Mahira wasn't first choice for '7 Din Mohabbat In', reveals writer

Writer Fasih Bari Khan feels that Sajal Aly would have been a better fit for the role

Fasih Bari Khan, the writer of the Mahira Khan, Sheheryar Munawar-starrer 7 Din Mohabbat In, recently revealed during an interview that he was unhappy with the casting choices, as well as with the strict editing the script had gone through.

With television credits such as comedy show Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewa to his name, the writer was, at first, reluctant to speak about his experience writing for films. On the topic of 7 Din Mohabbat In, Khan shared, “I accept my own mistakes. I didn’t understand what it’s like to write a film for mainstream cinema, because when I worked in television, I did whatever I wanted." 

The playwright went on to explain that there was a disconnect between him and the team working on the film, with class having a large role to play in the edits that were made to the original script. He revealed, “I am a very desi person, and they were all burgers. They’d read my script and say ‘oh no, this has a very low standard’.”

Sharing that the cast, which included Mahira and Sheheryar in the lead roles, was not what he had in mind while penning the script. “I wanted to cast Sajal as the female lead. They chose Mahira Khan, even though I felt that, although Mahira is a good artist, the character wasn’t for her to do. I wanted to cast a man like Mohib as the male lead,” said Khan.

Speaking about how his signature humour was edited out, the writer added, “My humour is what I’m known for, and when that is edited out of the script and people take over in such a way, it was such a horrible experience for me that I told myself that the next time I do a film, I’d go for something low-budget. I was paid very well for this film, but I want to be able to execute my own vision, even if I don’t get paid for it.”

Khan also threw shade at Munawar, agreeing with the host when the latter commented on how the male lead’s performance was a bit over the top. The writer responded to the comment with, “He was trying to be like Hrithik [Roshan].”

Generally known for his realism, the writer asserted that he didn’t feel like there was anything wrong with writing fantasy, which is the genre that 7 Din Mohabbat In falls into. However, he believes it needs to be executed in the right manner. “There’s nothing wrong with writing fantasy, it really comes down to how you make the film. They got rid of all my original ideas and creativity. They even changed the style of dialogues. People told me it didn’t feel like it’s my comedy,” he elaborated.

Highlighting the class element, he added, “They think the ‘desi-ness’ isn’t okay. They wanted it to be ‘classy’. They had an issue with everything I wrote, even the songs.”