One of the good things on the internet today was the respect shared by screenwriter Jemima Goldsmith and actor Sajal Aly. The Pakistani actor made his Hollywood debut with a film written by the former wife of PTI chief Imran Khan.
“I love her, Sajal Ali. Can’t wait for people to see her in our film,” Jemima said in a tweet. She also shared a bit from an interview clip of the Alif actor at the Red Sea International Film Festival.
Sajal is playing the character of a Pakistani girl in What’s Love Got to Do with It?—a cross-cultural rom-com set between London and South Asia. The film follows Zoe (James), a filmmaker, and contrasts her love path (swiping on dating apps and terrible encounters) with that of her close friend Kazim (Latif), who intends to follow through with an arranged marriage.
The film, which is directed by Shekhar Kapur, stars Lily James, Shazad Latif, Shabana Azmi, Sajal Ali, and Emma Thompson. The film also stars Asim Chaudhry, Jeff Mirza, and Mim Shaikh. It would be released on January 27, 2023, in UK.
“I also feel that this is the very first Pakistani project where Jemima has highlighted Pakistani culture in a very right way,” Sajal said in the clip. “On every industry, norms of Pakistanis are being terrorists and stuff like that… just bringing different cultures together through music, through the dialogue… it’s just amazing.”
The Khel Khel Mein actor expressed her affection in reaction to Jemima’s tweet.
“Can’t wait to share memoona’s journey with everyone. Love you back,” she said.
This is not the first time that the screenwriter had lauded the Pakistani actor. Before the project, she had expressed her desire to work with Sajal and Indian actor Shabana Azmi.
Sajal, who has described her experience of working with the legends of cinema as a “dream come true”, has earned praise from the other casts of the film as well.
“You know Sajal when you came on the screen of the first showing everyone in the hall went aw. Sajal is one of Pakistan’s greatest actors,” director Shekhar Kapur said while addressing the festival.
“#SajalAly amazed us all with her understanding of the art, of her character and her depth of understanding of human emotions. Thankyou #SajalAli for being part of our film #whatslovegottodowithit that just opened the amazing,” he said in a tweet.
