'She was meant to fly': Hareem Farooq on launching Hania Aamir with 'Janaan'

Says she recognised her potential early on, sees producing as a way to support Pakistani cinema and emerging talent

Actor and producer Hareem Farooq has reaffirmed her role in introducing Hania Aamir to the big screen through the 2016 romantic comedy Janaan, saying the actor was destined for success and that she had simply recognised her potential early on.

Speaking in an interview about her upcoming film Mango Jutt, co-starring Faysal Quraishi, Farooq spoke about her love for film production and her decision to give Aamir an early opportunity in the industry.

“Yes, I did launch her,” Farooq said, reflecting on Aamir’s entry into Pakistani cinema. “Let’s just say she was meant to be. She was meant to fly. I just caught her early. It’s just like that,” she added, describing her role in recognising Aamir’s potential.

Released in 2016, Janaan marked Farooq’s debut as a film producer. The romantic comedy introduced audiences to several performers who would go on to establish themselves in Pakistani entertainment, including Aamir, Bilal Ashraf and Ali Rehman Khan.

For Farooq, the project was not simply an entry into film production; it was also an opportunity to create space for emerging talent.

She joked that her work behind the scenes was often overlooked, despite her experience in theatre production.

“I was telling someone the other day that whenever I do a production, someone always comes up to me and asks if it is my first time producing. But when I went into theatre production, everyone knew of my work,” she said.

 

 

 

 

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Farooq said she was drawn to production because it gave her the opportunity to contribute to Pakistani cinema beyond her own performances.

“But I love to do production. I like to do stories that can contribute to Pakistani cinema and make a difference. If I can contribute to our country, then why not, even if it is a slight challenge,” she said.

Her approach reflects a broader ambition to support local filmmaking by backing stories that resonate with audiences while creating opportunities for new performers. With Janaan, Farooq largely remained behind the scenes, allowing emerging actors to take the spotlight.

In a 2024 interview with The Express Tribune, Farooq also spoke about the satisfaction she derived from playing a role in Aamir’s career, describing production as a way of giving back to an industry that had given her opportunities of her own.

Aamir, who first gained attention through social media videos, went on to build a career across television and film. Her subsequent projects helped establish her as one of Pakistan’s prominent young performers, giving Janaan a lasting place in discussions about the industry’s introduction of new talent.

Farooq’s comments about introducing Aamir therefore speak to more than the discovery of a future star. They underline her view that producing involves recognising talent, taking chances on new performers and investing in stories that can contribute to the growth of Pakistani cinema.

For Aamir, Janaan marked the beginning of a screen career that would grow considerably in the years that followed. For Farooq, it was the first step in a parallel journey as a producer, in which creating opportunities for others has remained an important part of her vision.