ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAM
The Avengers have become such a seminal part of global cinema and pop culture that we were compelled to come up with a local cast for the franchise. And a little morphing here and there really helped our cause.
We know you will hate us for even coming up with this idea but great things come to those who wait. So scroll down and see why we have chosen this particular cast and smash your screens later... or perhaps just after finding out who plays Tony Stark and Hulk. Happy fasting!
Mohib Mirza as Falcon
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMHe is the lighter, more contemporary and slightly more humorous version of Captain America. Although initially little more than a sidekick, following Endgame he is primed to pick up Captain America’s mantle as well.
Although Mohib has been a touch unlucky with his films, he has the physicality and the presence to not only not overshadow whoever plays Captain America but to fill in those shoes in his own manner, if required.
Mahira Khan as Scarlet Witch
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMWith looks that belie her age, Mahira would be believable as a more inexperienced member of the Avengers.
At the same time she has proven to have the acting chops that could in theory help her pull off the unstable aspects of Wanda’s personality.
Danish Taimoor as Star Lord
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMStar Lord comes off as goofy at first but he has a very first tragic backstory. You need someone who can not only act funny but also convey the sensitive side that Star Lord attempts to hide behind his goofiness and cockiness.
Danish Taimoor may not be the best in the business but he has the potential to explore such an emotional range.
Hameed Sheikh as Nick Fury
While Hameed Sheikh's darker roles have been more in the limelight recently, the actor has a lighter side to his personality as well. Nick Fury is a top notch spy, who has the ability to lead a mission in spite of his obvious handicaps in front of the gifted Avengers.
Sheikh's role from Operation 021 comes closest to Fury and trust us, while there aren’t many physical similarities with Samuel L Jackson (who the world identifies as Fury), Sheikh can embrace that no nonsense attitude that can make it happen.
Sarmad Khoosat as Loki
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMLoki is perhaps the most crucial character in selling us the idea of the MCU by providing its very first compelling and relatable villain.
Suave and sophisticated on the surface but deeply ridden with insecurity and selfishness, for a Norse god he proved to be a surprisingly human villain. Known to play challenging, complex roles, Khoosat has the depth and the charm to pull off the Norse trickster.
Shaan as Hawk Eye
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMIn the MCU, Hawk Eye appears as a veteran character who realises he is out of his depth in this brave new world of superheroes. All he wants is to retire to his farm, spend time with his family and leave the adventures to those with superpowers.
Yet his strong sense of responsibility compels him time and again to come back to the Avengers, and his wisdom and maturity allows him to act as a mentor to the team’s younger members. This guy’s tailor made to be played by Shaan who wouldn’t really require a method to pull this off.
Aamina Sheikh as Gamora
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMGamora is complex in that she was raised by Thanos as the ultimate warrior, giving her serious daddy issues. She is another sensitive soul forced to hide her vulnerable emotional side.
You need an actor who has the ability to portray the conflict between outer strength and inner vulnerability. Someone as dynamic as Aamina Sheikh could be a perfect fit for the green Guardian of the Galaxy.
Gohar Rasheed as Winter Soldier
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMWinter Soldier is a dark mirror to Captain America showing the latter what he could have become in the wrong hands. Although he grew up with Captain America sharing the same values, he was brainwashed into becoming the ultimate assassin, who betrays no emotion. He is rescued by Captain America and then put on a path to redemption.
You need someone with the capacity to accommodate a clean, good guy image and a cold, almost mechanical killer, and Rasheed has the acting chops to portray both of these as two sides of the same coin.
Ally Khan as Dr Strange
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMDr Strange like Tony Stark is another arrogant character but he is a different kind of arrogant. Unlike Tony, Dr Strange has a more restrained arrogance. He is more clinical with his jibes, just like the meticulous and controlled performances of Ally Khan.
Ant man and the Wasp: Osman Khalid Butt and Sanam Saeed
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMThe fish out of the water for the Avengers: Ant man is best summed up as yet another goof, deeply out of his depth when it comes to superheroes. Anyone who has to pull off that character needs to have impeccable comic timing and an every man quality. Who better to play such an animated outcast then YouTuber-turned-superstar Osman Khalid Butt.
Wasp is the straight man (woman) to the goofy Ant man, Wasp is a highly competent individual fueled by pure ambition. Saeed has played various characters embodying the kind of relentless drive Wasp has and if she is in theory, able to pull of fight scenes, there couldn’t be a better fit.
Iqra Aziz as Captain Marvel
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMDespite the obvious traits of bravery and uprightness associated with Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers is essentially a hotshot fighter pilot. Think Maverick from Top Gun only female.
What you really need here is someone who can sport that tomboy badass attitude and top it with a smile that can make heads turn. Please make way for the very talented Iqra Aziz. Also, we have a feeling she’ll look great in a pixie cut!
Nayyar Ejaz as Thanos
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMNot only because he is the perfect bad guy of Pakistani cinema but also because his voice is his biggest tool. There couldn’t be a better Thanos than the superbly talented and seasoned, Nayyar Ejaz. Just imagine hearing something like, “You should have gone for the head,” in that baritone. You wouldn’t need the world to be snapped after that.
Shehroz Subzwari as Spiderman
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMIf he could act an ounce, the perennial baby face would be the best fit since we don't really have teen actors.
Mahnoor Baloch as Pepper Potts
She may not be the best actor of the bunch but then Pepper Potts is not a central character either. For the role you need someone who can appear fresh-faced and at the same time, mature. Visually at least, Mahnoor Baloch could pull that off.
Saba Qamar as Black Widow
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMPerhaps no other actor possesses the emotional range to pull off the guilt-ridden spy on a path to redemption that Black Widow better than the immensely talented Saba Qamar.
She has the range and method of a seasoned performer and the looks of a suave agent. We can’t think of a better fit for Natasha Romanoff!
Ahsan Khan as Hulk
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMFor Bruce Banner, the type that you are looking for is a reluctant genius who has a very a strong sensitive side. That is why his deep seeded issues provoke him to anger and turn him into the Hulk.
Ahsan Khan’s calm-on-the-surface aura and rather soft tone make him an ideal fit for Bruce Banner. Couple that with his loud, aggressive roles such as Imtiaz in Udaari and you’ll get an ideal recipe for Hulk. Like Bruce, you won’t like him when he’s angry.
Humayun Saeed as Iron Man
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMAs much as people will hate this choice, one needs to realise what Stan Lee said about Tony Stark. He wrote the multi-billionaire genius and playboy as a character you shouldn’t like but still somehow end up rooting for.
Stark is a cocky, over-confident genius, that believes in no one else but himself and through his story arc, is humbled by upon setback by setback. Saeed may not have that perfect corporate cool look and personality but that’s the closest you could get to justifying Stark’s character as a whole.
Fawad Khan as Captain America
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMNot only because he is the only surviving chocolate hero.
There are two layers to Steve Rogers. To the world he is supposed to be the embodiment of all things that are supposed to make a nation great. On a more personal level, he is an everyman with a strong moral compass who just happens to be a super soldier.
Despite his good looks, perfect physique and larger than life screen presence, Khan has proved his ability to pull of characters that seem approachable and grounded in real life. He is also perhaps the only star in Pakistan who can go head to head in sharing screen space with Humayun Saeed.
Hamza Ali Abbasi as Thor
ILLUSTRATION BY MOHSIN ALAMWe know you hate us to death by now but forget his tweets for a moment... or perhaps don’t.
Thor like Abbasi, is someone who has his heart in the right place but does not always go about accomplishing what he intends to achieve in the most productive manner. Acting more on emotion rather than reason, his best laid plans often backfire.
As an actor, Hamza has the intensity to embody Thor’s restrained rage. His comic roles also prove he can embrace Thor’s lighter and funnier side as well. We know women will despise us for replacing the chronic heartthrob Chris Hemsworth with Abbasi but we can’t do any better…as an industry.
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