The Reema Khan comeback is on. After nearly 16 years away from cinema, the Pakistani film star is heading back to the big screen in filmmaker Wajahat Rauf’s new film, Panchi Pyare.
Fans and people across the film industry have greeted the news warmly, welcoming back one of the country’s best-loved screen stars. Rauf said the announcement had drawn a warm response from all sides.
“Since we announced it, all we are getting is love from people in and outside of the industry,” he said, calling her “our national treasure and a legend.”
“Reema ji loved the script, and that is why she decided to be a part of this project,” he added. “I think watching her again on the big screen will be a gift for our audiences.”
A family comedy for Eid
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Rauf described Panchi Pyare as a family comedy with strong emotional elements, adding that the film was being developed as a complete Eid entertainer. “It’s a family comedy with high emotions. A complete Eid entertainer,” he said.
24NewsHD reported that the film is scheduled to reach cinemas on Eid-ul-Fitr 2027. It is being directed by Wajahat Rauf and produced by Shazia Wajahat, who shared the announcement through a post on Instagram. The film will be presented by Showcase Films.
Nothing has been said yet about the character she will play, or about the rest of the cast. Dr Ijaz Waris put the news out in an Instagram post of his own, calling Reema the Lollywood queen and welcoming her back. He confirmed she had signed for the film, but would not name the actor starring opposite her.
The comeback has already become one of the talking points among cinema fans. Reema was one of the defining stars of Pakistani cinema in the 1990s and 2000s, and her absence from the big screen has lasted a decade and a half.
Reema Khan’s career
Reema became one of the country’s top stars through the 1990s and 2000s. Her breakthrough came with Bulandi in 1990, and she went on to appear in more than 200 Urdu and Punjabi films.
Acting drew her in early. As a child she learned dance and performed with a theatre troupe, and in 1985 she appeared on screen as a child actress in Qismat. Five years later, film director Javed Fazil spotted her, and her career took off.
Among her best-known films are Nikah (1998), Mujhe Chand Chahiye (2000), Shararat (2003), Koi Tujh Sa Kahan (2005) and Love Mein Ghum (2011). She stepped behind the camera for Koi Tujh Sa Kahan, her first film as director and producer, and in 2019 the state honoured her with the Pride of Performance Award.
Her last major release was Love Mein Ghum in 2011, so Panchi Pyare marks her first big-screen appearance in about 16 years.
After marrying Dr Tariq Shahab, Reema moved to the United States and focused on her family life. She stayed away from films during those years, though she appeared at public events, including the Lux Style Awards.
A Reema Khan comeback that fits a wider revival
Reema’s return comes as Pakistani cinema finds fresh energy. Punjab has moved to support its film industry, with a new film royalty law and rebate for filmmakers and a film city planned for inauguration. Karachi’s World Culture Festival drew large crowds for its stage and film programmes, and Ali Zafar is working on a new film project of his own. Even global releases, such as the Angry Birds Movie 3 trailer, are finding an audience in Pakistan.
A star of Reema’s standing returning to the screen gives that revival a familiar face. For audiences who grew up watching her films, the comeback is a link to the era when Lollywood filled cinemas every week. For younger viewers, it is a first chance to see on the big screen an actress their parents still talk about.
What happens next
The film’s makers have yet to announce Reema’s character or the rest of the cast. More details are expected as the film moves towards production and its Eid-ul-Fitr 2027 release. For now, the announcement alone has done its job: it has put Panchi Pyare on the map and given Pakistani cinema one of its most talked-about comebacks in years.
Frequently asked questions
When is Reema Khan returning to films?
Reema Khan is set to return to the big screen in Wajahat Rauf’s Panchi Pyare, scheduled for release on Eid-ul-Fitr 2027, after a gap of nearly 16 years.
What is Panchi Pyare about?
It is described as a family comedy with strong emotional elements, developed as a complete Eid entertainer. Details of the story and Reema’s character have not been announced.
Who is directing Panchi Pyare?
Wajahat Rauf is directing the film, and Shazia Wajahat is the producer. It will be presented by Showcase Films.
What are Reema Khan’s best-known films?
Her notable films include Bulandi (1990), Nikah (1998), Mujhe Chand Chahiye (2000), Shararat (2003), Koi Tujh Sa Kahan (2005) and Love Mein Ghum (2011). She has appeared in more than 200 films.
What was Reema Khan’s last film?
Her last major film release was Love Mein Ghum in 2011. She later moved to the United States after marrying Dr Tariq Shahab and focused on her family life.
