After directing Lahore Se Aagey (rom-com) last year, director Wajahat Rauf is heading to the world of television in a big way. He’s currently shooting for his upcoming TV play Shaadi that stars Yasir Hussain and Kubra Khan in lead roles.
Wajahat Rauf with Yasir Hussain and Kubra Khan, the lead pair of his upcoming TV play Shaadi.
The director talks to Instep about his upcoming TV production, Shaadi.
After directing Lahore Se Aagey (rom-com) last year, director Wajahat Rauf is heading to the world of television in a big way. He’s currently shooting for his upcoming TV play Shaadi that stars Yasir Hussain and Kubra Khan in lead roles.
“It’s been a while I haven’t directed any TV play,” Rauf told Instep on the sidelines of Yalghaar’s trailer launch last week. “For the first time I’m getting a chance to direct a happy play that doesn’t talk about a cheating husband, saas bahu or extramarital affairs, for a change. The last serial that played on a similar theme was Dolly Ki Ayegi Baraat after which we haven’t seen such a play airing on prime time. Shaadi has been written by Yasir [Hussain]. It’s not a comedy play but everybody is in a happy and cheerful mood. This is going to be something refreshing for television and if it works, I’ll come up with more of such projects.”
Apart from Hussain and Khan, Shaadi also stars industry veterans such as Bushra Ansari and Salman Shahid.
Rauf also informed that he plans to work on a film project but not before the end of this year. The film will be a rom-com (not a road trip) and is being written at the moment.
Responding to why he only makes romantic comedies and doesn’t try his hand on a serious script, the director noted that Pakistan doesn’t have a very big market for serious films at the moment.
“There’s a niche market for serious films,” Rauf stated. “Even mainstream commercial films that pull audiences to cinemas are failing at the box office right now. I would love to do a thriller later on but once the audience for it expands. Not necessarily a rom-com but entertainment is must. If you notice, entertaining films (be it Bollywood or Hollywood) make the most money at the box office. Tickets are so expensive that if viewers visit cinemas, they want to be entertained.”
As the conversation came to a close, Rauf revealed that he’s gearing up for five to six TV plays in the coming months. One play will have Imran Abbas in the lead role. “It’s about a modern day, middle class couple who aspires to migrate to Australia,” Rauf concluded.
