KARACHI: It has happened, finally! Perhaps it had to happen and it was only a matter of time before a Pakistani actor or showbiz personality was to become a significant part of a mega Netflix production. (For the uninitiated, Netflix is a streaming service that’s widely watched all around the world and in recent times has produced many Oscar-winning films and Emmy-winning series.)

So, what’s the good news? Answer: Pakistani actor Humayun Saeed has been cast in the role of Dr Hasnat Khan, a British-Pakistani heart surgeon with whom Lady Diana allegedly had an affair, for the next season of the critically acclaimed and commercially successful series The Crown.

The Crown is a historical drama that focuses on the life of Queen Elizabeth II. As can be guessed, it begins from the time when Elizabeth is young, gets married to Prince Philip and dramatic circumstances lead her to ascend the throne. For the first two seasons Claire Foy played her character with the kind of dazzling perfection rarely seen in the history of TV drama.

But in the next two editions, the inimitable and one of the finest actresses in the world Olivia Colman assumed the role of the queen and didn’t allow the viewers to think even for an instant that another performer was doing the same part. Her nuanced, controlled and dignified acting kept the audience’s interest in the story intact, if not augmented. It is in the fourth season that Lady Diana (played by Emma Corrin) enters the fray.

The actor will be playing Dr Hasnat Khan, who was said to be in a relationship with Lady Diana

Saeed will essay the role of Dr Hasnat for which, initially, reports were that actor Fawad Khan had been approached or thought about. The moment the news about his casting broke on Sunday (Jan 9) by a foreign media outlet, the internet, as they say in modern-day parlance, broke. Congratulatory messages came pouring in from Saeed’s showbiz colleagues and fans, save for one or two who thought he didn’t fit the bill.

Dr Hasnat Khan is a heart surgeon who used to practise in Royal Brompton Hospital in London. By his own account, he had a relationship with Lady Diana (which will be played by Elizabeth Debicki in season 5, which is expected to go on air in November) for two years — from 1995 to 1997 — but the princess left him after she befriended Dodi Fayed.

This goes to show that by no means is it an easy character for Saeed to essay. He is a competent actor, make no mistake. It is likely that he will have researched his part well before going on set.

Talking to Dawn about this development, actor Javed Sheikh said, “It’s a matter of happiness for all of us. It’s good that a Pakistani actor is playing the part of a Pakistani character. We’re glad that our man (hamara banda) has been considered for such a big project. I pray that they treat him well because a lot of Indians work for Netflix (Indians Netflix per baithey hotay hain). He is a good human being and a good actor. We wish him well.”

President of the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi, Ahmed Shah said, “It’s great that our artists are making their presence felt on international platforms. Last year, Humayun Saeed got the Pride of Performance award because he is a fine artist and a wonderful man. We are connected with him and we congratulate him.”

Interestingly, not all messages were commendatory. Actress Sakina Samo, for example, in one of her tweets argued that “Fawad Khan would have been a class act but alas.”

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2022