This summer's major Pakistani release Love Guru has been receiving mixed reactions from fans and critics alike, and veteran BBC journalist Haroon Rashid has now shared his honest take on the film, calling it "largely enjoyable." 

 

In a detailed review on BBC Sounds, Haroon praised the chemistry between leads Mahira Khan and Humayun Saeed.

 

“I thought the romance between Humayun and Mahira was really heartwarming. It was a sweet, simple premise, and I thoroughly enjoyed their performances.”

 

He added that Mahira brought an effortless charm to the screen:

 

“Without having to do much, she lights up the frame. I felt that radiate throughout the entire film.”

 

Haroon also appreciated Humayun’s versatility as an actor, “Humayun is such an experienced performer that he can very easily adapt to different characters.”

 

Addressing the criticism that the lead actors were “too old” for their roles, he disagreed. “They come with a wealth of experience and slide into those roles with absolute ease.”

 

He also praised the film’s high production value, noting that it looked “international, glossy, and cinematic,” especially when compared to the usual TV-style visuals often associated with Pakistani films.

 

However, not everything hit the mark. Haroon pointed out that the film felt unnecessarily long, “It could have been at least 30 minutes shorter. It dragged out in the second half.”

 

He also questioned the emotional arc of the storyline, “For a film built on a man cheating women, there wasn’t enough of a redemption arc to make the love story believable. I need to be convinced that a character has thoroughly learnt their lesson before they earn true happiness.”

 

Despite the flaws, Haroon concluded that he enjoyed Love Guru “to a large extent.”

Viewers echoed similar sentiments online. One fan commented, “Spot on! 💯 agree with the review”

Another added, “Exactly what I felt. The cinematography was amazing, but Humayun’s character was a red flag. Mahira’s character left a good fiancé without any real reason, there was no redemption for Humayun”