Geo Digital

his Eid promises a thrilling cinematic adventure for cinema enthusiasts, especially children, with the debut of Pakistan’s latest superhero film. The highly anticipated movie, Umro Ayyar, is set to whisk audiences away to a magical world. Usman Mukhtar, renowned for his roles in Sinf-e-Ahan and Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay, leads the cast as the titular character.

In an exclusive chat with Geo Digital, Mukhtar recounted his initial experience with this out-of-the-box project that first began in 2020. “Being a part of Umro Ayyar is a true privilege,” he shared enthusiastically. “It all started in 2020 when I first heard the concept, and I was immediately sold. However, my next thought was about how we would execute it. We ventured into the international market, making Umro Ayyar the first Pakistani film to participate in the WonderCon Film Festival. We also hired the top stunt team from Game of Thrones. I’m thrilled to take on the role of a Pakistani superhero this time,” Mukhtar said.

From bedtime stories to becoming the hero

Vivid imaginations fueled by bedtime stories are a hallmark of childhood. Usman Mukhtar never imagined he would play the lead character from his favorite fictional tale. “I remember visiting a bookstore on Mall Road in Lahore with my mother. I would pick out my favorite books, and one of them was the comic book of Umro Ayyar. I never imagined that one day I would be a part of it,” Usman reminisced.

“It all started in 2020 when I first heard the concept, and I was immediately sold. However, my next thought was about how we would execute it. We ventured into the international market, making Umro Ayyar the first Pakistani film to participate in the WonderCon Film Festival. We also hired the top stunt team from Game of Thrones. I’m thrilled to take on the role of a Pakistani superhero this time.” – Usman Mukhtar

Discussing the challenges of bringing Umro Ayyar to life, Mukhtar shared some insights: “Bridging the gap between generations proved challenging. The new generation isn’t familiar with our classic fictional tales like Umro Ayyar, Dastan-e-Ameer Hamza, Tilism-e-Hoshruba, Inspector Jamshed, and others. Director Azfar Jafri cleverly incorporated elements to captivate the audience. You’ll see (Umro) Amar’s Zambeel (magical bag), his enemies and friends, and his powers in the movie with a unique perspective.”

“Modern kids have different entertainment preferences. Even in my own family, they don’t watch dramas; there isn’t considerable proper entertainment that caters to them. I couldn’t take my nephews and nieces to watch Chikkar because it wasn’t a child-friendly film. But this time, I’m excited because I can take them to see a superhero film they can enjoy,” Usman shared with a smile.

Single Portrait

Usman Mukhtar likes to keep his audience guessing. From films to television, you can never predict what he will do next, but what we can predict is that whether in film or TV, he will do his best to bring any character to life, almost as if it isn’t a character but a person that exists in real life.

Working alongside
acclaimed Hollywood actor Farhan Tahir

The Chikkar star also shared his experience of working with Hollywood actor Farhan Tahir, who has significant international exposure and plays the role of Laqqa in Umro Ayyar.

“Honestly, playing a hero alongside such a renowned actor made me excited and nervous. In some scenes where I had to hit Farhan bhai, I was really hesitant.

I told him, ‘I can’t hit you,’ but he was incredibly professional and supportive throughout the shoot. He reassured me, ‘Don’t think like that, just hit me. Do your job.’ He’s truly a great artist,” Usman recalled. When asked if playing Amar would change his image for audiences, Usman chuckled. “The audience might be surprised by my next choice,” he replied with a hint of intrigue.

The trailer for Umro Ayyar has already generated significant excitement among audiences due to its impressive VFX, sound design, action sequences, and star-studded cast, including Farhan Tahir, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Sanam Saeed, Adnan Siddiqui, Sana Nawaz, and Manzar Sehbai. Don’t miss Umro Ayyar this Eid – a thrilling adventure that is meant to be an entertainer for the whole family!