LOVE Guru, the latest Pakistani feature film directed by Nadeem Baig and starring Humayun Saeed and Mahira Khan, drew thousands to cinemas with its star-studded lineup and polished marketing as a lighthearted romantic comedy.
Yet, beneath its 150-minute runtime—overflowing with scenes of foreign luxury, flashy cars and tired tropes of family drama—it reveals a troubling truth: the deep-rooted misogyny that continues to plague our media narratives.
It’s apparent that the creators may have had feminist intentions, but the execution strays far from any meaningful portrayal of female empowerment. Rather than presenting a strong, autonomous female lead, the film delivers a protagonist who is repeatedly deceived, stalked and emotionally manipulated—only to be led into believing that all of it is somehow justified in the name of love.
What’s most troubling is that this message isn’t delivered through a single scene—it permeates the entire film. Watching Mahira Khan’s character choose to end up with the man responsible for her distress, while her kind and respectful fiancé is sidelined without resolution, is frustrating and disturbing. The fact that this manipulation is framed as romantic further adds to the discomfort.
In addition to its skewed portrayal of relationships, the film leans heavily on fatphobia for laughs, including a moment where a character is mocked for not fitting under a bed due to his weight. This form of humor is outdated and reflects poorly on the creative choices made by the filmmakers.
Ultimately, Love Guru normalizes emotional abuse and the invasion of privacy, painting them as acts of love. It delivers the problematic message that men face no consequences for harmful behavior—and are even rewarded with affection. This is not a love story; it’s a story of entitlement masked as romance. Cinema is a powerful tool for shaping social thought and cultural values. That films like Love Guru continue to dominate the screen is disheartening. As a woman and a viewer, it forces one to ask: Will the Pakistani film industry ever move beyond these regressive narratives and tell stories that are actually worth telling?
—The writer is contributing columnist.
