Mahira and Humayun: The romantic realists

Pakistan's most beloved screen icons speak of love, heartbreak and red flags, in time for their Eid release, 'Love Guru'

- By Manjusha Radhakrishnan

What happens when you put two of Pakistan's most beloved screen icons — Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed — back together for a romantic comedy? You get undeniable charm, a whole lot of teasing, and candid confessions about love, heartbreak, and why romcoms are harder to pull off than people think.

“I’m so happy you guys are doing a romantic comedy,” I tell them, unable to hide my excitement. “I’m a sucker for a good romcom.”

“So am I,” Mahira laughs. “I love it. I hope I’m not jinxing it.”

They both know the stakes are high. The genre is beloved, but notoriously difficult to land. “It’s not so easy ... You're so right,” Mahira continues thoughtfully. “We’ve been talking about this for a while. Whether it’s comedy or action or drama — when it’s a romantic drama, it’s still easier. You kind of have a pulse on it. But romantic comedy? You just don’t know. Especially in this time and age.”

‘GOOD ROMANCE WORKS’

She takes the example of the regency era Netflix hit, Bridgerton.

“When you have a good romance, it works. Look at Bridgerton and all those shows which are around romance. They work.”

And that’s exactly what they’re banking on. Both actors wear their hearts on their sleeves when the conversation turns to love — its beauty, its chaos, and its cost.