ISLAMABAD: Pakistani actor Fawad Khan once again managed to bring together fans from both India and Pakistan earlier this week when he debuted in the fifth episode of the Disney+ show, Ms. Marvel.
The Pakistani heartthrob, known for his boyish looks and charming on-screen presence, made it big in Pakistan as part of the rock music group Entity Paradigm (EP) and a renowned TV actor, before starring in a couple of Bollywood movies to become a South Asian acting sensation.
On July 6, Disney+ aired the fifth episode of Ms. Marvel, an American TV miniseries, which chronicles the life of a Pakistani-American girl named Kamala. The role is essayed by Iman Vellani, a Canadian actress of Pakistani origin. The show features a lot of Pakistani actors, including A-list Pakistani actors Nimra Bucha, Samina Ahmed and Mehwish Hayat.
Khan, who starred in a few prolific Bollywood films before tensions between India and Pakistan barred Pakistani actors from working in Indian film industry, once again managed to win over fans on both sides of the border with his Marvel debut.
“If Fawad Khan looked at me like this I would spontaneously combust,” one fan wrote on Twitter.
“Wait, first Farhan Akhtar and now Fawad Khan are both in #MissMarvel,” journalist Mehdi Hasan tweeted.
“Hellloooo Fawad Khan,” wrote journalist Jasmine Amjad, a senior producer at NowThis News.
Shilpa Kannan, the editorial lead for India’s content on Twitter, noticed how India and Pakistan always managed to look past their differences, whenever it came to Khan.
“No matter what's happening in the rest of the world, India and Pakistan can always agree on one thing: #FawadKhan,” Kannan said.
“Divided by borders. UNITED BY FAWAD KHAN,” Ayushe Tehim wrote.
“Dunno why more people aren't discussing this series, worth a watch. Nice to see @FarOutAkhtar in a cameo and #FawadKhan,” Nuvaid Vaidyaravida said.
"Partition shown right. The trippin Indian/Pakistani music is another plus point."
Another fan praised the cast and crew for its accurate depiction of the partition: “Till now, perhaps the best episode of Ms. Marvel is ep 5. Beautifully curated and shown british India-pak partition.”
Mehwish Hayat, a leading Pakistani actress and Khan’s wife in the series, also caught the attention of fans who loved the duo’s on-screen chemistry.
“So Mehwish Hayat and Fawad Khan are just two of the most gorgeous people on Earth, huh?” Jody Houser, a renowned comics writer, said.
“Fantastic performances from @MehwishHayat and #FawadKhan. Beautiful chemistry - both speak so much with their eyes,” Haroon Rashid, a journalist working for the BBC, said.
