Filmmaker Zarrar Kahn is making his return to the Toronto International Film Festival with a new romantic comedy that takes an unconventional approach to contemporary cultural anxieties. The project, titled “The Lion Does Not Concern Himself,” will premiere in the festival’s Short Cuts program, following Kahn’s successful debut feature “In Flames,” which screened at Cannes and Toronto previously.
The film centers on a charismatic fitness instructor navigating a peculiar identity crisis. The protagonist has embraced a persona as a controversial online podcaster, viewing it as essential to his cultural standing—until a new gym client arrives and transforms his priorities. The concept emerged from writer and star Mohammad Ali Hashmi, a Toronto-based collaborator of Kahn’s, who was inspired by exposure to online radicalization rhetoric while frequenting a local gym.
Rather than treating the subject matter with heavy-handedness, Kahn elected to frame these themes within the conventions of a lighthearted romantic comedy. The film’s title references a viral “Game of Thrones” quote that has gained traction on social media, functioning as a playful commentary on online masculinity culture. Kahn directed and co-wrote the film, which was shot at a Queen West gymnasium in Toronto, with production support from POV Film and Suno Studios.
The director is simultaneously developing additional projects, including a climate-focused thriller titled “Suffering Is Optional” slated to begin production in 2027, featuring “Ms. Marvel” actress Iman Vellani.
Originally reported by Variety →
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