Hamza Ali Abbasi, a superstar years into self-inflicted exile from showbiz, is now ready to return with nothing short of a magnum opus, The Legend of Maula Jatt.
The 38-year-old actor, who would rather dedicate his time to learning and bettering himself than churning out inevitable hits, took a bow from the big screen in 2018 and now, after a long hiatus, is eyeing a triumphant return with Bilal Lashari’s retelling of a classic tale.
While The Legend of Maula Jatt has itself gained the reputation as somewhat of a legend in the making for about a decade now, Hamza has also made a name for himself as an enigma during his time away from the screen.
However, he is now ready to get candid about his hiatus, and his much-awaited return to the silver screen.
In a conversation with Geo TV, Hamza opened up about his thoughts about Maula Jatt, what the public should expect from him, and his understanding of the fusion of his craft and the religion he holds so close to his heart.
“I took a long break to focus on educating myself,” Hamza shared, adding that even now, as the world awaits the release of the biggest Pakistani production starring him, he is “focusing on doing less but quality work.”
Hamza then dives into detailing his reasoning behind the ‘break’ from acting, which he believes he already explained in a 18-minute-long video he shared some four-and-a-half years ago announcing the said break.
“I never announced my exit from the industry, in fact, I made a whole video that majority of the people didn’t watch, and just read the headlines that I’ve left acting,” he said.
He continued: “In that video… I specifically said that I’ve reached that point in life where I have 100% belief in the whole system of Allah, the Holy Prophet (PBUH), holy books, Day of Judgement, the concept of heaven and hell…”
Hamza further explained: “I realised that all of it is real, and so, I will be taking a long break to watch the whole film of the trailer I’ve seen about religion. I want to reach to the depths of my questions, and learn more about my own self.”
The Alif actor also categorically stated: “The version of religion that I align myself with, the religion of Allah, does not categorize entertainment in itself, be it music or acting, as haram (prohibited).”
So, where does The Legend of Maula Jatt lie within Hamza’s version of his craft? By his own admission, it holds quite the top spot because he has huge expectations with the project which he proudly describes as the ‘biggest production in Pakistan’.
“I am very hopeful about Maula Jatt because it’s one of the biggest productions of Pakistan, budget and scale wise. Its success is gonna set a milestone for other films,” said Hamza.
“I am really hopeful not just because it’s my own project, but it will be a huge step forward for the media industry overall. If Maula Jatt is successful, it will also encourage others to make projects on such a big scale and budget.”
Hamza is also confident that the story, a remake of the 1979 cult classic Punjabi flick of the same name by Younis Malik, is eternally relevant, and so will not have a hard time resonating with people more than four decades after the original.
“Good versus evil, the clash between good and bad and principal versus evil, like in Maula Jatt, has existed in every society since the dawn of time, it’s an integral part of humanity,” Hamza believes.
According to the Parwaaz Hai Junoon actor, the Maula Jatt team has worked hard to not limit the film by a time/period constraint.
“As far as the script is concerned, the way we’ve shown it is very time neutral. It’s not shot in this age or even in prehistoric times, you can interpret it in whatever time and age… because, the story itself is relevant,” Hamza said.
As the release of The Legend of Maula Jatt inches closer each day; the film is slated to hit theatres on October 13, 2022, Hamza has also revealed that fans can expect to see him in something new as early as next year.
“I might do something new by next year. Something that is within the limits defined by Allah,” Hamza concluded on a high note.
The premiere web series of Aryan Khan, Shah Rukh Khan’s firstborn son, will be available for streaming on Netflix India starting next year, the streaming service formally announced on social media Tuesday night.
Aryan is the director and creator of the untitled “one-of-a-kind series” about Bollywood, which is produced by SRK’s wife Gauri Khan. “Explore Bollywood like never before… on Netflix,” they stated.
For the series, Red Chillies Entertainment, owned by Khan, collaborates with Netflix.
The “multi-genre” show is said to be set against the backdrop of the glamorous film industry and “promises an unabashed, entertaining ride through the adventures of a charming, ambitious outsider navigating the glitzy yet tricky world of Bollywood,” though cast details are still unknown.
“We are thrilled to present this new series with Netflix that offers a refreshing look into the glamorous cinematic world and what it takes to succeed as an outsider,” the “Jawan” actor said in reference to the production.
“The team at Red Chillies Entertainment, along with Aryan and numerous enthusiastic minds, have brought this unique story to life.” “This one will be full of heart, hustle, and entertainment,” he continued.
Monika Shergill, the programming head for Netflix India, said, “Aryan takes a bold and dynamic approach to directing and has produced something genuinely unique and incredibly entertaining.” “We can’t wait for our members to watch it because it builds on our shared passion for outstanding storytelling and new voices.”
Aamir Khan, a prominent actor and director with over 35 years of service in Bollywood, revealed that he nearly withdrew from his work a few years ago, but his family persuaded him to reconsider this choice.
In a recent joint interview with his former spouse Kiran Rao, Khan stated, “I resolved to resign prior to Laal Singh Chadha.” I was undergoing a personal journey.
“As the Covid pandemic waned, I abruptly recognised that I have devoted the majority of my adult life, from the age of 18 to the present, entirely to cinema and films.” Consequently, I perceived that I had not sufficiently supported my connections with my children, siblings, and family. Regardless of whether it was Kiran or Reena during my marriage to them. He articulated that he believed he had not sufficiently supported these individuals. I experienced significant shame and was dissatisfied with my actions. Having completed numerous films over the past 35 years, I can now concentrate on my family.
The ‘Taare Zameen Par’ actor recalled the moment he informed his family of the news. He remembered, “I gathered my family and expressed my desire to abandon my film career to spend time with all of you.” My reaction was not due to any disappointment with the film.
“Junaid and Ira, his elder children from his first wife Reena Dutta, persuaded me to continue.” Junaid enquired, ‘Why must you oscillate between extremes?’ There exists an intermediary space in which one can reside. They elucidated that to me, and I returned. Khan disclosed that no one was aware of his resignation, ultimately stating, “No tangible outcome resulted from it.” It was merely my individual path.
Aamir Khan will next appear in the self-produced film ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’, alongside Genelia Deshmukh and Darsheel Safary. The spiritual successor to ‘Taare Zameen Par’ (2007) is set for theatrical release on December 25.
After proving herself in a number of roles, Pakistani actress Yumna Zaidi is rightfully considered a household name in Hollywood.
The “Zara Yaad Kar” starlet enthusiastically shared new images on Instagram. She wears something pink in the clips. Their distinctive posing style is one of the images’ strongest qualities.
The photographs all have their own unique style. “The Waris Shah’s Heer” is the title of the book she is seen carrying in one of the clicks.
She captioned the photo with: “Today’s wellness was Pink.”
Many gushed fans shared their thoughts in the comments area after being utterly enchanted. A user gushed, calling it “Gorgeous.” Along with the starlet’s compliments, another user dropped a slew of emojis.
Yumna has amassed more than 9.4 million Instagram followers as a result of her steadfast dedication to her career.