In conversation with the cast of Parey Hut Love

Eid-ul-Azha is almost a month away and three anticipated films - Superstar, Heer Maan Ja and Parey Hut Love - are scheduled to hit cinemas in August 2019. It was reported earlier that Khalil Ur Rehman Qamar’s directorial debut Kaaf Kangana would also release on Eid. However, recent reports suggest that the film’s release has been delayed.

While we eagerly await the release of all three films, the cast of the all-star Parey Hut Love (PHL) is busy promoting the film.

Instep met a few of them – Maya Ali, Sheheryar Munawar, Zara Noor Abbas and Shahbaz Shigri – at a recent meet and greet as part of the promotional spell in Karachi.

Asim Raza’s second outing Parey Hut Love, which, according to him, is a “romantic coming-of-age comedy” is written by Imran Aslam. The trailer came out last month and by the looks of it, the upcoming film is going to be grand.

“Though Asim works in advertising, he never overpromises and always says sell only 50 per cent to the client but deliver 150 per cent. So yes Parey Hut Love is going to be really grand,” Sheheryar Munawar explained during the interview.

Along with acting in the film, Sheheryar is co-producing it as well. Talking about how challenging it is to act and co-produce at the same time, the actor shared, “This is my second movie with Asim Raza – first was Ho Mann Jahan (HMJ)– which I am producing and acting in so now I am a bit experienced. When I started with HMJ, it was a bit of a surprise but I think when you are in front of the camera, then it is a vacation and I just chill out because I believe that all the hard work happens behind the camera. And that is how I have been managing it.”

Ho Mann Jahan was a youth orientated film and PHL is a romantic comedy, how different are both the films, we posed to the cast.

Sheheryar responded, “Honestly, this is also a youth oriented film but genres are definitely different. That was a romantic drama and this is a light romance with hints of drama in it. This has been mounted in a specific way; it has been mounted as an Eid release to entertain the audiences.”

When asked about the character he played in PHL, Sheheryar revealed that he plays the character of “a young boy who is a little dil phaink. In Ho Mann Jahan I was an angry young man with an aggressive approach towards the world. But in PHL my character is a bit docile, a softer guy who is not a player per say and after meeting Sania (Maya Ali) he falls heads over heel for her. My character has a process of self-discovery and growth. It is a coming-of-age film so he has to do a lot to understand the value of love and embrace it.”

Maya Ali told Instep that her character is of a strong and mature girl called Sania. “What I love about Sania was that she is bold and takes her own decisions. She knows what is good for her and what is bad; she knows her family values,” she said, adding that her character Aanya in Teefa In Trouble was also progressive but Aanya was stubborn while in Parey Hut Love, Sania is very sorted and knows how to tackle her relationships.”

Speaking about her character Shabbo in the film, Zara Noor Abbas explained that her character is that of a “very quirky girl. She is from a small town and is obsessed with Lollywood films. She is Punjabi but tries hard to fit in the culture of Karachi and be all cool. When she is very excited, she goes back to her Punjabi roots.”

According to the actress, what she really liked about Shabbo is that whenever she is happy or sad, her guard goes down. “There was so much I could do and the versatility is what I really liked about Shabbo.”

When asked how different her character is from the one in Chhalawa, Zara said, “Shabbo will go out of the way to do anything for her loved ones, while Haya is the opposite. Though Chhalawa released first, Parey Hut Love is my first film and I think I’m in my rawest form in it.”

She furthered, “Working with Asim Raza and a team like this is always a win-win. I feel that you have to become a part of some films even if there is only one scene and for me PHL is that film.”

Shahbaz Shigri, who plays the character of Hassan and fiancé to Sania in the upcoming film, is also co-producing PHL. Talking about his character, he shared that Hassan is a gentle hearted and well-mannered guy. His parents have passed away and he is completely self-made. He lives in Turkey and is an investment banker there. He is all about commitment and in fact he is kind of opposite to Sheheryar’s character.”

In the end we asked, what made Parey Hut Love stand out from the rest of the films releasing on Eid?

Said Shahbaz Shigri, co-producer and cast member: “Because it is the perfect film to watch during Eid with your family. There is everything in it. There is romance, there is comedy, there is drama and there is beauty. I think the production value of this film is unparalleled to Pakistani cinema. PHL explores all the feelings you feel through the journey of love.”

Moreover, Sheheryar Munawar noted, “We announced 14 months back that our film comes out on Eid. Though, it is wonderful for the audience that they have so many choices, I think that the genre makes all the difference as the audiences don’t want to see an action or ronay dhonay wali film.”

“We have a very strong cast; the director is great, the writer is dynamic and the hero is amazing,” said Maya Ali, on a parting note, before adding, “I think we have everything that a film should have. And when our audience purchases a ticket, they want to watch something that is entertaining and you will find every emotion in our film.”

Besides Maya, Sheheryar, Zara and Shahbaz, the film features veterans Nadeem Baig and Hina Dilpazeer as well as Ahmed Ali Butt, Rachel Viccaji, Frieha Altaf, Faheem Azam, Yousaf Bashir Qureshi, Jimmy Khan and Parisheh James, among others. The film also stars the Humsafar duo, Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan, in special appearances along with cameos by Meera Jee, Sonya Jehan and Cybil Chaudhry.