A couple of months ago we told you how Fawad Khan is all set to star alongside Vaani Kapoor in a romantic comedy Hindi film coming from the producer of films like ‘Queen’, ‘Udta Punjab’ and ‘Super 30’. This highly anticipated drama has now got a title and will be called ‘Abir Gulaal’.
The film has begun shooting in London now and tells the story of two broken people who come together by a stroke of luck and end up helping each other and ultimately falling in love.
Aarti Bagdi is set to direct ‘Abir Gulaal’. She is known for her works like her debut feature film ‘Chalti Rahe Zindagi’, and anthology of short films ‘Shuruat Ka Interval’, that was mentored and curated by Imtiaz Ali, Vikas Bahl, Vikramaditya Motwane and Anand Gandhi. She has also directed short films like ‘Flight of Freedom’, ‘Khamkha’ and ‘Final Interval’. Among TV series, she has helmed shows like ‘Bebakee’ and ‘Zindagi Ki Crossroads’.
‘Abir Gulaal’ is produced by Eastwood Studios founded by former Reliance and Phantom executives Vivek B Agrawal and Devang Dholakia. It will be their first international collaboration.
As for those concerned about how Fawad Khan is returning to Indian cinema despite a ban since 2016. Well, first of all the ban is an unofficial one and moreover in 2023 Bombay High Court had dismissed a petition that sought for an official ban on Pakistani artists working in India. The court, in its ruling, stated, “Arts, music, sports, culture, dance, and so on are the activities which rise above nationalities, cultures, and nations and truly bring about peace, tranquility, unity, and harmony in nation and between nations.”
And therefore there is no legal limitation for any Pakistani artist who seeks to work in India and it remains a matter of opportunity and choice of the concerned parties.
Fawad Khan has a massive following in India and fans cannot wait to see him back on big screen here. His last Hindi ventures were in 2016 where he starred in films like ‘Kapoor & Sons’, and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil’. People had a chance to see his biggest hit ‘Legend of Maula Jatt’ here in India but its release has been put on hold due to objections by certain factions of the society. He was most recently seen in Zee5’s ‘Barzakh’ which is available on YouTube.