An Insightful Conversation with Humayun Saeed; Tracing his film career from ‘Inteha’ to ‘Bin Roye’ and discussing what’s next for the superstar.

There are not many names in Pakistan who can be can be called  superstars in the truest sense. For being a superstar means to have a certain charisma, to have that power, that influence to make people go crazy for just one look. They might be rare in Pakistan but they surely do exist and today Galaxy Lollywood Editor Momin Ali Munshi will be reintroducing one such superstar who is without doubt one of the biggest names in the Film/TV business these days. With his next film , the eagerly awaited ‘Bin Roye’ releasing today, he is surely the man of the hour. Yes we are talking about the supremely talented and good looking actor Humayun Saaed.

In this interview we trace out his journey from when he debuted in ‘Lollywood’, move to what he is doing today and then lastly discuss  what the future holds for this promising actor. Here we present Humayun Saeed like never before…

(The interviewer has broken down the interview in different sections  and each section focuses on a specific period in this journey of chronologising his film career.)

Section 1 Film Debut-Main Hoon Shahid Afridi

Q1) In this new wave of Pakistani cinema we are seeing lots of TV actors with no prior film experience moving to the silver screen. However you are among the few who in the past have already had a chance to work in films. What difference do you feel/see when you compare the days of “Inteha” with the days of “Bin Roye”?

The biggest difference that I feel is that we have a varied audience to cater to now thanks to the many multiplexes which have been built in the past couple of years. Back then, we only had single screens so many middle class and upper middle class families used to hesitate going to cinemas. I mean, even I used to avoid going to cinemas with my family. However now we have a new class of audience to cater to who are used to seeing international cinema which is why we have to make movies accordingly.

Q2) You made a smashing film debut with “Inteha” and then did another film “No Paisa No Problem” but then you did not appear in films for about seven years when you made your comeback with “Main Ek Din Laut Kay Aaon Gaa”. Why the break?

I took a break simply because there was no option for me. There were no scripts worth taking up being offered to me. Frankly, I did Main Ek Din Laut Ke Aonga out of desperation because it was being directed by Javed Fazil, who was a much respected director of television. Besides that, you can see for yourself that there were no noteworthy films made during that time besides maybe 2 or 3 maximum.

Q2b) Reportedly you were to be a part of the blockbuster film “Yeh Dil Aap Ka Hua” but then things didn’t work out? What went wrong? And do you regret missing out on the film?

Yes I was offered the film, and I rejected it. The reason was that I was shooting No Paisa No Problem at that point, and I was very exhausted because of it. I was not enjoying what I was doing at all and I could tell the film wasn’t going to turn out well. I was so over movies at that point that I said no to Yeh Dil Aap Ka Hua. I did not realize it was going to turn out to be so nice though. However, I have no regrets. Even if I would have done that, I wouldn’t have gotten another opportunity to do a nice movie for years after that. After No Paisa No Problem I had decided that I will produce my own movie, which I did with Main Hoon Shahid Afridi.

Q3) You did a Bollwood film “Jashan”. At the risk of sounding a bit rude I’ll just ask why? You were/are ruling the Pakistani media why settle for something like Jashan?

Firstly, Mahesh Bhatt is a very good friend. He came up to me and said that he has written a character which he envisions me playing. I heard the script and liked the character. I felt I could do it. It was appreciated by critics. I agree the film was on a smaller scale, and lacked a star cast. But I did it simply because I liked it.

Q4) You then made a rocking comeback with “Main Hoon Shahid Afridi” and the film won everyone’s hearts, including us at Galaxy Lollywood. However lots of people felt that the film was too Bollywood in its treatment. What do you have to say about that?

I don’t agree with this at all. I am very open to admitting my mistakes. If you say the item number was a mistake, I would totally agree with you. It was forced in the narrative. But I don’t think there was any Bollywood treatment in the movie itself.

Section 2 Post Main Hoon Shahid Afridi

Q1) You are the busiest actor this year with three huge productions lined up for this year itself (Bin Roye, JPNA, Yalghaar). How does that feel?

I am quite excited. All three movies are very different from each other, and so are my roles. Over the years, I have become very picky about my work so I don’t sign anything just for the sake of it. It must be something that excites me, an element which you will see once you watch these movies.

Q2) What’s next for Humayun? What does 2016 have in store for us Humayun fans? What’s the update on your film Arth 2 and Maalik? Are they happening?

Maalik is being worked on currently. The storyline and name will be changed, so we are still working on it. Arth 2 is being made by Shaan, and he needs to get back to me. I still haven’t heard from him regarding this. For 2016, I am planning some projects on my own. I will make announcements at the right time.

Q3) A few months back the trailer of “Gidh” featuring you and Mona Liza came out. But then you were replaced and Shaan came on board? What went wrong? There were rumors about a fall out between you and Shamoon?

There are absolutely no issues between Shamoon and myself. I had some reservations with the script, that’s the main reason I walked out of the project. I was demanding a lot of changes, which did not suit Shamoon and it’s fair enough as his father wrote the story so he did not want to change it. Shamoon was also interested in bringing me on-board as a producer, but I made it clear that I will only come on-board if the storyline is changed. I left the project on good terms, and he brought Shaan on-board. That’s about it.

Section 3 Bin Roye

Q1) The Bin Roye trailer and songs have been really well received and it has become the most eagerly anticipated movie of the year. Do you think it will live up to the expectations?

I am confident that it will live up to expectations. Bin Roye is the perfect package; a great team (HUM Films), superb cast who are not just stars but also fit their respective roles like a glove,  an amazing story by Farhat Ishtiaq, and brilliant music which has already caught on with the audience. It’s safe to say audiences will love this movie.

Q2) There will also be a television show after the film releases. I asked this in the Lahore Press Conference too but didn’t get a clear answer as to whether the TV show will be a continuation, reboot or what?

It is neither a continuation nor a reboot. I’d call it an adaptation for TV. Since TV serials give you the margin to tell a story in detail, unlike a film which needs the narrative to be crisp, we have shot some scenes more extensively than the ones you will see in the movie. Besides that, there are some scenes that aren’t a part of the movie altogether. It’s an interesting concept that’s being tried out in Pakistan for the first time. Internationally, sometimes some TV series get their finales in the form of a movie. Let’s see how our audience reacts to this.

Q3) How was the experience of working on this film? Any memorable incident?

The experience was very memorable. We worked with a lot of passion. The entire team felt like a family, so we never got bored. We were always having fun. This is one shoot that I will always remember.

Section 4 Rapid Fire

Q) Lets do some quick options. You may chose whatever criteria in selecting your option.

TV or Films Both, I’m sorry I simply cannot choose one.
Bin Roye or Jawani Phir Nahin Ani Again, both for different reasons. Bin Roye is a special project which I have worked on for almost 2 years. Jawani Phir Nahin Aani is of course my home production so I have been involved in every aspect.
Actor or Producer Actor
Shaan shahid or Shamoon Abassi Shaan Shahid
Mahira Khan or Mehwish Hayat Let’s just say Mahira Khan for Eid-ul-Fitr, Mehwish Hayat for Eid-ul-Azha
Hollywood or Bollywood Hollywood
Box-office success or Critical acclaim Box-office success