Usman Mukhtar reflects on fantasy film 'Umro Ayyar'

Actor says that he loves comic books and action figures

Usman Mukhtar, star of Umro Ayyar: A New Beginning, spent the closing moments of 2024 in conversation with CNN as he spoke about his experience working on the film, as well as what lies ahead for him in 2025.

"It was a very big year for me," began Usman in the interview, a video of which he has also shared on his Instagram handle. "I've been a big superhero fan, and getting an opportunity to play Umro Ayyar was a big honour for me."

With Umro Ayyar: A New Beginning having been billed as Pakistan's first superhero fantasy film, Usman described the awe he felt at seeing the production in the cinema for the first time.

"It was a movie that took four years in the making and was finally released last year – we were blown by what we saw on the big screen," he said. "We hadn't seen the movie prior to its release, so all of us actors saw it for the first time in the cinema at the same time."

A self-professed fan of comic book heroes, Usman added that there is a wealth of material from Pakistani literature and folklore that can be transformed into films, noting that audiences are ready for something "different" coming out of Pakistan, particularly for "young kids".

"I grew up reading comic books," explained Usman. Noting that he wanted to continue his legacy for his children, he added, "I'm a huge DC and Superman fan. I grew up collecting comic books and action figures and film memorabilia and it's something that interests me a lot, and I want my children to watch a lot of my stuff that their dad did."

As for what lies ahead, Usman shared that he is involved in the upcoming web series based on the life of Fatima Jinnah, in which he will play Allama Iqbal. "I'm hoping that people will like it!" he concluded.