"I was not on talking terms with her"
Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar appeared on Ahmed Ali Butt’s podcast Excuse Me where he detailed his issues with Mehwish Hayat and Mahira Khan.
Speaking about Mehwish, Khalil said:
“When I saw Teri Meri Kahaniyaan, I called Mehwish after two, three years.
“I was not on talking terms with her, and I allowed her to work in my telefilm. We were friends.”
He revealed he was initially upset with Mehwish because she had declined his offer to work on Kaaf Kangna.
“The way I have cast her in Punjab Nahi Jaungi, Ahmed Butt your angels don’t know.
“She was of the view that she would not be in Punjab Nahi Jaungi because my director and producer were not ready to cast her.
“I fought for her. I fought like anything, and I didn’t even have a commitment to hire her.
“When she found out, she asked me what I was doing and I gave her the guarantee that the film was written for her.”
The conversation turned to Mahira Khan and Khalil admitted he was upset at her actions, not specifically her.
He said: “I’m not upset at Mahira. I hate that act of hers. I am not a hateful man. I am not upset at her.
“I can be upset at Nadeem Baig, Humayun, you. That is not a big issue. That ends. Hatred does not.”
Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar went on to say that he felt it was important for Mahira to apologise to him.
“We shared a relationship of immense respect. I respected her so much, perhaps after Ayeza Khan, it was Mahira Khan.
“I have had many differences with Humayun Saeed.
“But the fervour with which I have seen that person work hard, you are a witness, he is a giant producer of the country right now.
“On his set and personally, he is very down-to-earth. He doesn’t sit there like a producer.
“He sits like an actor at the disposal of the director.”
In 2020, Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar made headlines after he appeared to be abusive towards a woman on live television.
Mahira had taken to X and expressed her disgust at the act by saying:
“I am shocked at what I have just heard and seen!
“Sick to the core. This same man who abused a woman on TV is revered and given project after project because of what?
“We are as much to blame if not more for perpetuating this thinking!”
As the interview progressed, Ahmed asked Khalil about his work ethic to which he responded that if an actor was not honest with their work he simply told them to walk off his set.
“Any actor I’ve worked with twice, I’m not fighting with them. He is in love with me and I am in love with him.
“If you throw tantrums, then no one in Pakistan can throw a bigger tantrum than I can.”
“If you own the project, you’re honest with it, place me at your feet, and I will sit there openly. If God has made you reach here, respect your work and protect it.”
On why Khalil’s scripts were solely based on women, he explained:
“Don’t agree with my writing. Have I asked you to? I simply present my case. Bring a counterargument.
“I don’t believe in men. Society is run by women. Whoever’s working I will address them.
“A man cannot say no. This is what he lacks. Dignity and loyalty are a woman’s domain. No one speaks about women’s rights more than I do.”
The interview was well-liked by viewers who said they thought Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar was a well-spoken man.
One individual wrote: “People blame him for his anger but he is the most honest and blunt man in the industry.
“He never puts up a fake show. So much love and respect for him.”
Another said: “Whoever speaks the truth always seems bitter.”
A third commented: “What an episode. It was such a treat to watch Khalil-ur-Rehman Qamar. Keep it up.”
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