KARACHI: Humayun Saeed has the chance to become an international star with his newest role in the fifth season of Netflix's The Crown. He will be playing Dr Hasnat Khan, a surgeon whom the late Princess Diana had a relationship with.

Saeed has been mum so far but the news was officially confirmed by Variety.

Dr Khan was a British-Pakistani heart surgeon who practiced at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London. He will star alongside Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana and Khalid Abdalla as Dodi Fayed.

Pakistan's entertainment industry is cheering the news and stars have been taking to social media to congratulate the actor for adding another feather in his cap, a year after being awarded the Pride of Performance.

Actor and style icon Ayesha Omar took to Twitter to call this the "best news ever". "Wow! So happy for our superstar, And so so proud! MashAllah! Can’t wait for this one," she wrote.

Saeed's Meray Paas Tum Ho costar Adnan Siddiqui also congratulated him on the news. "I am sure you will bring nuance to the character with your acting," he said.

RJ Anoushey Ashraf said Saeed was the "most humble superstar there ever was", calling the casting well-earned and well-deserved.

Actor Sami Khan retweeted the news with a congratulations.

Fakhar-e-Alam said he was so very proud of Saeed. "May you continue to shine brighter."

Actor Osman Khalid Butt and singer Ali Zafar also congratulated the actor on landing the role in a hit serial.

PTI Senator Faisal Javed also shared the news with a congratulatory message for Saeed.

However, some people were unhappy with the casting as it was initially speculated that Fawad Khan will be seen playing the character of Dr Khan. Fans have been sharing their disappointment online and actor Sakina Samo agreed with them.

In a now deleted tweet she had said, "I just saw the latest photo of Dr Hasnat. Humayun may look like him now, but they are showing 90s Dr Hasnat. I still think Fawad Khan would have been a class act but alas."