10 years ago, Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed starrer ‘Bin Roye’ marked the first romantic drama film from the new age Pakistani cinema. Despite its incoherent screenplay and technical shortcomings, it gained success, largely due to the sparkling chemistry between Mahira and Humayun, and fleeting glimpses of romance amidst an otherwise tragic story.
Ten years later, Mahira and Humayun reunite—this time in a film that stands as arguably the finest romantic comedy to come out of Pakistan in the past decade. Both make the most of it, showcasing not only their cinematic charisma but also the full potential of their on-screen chemistry.
The story of ‘Love Guru’ is not something we haven’t seen before. Sofia (Mahira Khan) is engaged to Ahmed (kept secret through the major part of the first half), a match her father (Javed Sheikh) strongly opposes. She is set to marry him in London within two weeks and her father hires and sends Adil (Humayun Saeed)—a smooth-talking con man—to change Sofia’s mind. Adil inserts himself into Sofia’s life posing as a wealthy business tycoon, hoping to sway her away from the wedding. In the process, of course, love blossoms between the two.
While the story lacks novelty, it’s the execution that sets ‘Love Guru’ apart. Vasay Chaudhry’s screenplay is watertight and smooth, his dialogues are crisp and contemporary yet laced with an old-school charm with references to Munir Niazi and John Elia’s poetry, serving as icing on the cake. Though a few scenes occasionally drag, the dialogues, however, are consistently engaging and keep the film afloat.
‘Love Guru’ belongs to Mahira Khan. Her presence is magnetic, her styling is flawless and her restrained performance in emotional scenes is applaud-worthy. She effortlessly owns the screen with her charm, reminding audiences why she remains the undisputed queen of Pakistani cinema.
Humayun Saeed, meanwhile, proves that he’s aging like fine wine. He looks dashing and slips into the character with ease. He’s surely not the best dancer we have but he more than makes up for it with his expressions, charisma and screen presence. His chemistry with Mahira made every shared scene a treat to watch.
The film also boasts some of the most visually stunning song sequences in recent memory. While Aima Baig’s song featuring Ramsha Khan doesn’t add much value, the heartbreak song— ‘Toot Gaya’ by Yashal Shahid, Farhan Saeed, Zain, and Zohaib— stands out as the film’s musical highlight.
Director Nadeem Baig deserves full credit for crafting a theatrical rom-com in the post Covid-19 era, at a time when the genre has been largely confined to OTT platforms. His direction brings depth and richness to an otherwise simple and familiar storyline. Both Nadeem and Humayun— the director-producer duo—deserve every bit of applause for reviving the commercial rom-com genre in Pakistan, especially when most stakeholders had seemingly given up on it.
All in all, ‘Love Guru’ may not offer anything new, but it delivers an entertaining ride—something that’s essential for any Eid release. It’s a simple, clichéd story executed effectively, keeping you engaged and entertained right until the final frame. If you haven’t seen it yet, it’s worth the watch.
