- Usman Mukhtar received praise for his short film Gulabo Rani.
- He attributes the success to the movie’s young actor, Usama Javaid Haider.
- The Anaa actor remarked on Haider’s dedication, enthusiasm, and work ethic.
At the Bucharest Shortcut Cinefest, actor-turned-director Usman Mukhtar received praise for his short film Gulabo Rani. He attributes the movie’s young actor, Usama Javaid Haider, who he first met during a Lahore shoot years prior, to the success. The Anaa actor remarked on Haider’s dedication, enthusiasm, and work ethic on Wednesday when revealing that Haider had received the Best Actor prize for his performance in Mukhtar’s horror movie.
“I’m super proud of this kid. I honestly feel that I’m fortunate to have come across him. I met him at a shoot in Lahore where we had a scene together. I had to sit and react when this kid had a nine-minute monologue. By the time the monologue ended, I was blown away by his performance. He is a brilliant actor and a hardworking one,” he wrote.
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Mukhtar needed a dubbing voice for Gulabo Rani’s post-production and thought of Haider. For the young actor, that day turned out to be a turning point. Mukhtar said, “”We were doing post-production for Gulabo, and Usama had some dubbing work left. I asked him if he could come in for the dubbing session, and he came without any hesitation. When he reached the studio, I noticed that he had lost weight and had shaved his head. When I asked him why he had done so, he tried to play it down. That’s when he revealed that his cancer had returned and he had to shave his head for his chemo treatment. I was shocked and asked him why he hadn’t told me earlier so we could have rescheduled the session. But he simply replied, ‘Usman bhai, work is work.”
Mukhtar called the actor a “superstar” and praised his talent and hard ethic in his congratulations, expressing his appreciation for him. He further wrote, “I have no words to describe what a gem this kid is and how much I’ve learned from him in the process.”
He continued by saying that Haider was now a Pakistani actor with a worldwide reputation after receiving the Best Actor prize at the Bucharest Shortcut Cinefest. He also acknowledged his pride in Haider’s accomplishments.
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Mukhtar revealed the news on social media after his short film received the Best Short Film Prize at the LA Sci-Fi & Horror Festival 2022 earlier this year. He shared a picture of his trophy with the description, “Leviathan Platinum Award 2022,” and expressed his gratitude for the accomplishment.
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