Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane has enjoyed a great start to the year. The actress not only married her longtime partner Ameer Gilani but also witnessed a massive response to the re-release of her 2016 film Sanam Teri Kasam.

“It was the best time of my life because it was also the weekend I was getting married,” the actress says. Now settling into newlywed life, Mawra opens up about the film’s renewed success, the emotional whirlwind of her wedding, and also addresses the ongoing controversy around Pakistani artistes working in the Indian film industry.

As the teaser for Fawad Khan-starrer Abir Gulaal broke the internet, also marking the Pakistani heartthrob’s return to Indian cinema, it also drew criticism from some quarters for casting a Pakistani actor in the lead role. While members of MNS said in a statement, “We will not let this film get released under any circumstances in Maharashtra,” Shiv Sena leaders have also opposed the film.

Ask the actress how she feels about objections to Pakistani artistes working in Indian films, and she replies, “I don’t take it personally. This is how the world works, right? I truly believe if it’s meant to happen, it will. I block the noise around my work. I love to do what I do. So, I do not let these things affect me. It is truly the producer’s headache, which is sad, but it is their problem. If I invest my mind into thinking, ‘Oh, what’s going to happen’, I will always be restless.”

So, has she spoken to Fawad in recent times? She says, “When my colleagues do well, we definitely reach out to each other. We wish each other luck. I truly wish the best for everyone. I hope this film does really well.”

Mawra’s Sanam Teri Kasam, which saw her opposite Harshvardhan Rane, may not have done well in 2016, when it was released, but recently, when it re-released in the theatres, it was hugely appreciated. Looking at the audience’s response, does she wish she could do more Bollywood films?

Mawra replies, “I’ve never thought about why I am not able to do this or that. I’m extremely grateful that I did something nine years ago and it’s being celebrated again. So, my most dominant emotion right now is just a lot of gratitude. I would love to do movies in India if the conditions allow. I would want to be a part of more movies like Sanam Teri Kasam and work in Mumbai because it was such a beautiful experience.”

Speaking further about the film’s rerelease, she shares, “It was the best time of my life because it was also the weekend I was getting married. The only thing that I wished I could have done is experience the audience’s love in the theatres. It was truly something I could not believe for a couple of days. My producer and everyone from my team were constantly updating me. They would send me pictures of the billboards and the screenings, and it was extremely sweet. I hope we see better days at the cinemas.”

Mawra got married to her co-star and longtime partner Ameer Gilani in February. “I always believed in love stories. I’ve really lucked out with Ameer. Sharing life with him has been extremely beautiful. He was extremely excited about the re-release of Sanam Teri Kasam. He’s my biggest cheerleader, and now I have him for life,” says Mawra, who recently featured in a Hindi music video (a song by Akhil Sachdeva).​

Over the past three weeks, one question has puzzled the industry—how has an obscure 2016 film gone on to make Rs 65 crore on its re-release? That’s the first thing we ask Pakistani actor Mawra Hocane when we call the Sanam Teri Kasam star.

“It re-released around the time I was getting married. When my social media blew up, I thought it’s just wedding wishes,” she laughs. “I’ve been receiving love for it all along. So, it’d surprise me that if I was getting so much love, how did the film not work?”

Over the past three weeks, one question has puzzled the industry—how has an obscure 2016 film gone on to make Rs. 65 crore on its re-release? That’s the first thing we ask Pakistani actor Mawra Hocane when we call the Sanam Teri Kasam star.

“It re-released around the time I was getting married. When my social media blew up, I thought it’s just wedding wishes,” she laughs. “I’ve been receiving love for it all along. So, it’d surprise me that if I was getting so much love, how did the film not work?”

After the 2016 Uri attack, the Indian film industry stopped collaborating with Pakistani artistes. A lot of hurdles would have to be crossed before Hocane is cast in the sequel.

“We all grew up watching Bollywood films. I’d feel Salman Khan is as much our superstar as India’s because we also watched all his films, be it Andaz Apna Apna [1994] or Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam [1999]. Our emotional connection is because of not just Bollywood, but also art. I think the producers or the audiences don’t discriminate, but the technical issues hamper the process [of collaborating].”

After Sanam Teri Kasam’s re-release, Amitabh Bachchan and Vidya Balan put up posts praising Hocane’s acting. “Mr Bachchan is a legend and he saw my movie! It will always be a cherished feeling. Vidya-ji has my heart. She did women-oriented roles when no one was doing them. It was my wedding reception and my husband [Ameer Gilani] told me that Vidya-ji has praised me. I was over the moon. They say, waqt se pehle aur naseeb se zyada kuch nahin milta. It has stood true for Sanam Teri Kasam.”