If someone were to ask me how India and Pakistan can get their sh*t together, I have two words: Fawad Khan. Yes, you heard that right. Ever since I first laid my eyes on the man, I have been mesmerized by him.
Fawad Khan makes me feel some type of way every time I look at him. I genuinely don’t know if I want to be him or be with him. If I could do both, I would. If it sounds like I am fetishizing him, it’s because I am.
I can’t justify my obsession with Fawad except to admit that I’ve watched a bunch of sexist Pakistani dramas just because he was in them. At least, they get over in 30-something episodes unlike never-ending Indian serials.
Is it about the way he looks? Sure, there is no denying that he is stunningly handsome. Is it the way he talks? Yes, I live for his Urdu-laced tongue. But it’s more than that. Fawad is an enigma… An emotion… And, I am a squealing groupie!
If you love the man as much as I do and want to watch him on screen again and again, I have compiled a list of five of my favourite Fawad Khan performances, in series and movies you can binge-watch to OD on him:
Zindagi Gulzar Hai
Fawad Khan in ‘Zindagi Gulzar Hai’ is your quintessential desi hero in a romantic drama. Zaroon Junaid is suave, smart, sexist and self-aware. He plays the guitar from time to time, too. What more could you want? In case you do want more, let me tell you that in the second half of the show, he regularly spouts cheesy lines while lovingly gazing at his wife.
Behadd
This is a telefilm where the story revolves around a working woman named Masooma aka ‘Mo’. After losing her husband in a road accident, she is a single mother to her 15-year-old daughter Maha, who is very possessive of her mother. Things take a dramatic turn, when Mo bumps into her childhood friend Jamal aka ‘Jo’, played by Fawad Khan.
Both, ‘Zindagi Gulzar Hai’ and ‘Behadd’ can be watched for free on YouTube.
Khoobsurat
The only time I have ever been jealous of Sonam Kapoor was when she got to live out my Mills & Boon fantasy with Fawad Khan in ‘Khoobsurat’. The prince of my heart plays a prince in the film. Watching him decked out in crisp suits and elegant Jodhpuris, as a Rajasthani royal, was drool-worthy, ngl.
Kapoor & Sons
As if I needed more reasons to love the man, he goes ahead and plays the role of Rahul Kapoor, a gay man and writer *ding-ding-ding-we-have-a-winner* in the film. His coming out scene made me bawl like a baby. He makes you laugh with the same ease too. If you’re in the mood to see a clean-shaven, Indianised Fawad, watch ‘Kapoor & Sons’.
You can watch both ‘Khoobsurat’ and ‘Kapoor & Sons’ with khud ka ya udhaari ka Netflix account.
Ms Marvel
Any other desi star would have created a social media storm around their Hollywood debut, that too, as a part of the Marvel universe for Disney. But, not a peep from our guy. Sure, Fawad Khan in ‘Ms Marvel’ has a blink-and-you-miss-it appearance, but for as long as he is around, he steals the limelight. Such is his screen presence.
Head to Disney+ Hotstar if you want to watch ‘Ms Marvel’.
P.s. his latest offering, ‘The Legend of Maula Jatt’ hit the big screens in Pakistan just a couple of days ago. With long hair and a rustic getup, he looks nothing like the urbane hero we know him to be.
Fawad Khan is back after a six-year-hiatus, and I for one, can only hope that he won’t make us wait for another six before we get to catch him in the cinemas again.
