Pak actress Humaima Malick set to make Bollywood debut

After two failed attempts at a Bollywood debut, Pakistani actor Humaima Malick finally looks set to star opposite Emraan Hashmi

She received critical acclaim for her performance in Pakistani director Shoaib Mansoor’s Bol (2011), where she plays a convict on death row who decides to tell her story to the media.

Soon, conjectures over Humaima Malick’s Bollywood entry were rife, and her name was attached to a couple of projects — Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Chitthiyan, and the Sanjay Dutt-starrer Sher. However, there hasn’t been any headway with either film. While Chopra’s film is yet to take off, Sher is stuck for obvious reasons.

Yet, Humaima’s Bollywood debut might come sooner rather than later. The makers of an Emraan Hashmi-starrer — tentatively titled Shaatir — have apparently decided to rope in Humaima as the female lead. The model-turned-actor has already gone through an extensive screen test. “Humaima has impressed everyone, including Kunal (Deshmukh; director). She has been finalised for the part, but she is yet to sign the contract,” says an industry insider.

“The producers as well as the director won’t be ready to talk about her casting yet, since the nitty-gritty of the contract is being worked out. And they don’t want to jump the gun before signing her formally, since she is from Pakistan and no one knows what kind of issues might crop up,” the insider adds.

While officials from UTV (producers) remained unavailable for a comment, Kunal merely says, “It’s too early to talk about it. I can only reveal to you that Humaima has indeed (screen) tested with us.”

It’s believed that makers were also in talks with Priyanka Chopra and Jacqueline Fernandez for the role, but they couldn’t take up the project due to date constraints.

Emraan and Kunal, meanwhile, are reuniting after the success of Jannat (2008) and Jannat 2 (2012).

Humaima who?
Humaima started off as a model, and walked the ramp for the first time at the age of 14. She did some TV commercials soon after, and has worked in TV shows in Pakistan, such as Ishq Junoon Deewangi, Barish Kay Ansoo and Akbari Asghari. Her first film, Bol, brought her fame within and outside Pakistan. She has also worked in a romantic Urdu film called Ishq Khuda.

Crossing the line
Meesha Shafi: The Pakistani actor will be seen in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. She stars in Mira Nair’s The Reluctant Fundamentalist also.
Muskan Khan: Pakistani actor-singer Muskan Khan is all set to debut in Kabir Raj’s next, Just MMS, that will go on the floors post-Eid.
Mona Lizza: The Pakistani starlet, who was seen with Himesh Reshammiya in Kajraare (2009), also did Murder 3, opposite Randeep Hooda.
Veena Malik: The actress, after her association with Ashmit Patel in Bigg Boss, was seen in a B-grade film, Daal Mein Kuch Kaala Hai (2012).

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