Mahira Khan says acting as a blind woman in Neelofar was highly challenging

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani actress Mahira Khan has said shooting for her much anticipated film Neelofar was completed in 2020 and that, in her view, it should have been released much earlier.

She acknowledged that fans have high expectations from her on-screen pairing with Fawad Khan, which is why both actors only accept projects they genuinely believe in.

Speaking on HUM News’ programme “Hum Dekhain Ge”, Mahira said that it was the film’s story that persuaded her to take the role. The film revolves around a writer struggling with his work who meets a blind woman during a train journey. The two then travel to Lahore, which is Neelofar’s hometown. She preserves sounds using a tape recorder.

Discussing her role, Mahira said that portraying a blind woman was extremely challenging for her. She was advised to watch several films and also met two visually impaired girls to better understand the character.

When asked about working with Fawad Khan as a producer, Mahira smiled and said he was an excellent producer who ensured that everyone on set was comfortable and able to focus on their work. She described their friendship as “Tom and Jerry,” adding that they trust each other completely.

Speaking about Pakistani cinema, Mahira said that TV audiences are very perceptive, but cinema-going audiences have a different temperament. She said Pakistan once produced high-quality films, but political and other issues disrupted that progress.

Mahira compared Neelofar to her hit drama “Humsafar”, noting that HUM Network has always felt like home to her because she has done most of her work with it. She said she always received immense love from the channel. Sharing shooting memories, Mahira laughed and said she was always on time, though Fawad often thought she was late.

Mahira said she loved the time spent filming “Neelofar”, calling the experience especially pleasant. However, she often felt she could improve her scenes even further. “Whenever the director said ‘done,’ Fawad and I felt as if we had given only one take,” she said with a laugh.

Talking about her Punjabi dialogue delivery, Mahira said Punjabi is a vast and beautiful language that flows naturally when spoken. She noted that Punjabi poetry is widely loved. Referring to “The Legend of Maula Jatt”, she said some people criticised her Punjabi as “Urdu-like,” yet viewers still remember her dialogues. She acted out her famous line, “Ae Maulya, main teri pakki pakki mashooq aan.”

Mahira said memorising Punjabi dialogues was difficult, and she received considerable help from Hamza Ali Abbasi and Ali Azmat. Since she is from Karachi, she said she is naturally more fluent in Urdu.

Mahira said that people in India admire Pakistani Urdu. Reflecting on her experience working across the border, she said she was fortunate to work with wonderful people who treated her with great care. Since both countries share a language and many cultural similarities, the work environment felt easy and pleasant.

Speaking about Shah Rukh Khan, Mahira said his greatest quality is his humility and deep love for his craft. She added that Pakistani stars Humayun Saeed, Fawad Khan and Fahad Mustafa also possess a similar humility, which she believes is the secret to their success.

Commenting on her outspoken posts during Pakistan-India tensions, Mahira said it was an emotional moment. She wrote out of anger at the time, without thinking about consequences.

She said she loves her fans, including those in India, but they must understand that Pakistan is her home.

Responding to a question about competition with other actresses, Mahira said she does not compete with anyone, as everyone has their own individuality. She named Shehnaz Sheikh, Sanam Baloch and Sajal Aly as her favourites. Among actors, she mentioned Fahad Mustafa, Humayun Saeed and Fawad Khan, while among writers she listed Haseena Moin, Farhat Ishtiaq, Umera Ahmed and Mustafa Afridi.