The Indian actor said he has not been approached for the role, prompting Pakistani fans to wonder if he was referring to Mahmood Aslam’s iconic character in the long-running sitcom.
Indian actor Emraan Hashmi recently took to X to clarify that he will not be playing “Mehmood saab” in an upcoming biopic, adding that he had not even been approached for the role.
The post quickly caught the attention of Pakistani social media users, many of whom initially assumed Hashmi might be referring to Mahmood Aslam, the Pakistani actor best known for playing Mahmood Sahab in the popular sitcom Bulbulay.
The confusion was understandable, as Mahmood Aslam’s character has become one of the most recognisable figures in Pakistani television comedy.
Several users joined the conversation, with some joking that Hashmi could have “absolutely rocked” the role. One user even shared an artistic depiction of the Bollywood actor as Mahmood Sahab.
Others were more sceptical, arguing that replacing Mahmood Aslam in such an established role would be difficult.
However, Hashmi was actually responding to reports that he had been cast as Indian filmmaker and actor Mehmood Ali in an upcoming biopic associated with legendary Indian composer R.D. Burman.
The actor’s clarification therefore had nothing to do with Bulbulay or Mahmood Aslam.
Mahmood Aslam has played the character in Bulbulay for many years, making the idea of another actor taking over the role particularly amusing for Pakistani audiences.
The mix-up nevertheless sparked a light-hearted exchange between Indian and Pakistani social media users, with fans imagining what Hashmi might look like in one of Pakistan’s most enduring television comedy roles.
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