Humayun Saeed is undoubtedly the numero-uno superstar in the country, it is thus natural for his fans and cinema lovers to be constantly speculating about his upcoming projects. Ever since Humayun announced his next feature film London Nahi Jaunga, there has been immense curiosity regarding his leading ladies and the project’s plot.
Leading Ladies
Recently, Kubra Khan announced publicly in a talk show that she will be playing one of the female leads in the film. Galaxy Lollywood has also been informed by a reliable source that talks have almost been finalized with Mehwish Hayat and she is set to be part of the film, which will be directed by Nadeem Baig. Mehwish was also the female protagonist in the first installment of the franchise Punjab Nahi Jaungi (PNJ) and won much appreciation from the audience as well as the critics for her performance as the headstrong Amal in that film.
On the other hand, Kubra Khan is currently riding high on the critical acclaim she has received for Haseeb Hassan’s Alif. The actress will be replacing Urwa Hocane in the second part of the franchise. In a recent interview with BBC Asian network, Kubra confessed that she hopes the media and the audience don’t make comparisons with Urwa as the two characters are completely different. She also looks forward to getting a hilarious dialogue like “Help me Durdana” in the film.
Kubra was previously approached by Humayun and Nadeem Baig for Hira Mani’s role in Mere Paas Tum Ho but the Daldal actress couldn’t relate to the character despite finding it interesting and meaty. She waited for the right project and it seems to have been worth it.
This will be Mehwish’s third film collaboration with Humayun after Jawani Phir Nahi Ani and PNJ and Kubra’s second post Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2. An official announcement by the makers is in the pipeline.
Franchise or sequel?
London Nahi Jaunga is not planned to be a sequel to Punjab Nahi Jaungi, as the characters and plot are all new. Although the same team is working on the project, with Nadeem Baig helming the film and Khalil’s-ur-Rehman Qamar penning the script, the world of LNJ is set to be different. Humayun will not be essaying Fawad Khagga in the second installment, making room for a fresh narrative. The film will be extensively shot in Punjab and London.
The idea of the makers is to build on a successful franchise after the JPNA series. Punjab Nahi Jaungi became the highest opener for the Pakistani cinema and its goodwill will be leveraged for the planned project.
Expected release date
Humayun has previously mentioned in his interviews that he plans on releasing his next film on Eid Ul Azha in 2020. Punjab Nahi Jaungi was also an Eid-ul-Adha in 2017 and the Eid factor just makes LNJ the most exciting festive season release from Pakistani cinema in the coming year. However, the makers might alter the release date depending on the post-production.
The final word
This is certainly great news for the lovers of Pakistani cinema and the Pakistani film industry as a whole. Humayun teaming up with Mehwish and Kubra and getting on board and the winning combination of Khalil-ur-Rahman Qamar and Nadeem Baig means the project not only promises great entertainment but also has a high potential to perform hugely at the box office. Humayun’s absence at the Pakistani box office was sorely missed this year but we are sure the wait will be worth the while.
