After much speculation and anticipation, the first look of Sajal Aly from Jemima Khan’s rom-com What’s Love Got To Do With It? has been officially revealed. The film will have its world premiere at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival.
Sajal’s first look appears to be from a match-making session when two families meet with an arranged marriage in mind. What makes us believe in that is the synopsis of What’s Love Got to Do With It?
According to a report in Variety, Directed by veteran Indian filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, What’s Love Got to Do With It? follows documentary-maker and dating app addict Zoe (Lily James), for whom swiping right has only delivered an endless stream of Mr. Wrongs, to her eccentric mother Cath’s (Emma Thompson) dismay. For Zoe’s childhood friend and neighbor Kaz (Shazad Latif), the answer is to follow his parents’ example and opt for an arranged marriage to a bright and beautiful bride from Pakistan. As Zoe films Kaz’s journey from London to Lahore to marry a stranger, chosen by his parents, she begins to wonder if she might have something to learn from a profoundly different approach to finding love.
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Sajal Aly plays the pivotal character of Maymouna. “I love to play characters that have depth and define the narrative of a project and I think I am very fortunate that my character Maymouna in my international English-language debut What’s Love Got to Do With It? has also given me the same opportunity,” she told Variety.
The cast also includes Shabana Azmi, Asim Chaudhry, Mim Shaikh, Jeff Mirza, Iman Boujelouah, Mariam Haque and Sindhu Vee. The film is written and co-produced by Jemima Khan and her Instinct Productions. She was married to former cricketer Imran Khan, who was until recently the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Read: Everything we know about Sajal Aly’s upcoming film ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It?’
Ivor Novello Lifetime Achievement Award-winning and Mercury Prize nominated composer, Nitin Sawhney has created the music for the film, with British-Pakistani record producer, DJ, songwriter, and musician Naughty Boy adding his skills to the soundtrack, alongside three-time BRIT Award and Mercury Prize nominee, Joy Crookes. Kanika Kapoor and Rahat Fateh Ali Khan will also feature on the soundtrack, with Khan also appearing in the film.
Producers also include Nicky Kentish Barnes and Working Title Films’ Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Executive producers are Ron Halpern, Anna Marsh, Joe Naftalin, Sarmad Masud, Sarah Harvey, Lucas Webb and Katherine Pomfret.
The film will be released in the UK cinemas on January 27th, 2023. Meanwhile, the film will receive its world premiere at the 47th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival and will screen as a Gala Presentation at the Roy Thomson Hall on Saturday, 10th September.
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