Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan on the highs of working in ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’

Great stars have entire films dedicated to their inflated status; one frame is just too little. And sharing it with another superstar more or less becomes an inconceivable thought; for them as well as for filmmakers, but for the audience, it becomes a rare exotic delicacy to feast on. But the miracle has happened, and two of Pakistan’s biggest superstars – Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan – return to the screen after almost eleven years.

His craze could easily be compared with the likes of Rajesh Khanna or Waheed Murad. A phenomenon that cannot be explained until experienced. When he first stepped out of his car at a 2015 film award ceremony in Mumbai, rumour has it, the show got delayed because the entire media had gathered outside to capture his arrival. Despite the fact that he has not done television soap or a full-fledged film in the longest time, he still leads the pack of heroes and is the most sought after name in Pakistani entertainment industry.

She is a superstar in every sense of the word. The name that has launched several ships is ruling the roost across the medium of TV, films and social media. Her main USP is that it is her character that drives her films and TV shows, instead of the dramas riding on her star persona. She is smart, she is literate, and if looks could kill, her fans would have formed an army of zombies by now. But she knows how to be cool and dispassionate in the world of glitz and glamour, safe guarding her feelings; and maintaining a separate version of herself for the outside world.

In an exclusive conversation with City Times, Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan open up about their long-awaited Punjabi film, The Legend of Maula Jatt out October 13 across the UAE. Touted as the biggest project in the history of Pakistani cinema, the film revolves around the rivalry between a prizefighter Maula Jatt and Noori Nath, the leader of a vicious gang. The film is directed by Bilal Lashari and it also stars Hamza Ali Abbasi and Humaima Malick in pivotal roles.

Were you comfortable playing to the gallery because Punjabi films do require you to have a dramatic body language and dialogue delivery?

MK: I think the consistent success of Punjabi cinema has a lot to do with the power of the language itself. The emotions, the aggression, the theatrics that you feel while speaking Punjabi is so liberating. You just can’t do it subtly. When you cry, love, hate and show anger in Punjabi, it’s a different high altogether. It gives an artist a lot of scope to go all out and perform in a truly dramatic way. It took me a while to get the hang of it though.

FK: The passion which lies in Punjabi language requires you to play to the gallery and allows for the body language to be a little loud. But from my whole career there was nothing that I could take any references from because I have never played such a role. Despite spending a major chunk of my life in Lahore, I have not watched a lot of Punjabi films, which is why there was not much to unlearn. The physical transformation, the extensions, the bloodshed and the prosthetics also helped bring the character to life.

You both are loved immensely by audiences around the world. Humsafar has become a gold standard for television. Does matching up to that level feel like a burden?

MK: I have never felt it like a burden honestly neither have I ever used it to my advantage in any way. For me it was a blessed project just like there was Tanhaiyyan. These may not be the best plays that were ever made, but they were certainly the most blessed ones. It catapulted everyone to the height of success and then, what we did with that success is in front of you all. If we were not dedicated actors, we wouldn’t have reached this far. The fact is we both love to act more than acting with each other. But as co-actors when we are together, there is just a different energy. We don’t try to act; it’s all natural. We have Neelofar coming up next year and people will get a lot of us to see.

FK: I think it’s my job to make every character believable. I have always been like that when it comes to working. If I did not work like that, then the most cherished work would become an obstacle. In Pakistan, since the entertainment industry has gone through inconsistent breaks and pauses, we are taking time in moving-on whereas, in other parts of the world people always look forward to novelty and fresh takes instead of holding on to the past.

The Legend of Maula Jatt is the biggest Pakistani production to date. Tell us what has been the biggest challenge for you in making it?

MK: I would say getting Punjabi right was my biggest challenge and I hope I have done justice to the language. For me the long hours of shoot or the fact that the shooting of the entire project went on for two years was not an issue as I was doing other work as well. There were some unfavourable weather conditions and rains that we had to shoot in. Thank God those days were not dialogue heavy, otherwise it would have been tough.

FK: We had an amazing team working with us that was taking care of our looks, the costumes, the prosthetics, the set and the action sequences. All these things make a huge difference to the look and feel of the character. It’s never the artist alone. But as I discussed earlier, for me the most challenging part was to marry the subtlety of acting with over-the-top theatrics as they were new for me. The fight sequences in the cold weather was a nightmare because I was weighing 100Kg. But overall, the effort has paid off in many ways when you see the final product.

You both are at the top of your game when it comes to acting. At this point in your career, can you detect if you haven’t done a job well?

MK: I think I can catch that. I can catch a false note easily. And I understand that not all your shots are the best shots. The real failure is when the environment you are working in is not allowing you to improve. I am very open to criticism but wish I could detect false criticism though.

FK: I am my harshest critic. I can also detect false praise easily. Most of the time I have to convince the director to take another shot as I feel I wasn’t good enough. I think artist should possess an ability to watch themselves objectively. You have to be honest to your craft.

With the influx of OTT, do you feel that cinema will eventually become a thing of the past? Are you ready for such a big change?

MK: Cinema is too deep-rooted in our culture to disappear. The experience of attending a movie or live theater with other people is unique. Watching movies at home doesn’t live up to going to see a film at a theater and that differentiator will always remain. OTT subscribers are gradually growing, and people are still getting the hang of it. Pakistan is still figuring it all out. It will take a long time before the transition, but a good film will always draw the audiences to the cinema.

FK: I believe that OTT is more customized and allows you to take time to absorb the content. Films on the other hand follow a strict timeline and it has to prove its worth in the first week or in limited number of days. Its judged by the footfall and box office numbers. OTT has a certain level of convenience attached to it. There is no rush. In OTT, the characters are well defined because mostly the products come in the series format. So it really has to be good enough for the viewer to sit through. Watching a film on the big screen feels different than sitting on your couch. Recently, I said this addressing the same comparison that you may cook an amazing chicken karahi at home but it will be nothing like what you get outside.

The Legend of Maula Jatt is releasing in UAE on October 13.

Sadiq Saleem is a UAE-based entertainment writer (@sadiqidas)