Pakistani filmmaker Abu Aleeha has picked Fahad Mustafa over Fawad Khan when asked to compare the two superstars during a recent podcast appearance.
Aleeha praised Mustafa’s versatility across genres. “I think Fahad Mustafa’s range as an actor is fantastic. Sometimes he does romance well, sometimes comedy, sometimes action. He is a big name,” he pointed out.
He then pointed to Mustafa’s potential in art house cinema. “I feel that whenever he steps into art cinema, he will blow everyone away. Watch his film Mah-e-Mir,” he added.
Mustafa starred in Mah-e-Mir in 2016, a biographical drama directed by Anjum Shahzad and written by Sarmad Sehbai. The film centers on the life of 18th century Urdu poet Mir Taqi Mir.
Mustafa, born Fahad Salahuddin, began his acting career with the television series Umrao Jaan Ada in 2003.
He built his profile through dramas including Veena, Main Abdul Qadir Hoon, Daagh, and Dusri Biwi. He made his film debut in 2014 with Na Maloom Afraad, directed by Nabeel Qureshi, which performed well at the box office. In 2016, he won the Best Actor award and Film of the Year honors for Actor in Law. He also hosts Jeeto Pakistan, the country’s biggest game show, a role he has held since 2014.
After a nine-year break from television, Mustafa returned in 2024 with the smash hit Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum opposite Hania Amir, which earned him the Lux Style Award for Best Actor Popular.
Abu Aleeha, whose real name is Ali Sajjad Shah, built his career in journalism before moving into filmmaking. Born on July 31, 1981, in Karachi, he spent 15 years working as a crime and investigative reporter for English and Urdu newspapers. He made his directorial debut in 2019 with the film Kataksha and went on to direct Tevar, Udham Patakh, and Taxali Gate.
His film Javed Iqbal: The Untold Story of a Serial Killer, also released under the title Kukri, earned him a Best Director award and secured selections at international film festivals.
Aleeha has also published a dozen books over the course of his writing career.
