Fawad Khan can be dubbed as one of the biggest stars in Pakistan. Starting his career with music and sitcom, Fawad Khan rose to fame with the chocolate boy love stories and he never looked back. He has a very interesting filmography and he has largely picked up very good roles in his Pakistani projects. Fawad Khan is also known for great pairings with his on-screen starlets and he has famous pairings with Mahira Khan, Sanam Saeed and Sanam Baloch. The actor later on pursued a career in Bollywood and that is where he has largely preferred working after his debut Bollywood film Khoobsurat. The star’s trajectory has gone a bit downhill considering the status he holds in the industry and the power he possesses. Let us have a look at how Fawad Khan has gone from a superstar everyone was dying to watch on screens to someone who is there and does not respect his fans enough.
Entity Paradigm & Jutt And Bond – The Debut
Fawad Khan is among the OG artists who started off with music and later shifted to acting. His acting skills combined with his classic good looks gave him an edge. He started his career as a young lad with the sitcom Jutt And Bond where he played Bond while Ahmed Ali Butt played Jutt. The sitcom is considered a classic and introduced two big names of today into the industry.
His music journey is also a part of history as his band Entity Paradigm ended up giving some big stars as well as big hits like Inteha and Humesha to Pakistan.
Successful Film & Drama Debut
Fawad Khan was selected by the maestro Shoaib Mansoor for his film Khuda Ke Liye. He shocked everyone by how good he was in a very grey character and the film went to perform well at the box office. Fawad Khan worked with names like Shaan Shahid, Naseer ud Din Shah and Iman Aly in the film.
He later on shifted towards dramas and did shows like Dastaan and Akbari Asghari. Fawad Khan has not worked a lot on television but he always picked up quality scripts that stood the test of time. Dastaan is one such drama where the actor showed how great he is in a given character. Hassan stands as one of the best works of his career.
Humsafar & Zindagi Gulzar Hai – The Meteoric Rise To Fame
Humsafar is the show that made Fawad Khan the star that he is today. It was an overnight success and a show that brought back the lost spirit of Pakistani dramas. Humsafar was translated in several languages and aired in different countries. Fawad Khan as Ashar Hussain became a heartthrob that many people still love today. Humsafar’s success became the basic foundation of Fawad Khan’s eventual super-stardom.
Fawad went on to star in Zindagi Gulzar Hai as Zaroon Junaid and the drama made him a star in India as well. His charming personality on and off the screen was loved by the Indian audience and the show’s success in India brought him his Bollywood debut offer.
Fawad Khan’s Bollywood Debut
Fawad Khan is among the very few stars who were able to leave a mark in Bollywood. He made his debut opposite Sonam Kapoor in the film Khoobsurat and the film was a big hit. Fawad once again became a sensation in India with millions falling in love with his looks, talent and charm. Fawad Khan also starred in several other films and he was supported by Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions which is a big deal for any artist working in India.
Gay Character In Kapoor & Sons
Fawad Khan played Rahul Kapoor in the Bollywood family drama Kapoor & Sons. This was a Dharma Productions film and Fawad Khan shocked everyone as he played a gay character. The character was rejected by many Bollywood actors before Fawad said Yes to it. He got a lot of critical acclaim for his role in India but Pakistani fans were unhappy about this choice. Fawad Khan, however, escaped harsh criticism which any other male star may have gotten in Pakistan and female stars get criticized for far less controversial choices. This was Fawad Khan’s opinion on playing a gay character in the film:
Harsh Insult By India
Fawad Khan was becoming a big name in India while his Humsafar co-star Mahira Khan also did a film with Shahrukh Khan when they were banned from working in Bollywood due to an attack in India. As usual India pointed towards Pakistan and the artists working in India were automatically stopped from working there. Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan were particularly insulted by the Indian media and many fake news of their deportations were held while the extremist political parties were also headbanging against Fawad Khan. This is how Pakistani stars were insulted:
Post Bollywood Journey And Lack Of Interest In Pakistani Content
After returning to Pakistan, Fawad Khan has done just one big project, The Legend of Maula Jatt and that is also a multi-starrer magnum opus with many other big stars in the cast. Fawad Khan did great as Maula Jatt and the film is a testament to his talent. Fawad Khan fans wanted to see him back on screen but he was not really interested. He appeared in advertisements as well as did cameos mostly but did not sign any Pakistani drama.
Barzakh & Not Respecting His Pakistani Fans
Fawad Khan just got into a huge controversy with his drama comeback in Barzakh. Barzakh was made by a Pakistani team but it was helmed by an Indian platform Zee5 where we have seen many other series as well which were largely good. Barzakh however, got into controversy for queer themes, bold scenes and children speaking some inappropriate dialogues. People in Pakistan were disappointed in Pakistani stars for signing up for such a controversial project and promoting values that are considered inappropriate in Pakistan.
Giving Importance To Indian Projects More Than Pakistan
Fawad Khan is once again rumoured to be working with Vaani Kapoor in an Indian film that will be shot in London. He is also working on another web series for an Indian platform. The star is as usual far more interested in working for India. His Pakistani film Neelofar has been hanging for release for ages now and fans are tired of waiting. His Pakistani series Jo Bachay Hain Samait Lo is a Netflix project by Momina Duraid and that is again another huge multi-starrer with not just Fawad as the main attraction.
Disappointment Of Fans & Some Other Stars Fawad Should Look At
Fawad Khan is clearly not interested in working for his Pakistani masses audience. However, notably all the best work Fawad has done is Pakistani including Khuda Ke Liye, Zindagi Gulzar Hai and The Legend of Maula Jatt. His Indian projects have brought him more exposure for sure but they did not do much for his career otherwise. His work in Ms Marvel was also because of his Pakistani work, just like his co-star Mehwish Hayat. Fawad is a big star but he needs to start looking inwards and make projects that common Pakistanis will watch who made him a star and not just Barzakhs which are not just controversial but made for a very limited audience.
As for international work, Humayun Saeed, Mehwish Hayat, Saba Qamar, Mahira Khan and Sajal Aly have all done projects internationally and they have still managed to work in Pakistan and in some really good dramas and films. Disregarding your own fans and aiming only for a specific country’s approval and audience is not the approach a star like Fawad should be taking. Making more Maula Jatts and even Khuda Ke Liyes should be the star’s goal.
What do you think about Fawad Khan appearing in some controversial roles that are doing nothing for his career and disregarding his massive following in his home country? Do you think he should have gotten some inspiration from Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed who have successfully balanced their national and international work? Share in comments!
