Weekend watchlist with Fawad Khan's love story 'Aabeer Gulaal' and 'Saiyaara' in UAE cinemas and streaming

Romance, revenge, and larger-than-life heroes — this week’s releases bring a little bit of everything to UAE screens and streaming. Fawad Khan and Vaani Kapoor light up Aabeer Gulaal with a fizzy desi rom-com, while Love in Vietnam dives into obsession and heartbreak across continents. Tamil superstar Rajinikanth roars back in Coolie and Tamannaah Bhatia's Do You Wanna Partner proves business can be bold and female-driven. Add mythological epics, political thrillers, and messy love stories to the mix, and your weekend watchlist is officially sorted. Here’s what’s worth your time ...

Aabeer Gulaal (UAE cinemas)

If you’re craving a fizzy, heartfelt romance this week, Aabeer Gulaal is your pick. Vaani Kapoor’s fiery Gulaal bolts from an arranged marriage and lands straight into the messy, guarded life of Fawad Khan’s Aabeer, a London restaurateur with emotional baggage bigger than his tandoor. Between chaotic dance classes, midnight rescues, and a rivalry that simmers into something far steamier, this film is pure desi rom-com indulgence. Expect laughs, tears, and sizzling chemistry — with enough London glamour to keep you hooked till the last frame.

Moody, intense, and dangerously romantic — Love in Vietnam is not your everyday Bollywood love story. Loosely inspired by the cult Turkish novel Madonna in a Fur Coat, this emotional rollercoaster stretches from Punjab’s earthy fields to the bustling streets of Vietnam. Navneet Kaur Dhillon and Shantanu Maheshwari headline a triangle where obsession, longing, and fate twist into a haunting memory that refuses to die. A painting, a forbidden love, and choices that scar forever — this is romance at its most tragic and poetic. Expect sweeping visuals, aching silences, and passion that lingers like a ghost long after the credits.

Business, bold women, and broken rules — Do You Wanna Partner is a dramedy that turns the startup dream on its head. Tamannaah Bhatia and Diana Penty headline this fizzy ride as two best friends who decide to crash the male-dominated liquor industry with their own bold venture. From boardroom battles to sisterhood squabbles, their partnership tests ambition, loyalty, and resilience in equal measure. It’s cheeky, empowering, and sprinkled with sparkle — proving that business stories can be fun, fabulous, and feminist. Whether you’re here for the sass, the sisterhood, or the shots, this one’s got a spirited pour for everyone.

If you thought saving a sinking restaurant in London was tough, wait till you meet Heer — the fearless Punjabi girl with more guts than a kitchen full of spice jars. Heer Express follows Divita Juneja’s Heer as she takes on food critics, clashing cultures, family drama, and hidden threats, all while trying to save her uncle’s eatery in just one month. Prit Kamani’s Ronnie becomes her unexpected partner-in-crime (and maybe romance), while Gulshan Grover adds menace with his signature flair. This film blends food, love, and family chaos into a masala-packed entertainer. It’s feisty, funny, and fabulously flavourful.

Epic, mythological, and action-heavy, Mirai is Telugu cinema’s latest big bang. Teja Sajja plays a street-smart hustler who stumbles into a destiny bigger than himself — he’s the chosen shield protecting nine sacred texts of King Ashoka from falling into the wrong hands. Cue explosive battles, mystical revelations, and a hero’s journey that goes beyond the earthly and into the cosmic. With Manoj Kumar Manchu and Ritika Nayak in key roles, the film packs drama, devotion, and dazzling visuals into one high-voltage spectacle. If you loved the grandeur of Karthikeya or RRR, Mirai promises to be your next adrenaline fix.

Moody, romantic, and painfully relatable — Saiyaara is all about love, loss, and second chances. Ahaan Panday plays Krish Kapoor, a musician desperate to make his mark while haunted by personal demons. Enter Aneet Padda’s Vaani, a shy writer nursing heartbreak, and together they attempt to heal through music, vulnerability, and tentative trust. But love here isn’t candyfloss — it’s messy, jagged, and full of raw edges. With an indie vibe and a soundtrack that lingers, Saiyaara is tailor-made for those who love their romance layered with melancholy. It’s not boy-meets-girl, it’s boy-meets-pain, girl-meets-healing, and music becomes their messy bridge.

If you thought retirement meant peace, think again. Rajinikanth storms back as Deva in Coolie, a thriller dripping with swagger, blood, and betrayal. When his close friend’s death starts smelling suspicious, Deva dives headfirst into the underworld — where Nagarjuna, Shruti Haasan, and Upendra raise the stakes, and Aamir Khan plays with shadows. Packed with shifting loyalties, double-crosses, and gangster politics, this isn’t your grandfather’s coolie story — it’s a stylishly dangerous survival game. Expect whistle-worthy mass moments, adrenaline-fueled action, and Rajini reminding everyone why he’s still the boss. In short: strap in, because this coolie doesn’t carry bags — he carries chaos.

Revenge isn’t just sweet — it’s served ice cold, Colombian-style. Her Mother’s Killer returns with its second season, where Carolina Gómez’s political strategist sharpens her claws to bring down the presidential candidate responsible for her mother’s murder three decades ago. Marlon Moreno and George Slebi bring back the political games, hidden agendas, and tangled loyalties that made Season 1 addictive. Expect cutthroat strategy, high-stakes scandals, and betrayals that hurt as much as bullets. This isn’t just a revenge drama, it’s a chess match where every move is fatal. If you love your politics dirty and your drama darker — dive in.

Bittersweet, tender, and quietly devastating — You and Everything Else is a Korean drama that grips your heart and refuses to let go. Starring Kim Go-eun and Park Ji-hyun, the story follows two friends bound since teen years by warmth, rivalry, and unspoken love. As adulthood pulls them apart, life deals them one final test — can you be there for someone even at the end? With Kim Gun-woo rounding off the cast, this series is equal parts nostalgia trip and heartbreak anthem. Expect tears, tenderness, and performances that will leave you rethinking friendship, love, and the fragile beauty of time.

Trust, paranoia, and dangerous charm collide in The Girlfriend, a chilling psychological thriller based on Michelle Frances’ novel. Robin Wright plays Laura, a woman who seemingly has it all — until her son introduces Cherry (Olivia Cooke), a girlfriend whose motives get murkier by the day. Laurie Davidson rounds out the tense family dynamic, and before long, Laura’s life spirals between paranoia and proof. Is Cherry really a threat, or is Laura losing her grip? With slick pacing and sharp performances, this is the thriller for anyone who loved You or Gone Girl. Brace yourself — trust is a trap.