Studiocanal and Working Title have revealed a first look from “Elizabeth” director Shekhar Kapur’s upcoming cross-cultural British romantic comedy “What’s Love Got to Do with It?”
The image features stars Lily James (“Rebecca,” the upcoming “Pam & Tommy”) and Shazad Latif (“Star Trek: Discovery”), who will be seen as Captain Nemo in upcoming Disney Plus series “Nautilus.”
The cast also includes Oscar-winner Emma Thompson (“Last Christmas”), Pakistani star Sajal Aly (“Mom”), Indian veteran Shabana Azmi (“The Empire”), Asim Chaudhry (“People Just Do Nothing”), Mim Shaikh (“Freehold”), Jeff Mirza (“Eternals”), Iman Boujelouah (“Kal & Cambridge), Mariam Haque (“Finding Alice”) and Sindhu Vee (“Starstruck).
The film follows documentary filmmaker Zoe (James), for whom swiping right to find Mr Right has only delivered bad dates and funny anecdotes, much to her opinionated mother Cath’s (Thompson) dismay. For her childhood friend and neighbour Kazim (Latif), the answer is to follow his parents’ example and opt for an arranged marriage with a bright and beautiful bride from Pakistan. As Zoe films his hopeful journey from London to Lahore to marry a stranger, chosen by his parents, she begins to wonder if she might have something to learn from a different approach to finding love.
British-Pakistani record producer, DJ, songwriter, and musician Naughty Boy collaborating on original recordings for the film’s soundtrack. Pakistan’s Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, a maestro of the Qawwali singing style, has recorded two songs for the soundtrack and will also appear in the film.
The film is produced by Jemima Khan (“The Clinton Affair”) and her Instinct Productions with producer Nicky Kentish Barnes (“About Time”) alongside Working Title Films’ Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan.
Studiocanal is fully financing and will release in their own territories — the U.K., France, Germany, Australia and New Zealand — and are selling the film worldwide.
“What’s Love Got to Do with It?” will release in U.K. cinemas in 2022.