these two continue to be the soul of Pakistani cinema—romantics, rebels, and realists, all rolled into one irresistible package.