Fawad Khan in Ms Marvel Episode 5. (courtesy: huzzi_123)
Pakistani actor Fawad Khan finally made a grand entry in Marvel Cinematic Universe's series Ms Marveland the Internet's verdict is that it's been worth the wait. Fawad's appearance comes well into Ms Marvel, in its fifth episode, and serves to reveal more details about protagonist Kamala Khan's heritage. Kamala, one of the MCU's two South-Asian superheroes (Kumail Nanjiani starred in Eternals as Kingo), is played by Canadian actress Iman Vellani. Kamala is a Pakistani-American teen who receives superpowers from a bracelet given to her by her grandmother. In episode 5 of Ms Marvel, fans were introduced to Fawad Khan as Hasan, a freedom fighter in the British Raj who falls in love with Aisha, a being from another dimension who is attempting to return home. Hasan and Aisha, played by actress Mehwish Hayat, are Kamala's great-grandparents.
As Hasan, Fawad Khan gets to show his range, featuring in both romantic scenes with Aisha and in dramatic ones in his role as a freedom fighter. Twitter is thrilled and Fawad Khan has been one of the top trends since the Ms Marvel episode aired. One fan was bowled over by the Hasan-Aisha dynamic, writing: "Gawd, Mehwish Hayat and Fawad Khan's chemistry in the new ep(isode) of Ms Marvel."
Sharing snippets of Fawad's expressions from the episode, another fan wrote, "We all can agree that Fawad Khan in Ms Marvel episode 5 is just" with the hashtag #MsMarvel.
One tweet critically examined the episode's unflinching portrayal of one of history's most troubled chapters: "The fifth episode of #MsMarvel isn't afraid of tackling a dark period in history and examining generational trauma, but the short runtime makes the flashback sequence feel rushed. Fawad Khan & Mehwish Hayat are terrific together, even if their relationship feels undercooked."
Fawad Khan "single handedly owned the episode," read one tweet.
This fan was completely taken: "Fawad Khan in MCU is a day I never thought I'd see but I loved every second of it."
Ms Marvel has received praise for its immersive portrayal of South-Asian culture and traditions. The cast comprises of a mi of Pakistani and Indian actors and Fawad Khan is not the only mainstream star in the series – Farhan Akhtar appeared in a pivotal role in the fourth episode as Waleed, a vigilante leader who helps Kamala out as she's being pursued in Karachi.
Other important roles in Ms Marvel are played by Mohan Kapur, Zenobia Shroff, Matt Lintz, Yasmeen Fletcher, Samina Ahmad and Saagar Shaikh. The series streams on Disney+ Hotstar with a new episode airing every Wednesday.