'Parey Hut Love' is going to be a big, fat, Pakistani wedding!

‘The Express Tribune’ brings you all there is to know about Sheheryar Munawwar and Maya Ali’s upcoming project

KARACHI: After being under scrutiny for over a year, Asim Raza’s Parey Hut Love (PHl) is all set to release this Eidul Azha. But, before that, The Express Tribune caught up with the film’s star-studded cast and crew to find out all there is to know.

“PHL is inspired by the popular 1994 British classic Four Weddings and a Funeral,” writer Imran Ashraf told The Express Tribune.

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“It is going to be a big, fat, Pakistani wedding,” he added.

The film boasts of an ensemble cast led by Sheheryar Munawar Siddiqui and Teefa in Trouble starlet Maya Ali. In fact, the former has previously worked in Raza’s Ho Mann Jahaan (HMJ) and served as a co-producer for PHL.

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When asked how his characters in both films differ from one another, Munawar said, “I play my namesake character Sheheryar in PHL who is completely different to Arhan from HMJ. We have worked on my look for this character. I have gained a lot of weight for this role. As an actor-turned-producer, I am too involved in everything but let us see how viewers take it.”

For Maya, the one thing Anya from Teefa in Trouble has in common with PHL’s Saniya is their independent natures.

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"I am fortunate to have been offered another head-strong female lead in my second film," she said.

"Saniya is bold and takes her own decisions. She respects her family values and can well differentiate between right and wrong," Maya told The Express Tribune.

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Also present was Zara Noor Abbas Siddiqui, who was last seen in Chhalawa. Zara essays “the loud and proud Punjabi kuri” Shabbo in PHL.

"I actually have a lot of reservations when it comes to taking up films,” she admitted.

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“Initially, I was not going to play Shabbo in the film but after a long discussion with Asim, we agreed that I should play this character."

When asked if she ever feels pressured, coming from a family of stars like Bushra Ansari and Asma Abbas, Zara replied in the negative.

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"Not at all! I am actually proud of the fact that I have a background that is an acting school in itself and if anything, there is only endless love and support from them,” she said.

As for the film’s music, composer Azaan Sami Khan promises that it is got something for everyone.

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“There is a rap song, a romantic song, a wedding song and a qawwali as well,” he revealed.

Captain of the ship, Raza is in for his second innings at the box office with PHL. He called it an “old-school, soulful, romance drama” with a little bit of everything to make it a compelling mainstream watch.

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“I wanted to do so without cheating the audiences and portraying an Asian family that they might not be able to resonate with,” he clarified.

PHL also features veterans like Nadeem Baig and Hina Dilpazeer, alongside Ahmed Ali Butt, Rachel Viccaji, Frieha Altaf, Faheem Azam and Yousaf Bashir Qureshi, amongst others. Oh, and it has got special appearances by Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, Meera, Sonya Jehan and Cybil Chaudhry. What more would one want?

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