Cast reflects on nostalgia, nerves, emotional core of a story shaped by love, long artistic bonds
Cast members at a media junket for the film Neelofar in Karachi. Photo: Express
KARACHI:
The cast of the upcoming Pakistani romance, ‘Neelofar’, vibrantly shares their palpable excitement, a subtle current of nervousness beneath it, and their unwavering confidence in their forthcoming performance.
At a media junket for the film, leads Mahira Khan and Fawad Khan, joined by Behroze Sabzwari, Sarwat Gillani, Madiha Imam and Atiqa Odho, expressed confidence that the film’s story would connect with audiences.
“Sometimes in life, projects come your way that you are willing to be a small part of,” Mahira told journalists. Fawad added: “I have learned a lot from this film, and I made many mistakes, but I hope when you watch the movie, you will like it.”
Veteran actor Behroze Sabzwari also shared his optimism. “My heart tells me that I am genuinely happy to be a part of this film.” Madiha and Atiqa echoed the emotional tone, saying the project had been made with love for Fawad and Mahira.
‘Neelofar’, written and directed by Ammar Rasool, brings Fawad, Mahira and Madiha together in main roles. Many cast members have previously worked together in the hit serial ‘Humsafar’, including Mahira, Fawad, Atiqa and Behroze.
The film, co-produced by Fawad Khan, marks the third on-screen collaboration between him and Mahira Khan, following their acclaimed work in ‘Humsafar’ and ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’.
Behroze welcomed the film’s international release, calling it “a good thing”. He remarked light-heartedly that if a film releases only in Pakistan, “about 5% of people go to watch it, and out of those, even 2% watch it for free”.
Replying to a question from The Express Tribune, Mahira admitted she felt both excitement and nervousness. “There is happiness. There is a strange feeling. I don’t know what will happen with this movie. So, it will be destiny. My prayers are going.”
Mahira praised the producer as “an intelligent producer” who brought “all of us” together, and highlighted the chemistry between the cast members. “We always have love and respect for each other.”
Set against the pulse of modern Lahore, ‘Neelofar’ tells the story of Mansoor Ali Khan, a world-renowned Urdu novelist known for one celebrated masterpiece. Back in Lahore for a literary festival, he encounters Neelofar, a blind woman who “sees” the world through sound, scent and silence. Her presence shifts his understanding of life and art.
As their bond grows in a digital age, the film explores analogue intimacy, vulnerability and the unseen connections that shape human lives. It presents itself as a meditative reflection on seeing, feeling and rediscovering meaning.
Mahira explained that her scenes were primarily with Behroze Sabzwari, Navid Shahzad and Fawad. “I love him. So, my scenes are only with them,” she said.
Reflecting on reuniting with Fawad in a long-form narrative, she added: “We were also a little changed as actors, but because we haven’t worked together for so long, I think it was a lot of fun. Very good.”
She described the film’s tone as offering audiences “a small break” in a busy world. Fawad agreed, saying it was “a film which talks about love, which talks about only two characters, and a backdrop. It’s a very romantic film.”
Asked about performing another intense romantic role, he said: “This film is so close to my heart because, like you said, it’s an epic world, it’s a romantic movie.”
Discussing their characters, Fawad noted: “As actors, our job is to read the lines, so your teacher is a very big part of the film.” Mahira agreed: “I think this is the kind of film we like; we are also a bit old school.”
Fawad also addressed the issue of long production journey, attributing the delays to Covid-19. “I won’t say it was a mistake; it was a coincidence. Covid came, and I thought it was the responsible thing to stop shooting. A lot of people lost their lives.”
When Mahira was candidly questioned about whether she anticipated any particular scene from the movie becoming iconic. Her response underscored the unpredictable nature of viral moments: “If we knew this, we wouldn’t have made such a video. No, no, it’s very rare. It’s not trending at all.”
Shifting the discussion to viral trends and audience engagement, she added a hopeful, yet grounded, perspective on success: “I think, when something becomes successful, then it becomes a trend, people make TikToks,” she said.
“We didn’t think that it will be successful, or we will make it like this, but yes, if it goes viral, then I’ll be very happy, that people make reels on it, and people like you make things,” she added.
Karachi, memory and belonging
Mahira had recently written about Karachi in her social media posts. The subject came up again at the junket. “I was born here, I grew up here, I like it a lot; everyone likes their own city,” she said.
She described Karachi as “that mother who welcomes people by giving them a hug”. She added: “Some people take a lot from her, sometimes she treats them badly, but this is the nature of Karachi.”
