Pakistani stars of Love Guru, Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed, on filming in the UAE

Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed are reuniting for the first time in a decade with the romantic comedy Love Guru, a Pakistani film released in time for Eid Al Adha.

The pair, who last starred together in the 2015 romantic drama Bin Roye, were recently in Dubai to promote the family entertainer. They had earlier shot the song Aa Tenu in the emirate, featuring several locations including the Palm Jumeirah.

“The UAE feels like home,” Khan tells The National. “It's a melting pot of so many cultures, and it never feels like I've left home. What is amazing and beautiful about the UAE is that it is a common ground for so many people. Nationality and stuff like that gets left behind, and I love that it is so safe for women.”

Directed by Nadeem Baig, Love Guru is named after Saeed's character, a Casanova and “professional break-up artist”, who falls head over heels for architect Sophia, Khan's character.

Saeed, who is also a producer on the 280 million Pakistan rupee (Dh3.66 million) film, is counting on Khan and his popularity to turn the film into a success.

“I want people to like the film. If that happens, you recover,” he says candidly. “When I made Main Hoon Shahid Afridi [a film he starred in and produced in 2013], I learnt a lot about failure. But my subsequent successful films Jawani Phir Nahi Ani and Punjab Nahi Jaungi helped me gain confidence. I just pray everything goes well, and it usually does. Inshallah, this will work, too.”

A major star in Pakistan, Saeed was also in the fifth season of the critically acclaimed Netflix series The Crown, in which he played Dr Hasnat Khan, a surgeon who had a relationship with Princess Diana.

Saeed starred in The Crown as Princess Diana's love interest. Photo: Parallel Lines Media

Both he and Khan share a passion for their work. “I love doing what I do. Even if it's one project a year, I have to keep working,” Khan says.

One of the most influential stars in Pakistan, Khan is often in the spotlight for her vocal stance on several hot topic issues.

She was the first major star to publicly call out Pakistani screenwriter Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar for verbally abusing a female journalist during a televised debate in 2020. Qamar, who was widely criticised for his comments, responded by saying he committed a “sin” by working with Khan.

The incident was recently revived during the promotional tour for Love Guru. Comments by Khan saying she could have handled the situation better and more privately have led to her being accused of backtracking.

“I was scared to open my social media today. My manager told me: 'You speak and say things from the heart and you expect people to take it in the same vein. You also expect everyone to understand the nuance of what you've said,'” Khan says.

Khan admires the integrative culture of the UAE. Photo: Parallel Lines Media

“So I either go completely silent for a while or I step up. And when I choose to be vocal, there will always be these kinds of reactions, like 'I can't believe she said this' or 'Did she just say we should do this or that?'.

“Whatever it is, I will stand by what I'm saying. Because for now, this is what I feel.”

Love Guru is being released in the UAE on June 6

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Three ways to limit your social media use

Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.

1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.

2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.

3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

Wonka

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COMPANY PROFILE

Name: ARDH Collective

Based: Dubai

Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi

Sector: Sustainability

Total funding: Self funded

Number of employees: 4

ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand

UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final

If you go...

Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.

Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50