Sanam Saeed

Sanam Saeed (born 2 February 1985) is a Pakistani actress, singer and former model who predominantly works in Urdu cinema and television. She is best known for portraying the role of Kashaf Murtaza in Momina Duraid's Zindagi Gulzar Hai, for which she received numerous accolades, including Lux Style Awards for Best Television Actress.

Sanam Saeed
Saeed on the sets of Diyar-e-Dil in 2015
Born (1985-02-02) 2 February 1985
London, England, UK[1]
NationalityPakistani
Alma materL'Ecole College
OccupationActress
Years active2007–present
Spouses
Farhan Hassan
​
​
(m. 2015; div. 2018)​
    ​
    (m. 2021)​
    [2]

    A graduate of film and theatre studies at Lahore, Saeed made her television debut in the 2010 romance Daam. Saeed had her first commercial success with the 2013 romantic series Zindagi Gulzar Hai. She rose to prominence by featuring as the female lead in several top-grossing television series, including Mata-e-Jaan Hai Tu (2013), Talkhiyaan (2013), Zindagi Gulzar Hai (2013) and Kadoorat (2013), Kahin Chand Na Sharma Jaye (2013), Ek Kasak Reh Gayi (2015), Firaaq (2014)—and received critical recognition for playing antagonist type in the 2015 family drama Diyar-e-Dil, that earned her a nomination for Best Villain at Hum Awards. Saeed was last seen playing the main protagonist in Deedan opposite Mohib Mirza.

    After establishing herself as a leading actress in television, Saeed made her film debut with the 2016 romantic comedy Bachaana and later appeared in a supporting role in Dobara Phir Se in the same year. Both of which earned her nomination for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress respectively at Lux Style Awards. Her other film appearances include the biographical drama Mah-e-Mir, the period drama film Rahm (both 2016), the melodrama Azaad (2017) and the family drama Cake (2018), for which she received nominations for Best Actress at Lux Style Awards and Pakistan Achievement Awards. In 2019, Saeed was named "Pride of Pakistan" by Daily Times.

    Early life

    Born in England, her father is a retired interior designer, while her mother was an art teacher. She has one brother, Adnan Saeed, and one sister, Amira Saeed.[3] The multi-ethnic family (her father is a Punjabi while her mother is a Memon) moved back to Karachi in 1990.[4] She did her O-levels at Bay View High School Karachi and her A-levels at L'Ecole College. Saeed started modelling at the age of 16.[5] In Paper Magazine, she confessed that she quit modelling as she was becoming increasingly conscious about her looks for the first time in her life.[6]

    Career

    Television debut (2010–2011)

    Saeed started her acting career with a supporting role in the 2010 ARY Digital serial, Daam, the adaption of Umera Ahmad's novel of the same name, opposite Aamina Sheikh and Sanam Baloch. Directed by Mehreen Jabbar, Saeed played the role of Fiza, a "selfish and arrogant girl" who develops feeling for her sister-in-law's brother, which later become a burden for her.[7]

    The following year she played the lead female role in Adnan Ahmed's Hum TV serial Mera Naseeb, along with Syra Yousuf, Imran Aslam and Imran Abbas Naqvi. Her portrayal of Shazia, an outspoken and rebellious girl, was particularly praised.[8]

    Zindagi Gulzar Hai and success (2012–2014)

    Saeed followed with the role of Yamina, a British Pakistani who is married to a materialistic snob, a wife beater (played by Junaid Khan) in Mehreen Jabbar's Mata-e-Jaan Hai Tu an adaptation of Farhat Ishtiaq's novel of the same name.[9] Sultana Siddiqui's romantic drama Zindagi Gulzar Hai an adaption of Umera Ahmad's novel of the same name was Saeed's next serial. Co-starring Fawad Khan, she was cast as Kashaf Murtaza, a very sensible and mature girl, coming from a middle-class family background. It marked a departure from the glamorous characters that she had a reputation for portraying.[1][10] The pairing of Saeed with Khan resulted in hype over the drama and it proved a major commercial success.[11] It earned her 3 Awards as Best Actress. In addition, Saeed played Bibi, a Syrian Christian single mother in Bee Gul's Talkhiyan, based on Arundhati Roy's novel The God of Small Things.[12] The drama, directed by Khalid Ahmed, set in Murree, received positive feedback from the critics and Saeed's portrayal of Bibi, a Syrian Christian single mother, was particularly praised.[13][14]

    Saeed next played opposite Junaid Khan in the 2013 mystery drama Kadoorat ,aired on Hum TV from Momina Duraid. Her role was Minah, who took revenge from her stepmother and stepsister and later felt guilty.[15] The same year, she appeared in Geo TV serial Ek Kasak Reh Gaye opposite Mikaal Zulfiqar and ARY Digital's Shukk opposite Adeel Hussain and Ayesha Khan.

    Saeed next appeared opposite Ahsan Khan and Sarwat Gilani in the romantic telefilm Dil Mera Dhadkan Teri, her third collaboration with Mehreen Jabbar. The telefilm was the remake of Waheed Murad's 1968 film of the same name. She featured in the role of "a rich and spoiled brat". The telefilm received mixed reviews from critics, however, Saeed's performance was praised by both critics and viewers.[16] Saeed also starred in two other Eid special telefilms Kahin Chand Na Sharma Jaye opposite Goher Mumtaz and Tamana ki Tamana opposite Bilal Khan and Mathira. Saeed's only serial of 2014 was the Hum TV serial Firaaq, opposite Mohib Mirza, Noor Hassan Rizvi and Junaid Khan. She portrayed the role of Paiman who struggles to live at her own will despite of strict boundaries set by her mother. .

    Recent work and film debut (2015–present)

    Her next serial, Diyar-e-Dil, was not only the biggest success of 2015 but also one of the most successful serials of all time in Pakistan. Directed by Haseeb Hassan, and based on Farhat Ishtiaq's novel of the same name, she was cast alongside Maya Ali, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Osman Khalid Butt and Abid Ali, and portrayed Ruhina Behroze Khan, a young middle-class girl who marries her rich class fellow Behroze Khan (played by Zulfiqar), against his family members and leaves home and gives birth to new rivalry in both families.[17]

    In 2016, she was seen in four Pakistani films. She made her film debut in Nasir Khan's romantic thriller Bachaana[18]with Mohib Mirza[19][20][18] She next appeared in Anjum Shahzad and Sarmad Sehbai's Mah-e-Meer, along with Fahad Mustafa and Iman Ali, describing it as the first "glamorous" role of her career.[21][22] She was also seen in Ahmed Jamal's Rahm. She then appeared in Mehreen Jabbar's Dobara Phir Se, alongside Adeel Hussain, Hareem Farooq, Ali Kazmi and Tooba Siddiqui, which earned her an award for Best supporting actress (film) at the 16th Lux Style Awards.

    In 2018, she appeared as the younger sister Zara, in the critically acclaimed film Cake.[23] Reviewing the film for The Express Tribune, critic Rahul Aijaz appreciates Saeed's extraordinary performance in the film and wrote ''Saeed portrays Zara with suppressed emotions, running away from her past. Hers is the journey we try to keep digging into, slowly. The actor's naturally calm exterior and controlled style of speaking aid her project Zara's insecurities.''[24]

    Music career

    Saeed briefly appeared in the third season of Coke Studio Pakistan, where she sang background vocals on "Alif Allah (Jugni)" by Arif Lohar and Meesha Shafi, "Aisha" by Amanat Ali and "Chori Chori" by Meesha Shafi as a backing vocalist.[25]

    Musical theater

    Sanam has worked for Made for Stage Productions in the following stage plays: Chicago, Mamma Mia!, Carnage, Dhaani and Grease.[26][27][28][29][30][31]

    Personal life

    Saeed married her childhood friend, Farhan Hassan, a banker from Karachi, on 2 January 2015.[32][33] In 2018, Saeed stated that her husband and she are divorced.[34]

    In 2021, Saeed married actor, Mohib Mirza, in a private ceremony. They announced their wedding in 2023.[2]

    Filmography

    Films
    Key
    † Denotes films that have not yet been released
    Year Title Role Notes Ref.
    2016 Bachaana Aalia [21][35]
    2016 Mah-e-Meer Naina Kanwal Based on the life of Mir Taqi Mir [21][22]
    2016 Dobara Phir Se Samar [21][36]
    2016 Rahm Samina [21]
    2017 Azad Sabreen Hisbani Screened at South Asian International Film Festival [37][21]
    2018 Cake Zara [38][39]
    2022 Ishrat Made in China Akhtar [40]
    TBA Aan † TBA Filming [41]

    Television
    Year Title Role Network Ref.
    2010 Daam Fizza ARY Digital [42]
    2011 Mera Naseeb Shazia Hum TV [42]
    2012 Mata-e-Jaan Hai Tu Yamina Hum TV [9]
    2012–2013 Talkhiyan Bibi Express Entertainment [12]
    2012–2013 Zindagi Gulzar Hai Kashaf Murtaza Hum TV [42]
    2013 Kadoorat Minah Hum TV [42]
    2013 Ek Kasak Reh Gayi Paras Geo TV
    2013 Shukk Sania ARY Digital [42]
    2014 Firaaq Paimaan Hum TV [42]
    2015–2016 Diyar-e-Dil Ruhina Behroze Hum TV [43]
    2016–2017 Dil Banjaara Nida Nafees Hum TV [44]
    2018 Aakhri Station Tehmina Ary Digital [45]
    2018–2019 Deedan Resham A-Plus TV [46]

    Other appearance
    Year Title Role Notes Ref.
    2013 Dil Mera Dharkan Teri Beenish Telefilm [47]
    Kahin Chand Na Sharma Jaye Mishal/Sameer
    Tamanna ki Tamanna Zainab [48]
    2015 Mr. Shamim Maya Sitcom

    Web series
    Year Title Role Platform(s) Ref.
    2021 Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam Zuvi Zee5 [49]

    Theatre
    Year Theatre Play Role Notes
    2007 Chicago Roxie Hart [26][27]
    2009 Mama Mia Rosie [28]
    2009 Carnage [29]
    2013 Grease Rizz [30]
    2013 Dhaani Ruqayya [31]

    Discography
    Year Song Notes
    2010 "Alif Allah (Jugni)" on Coke Studio Pakistan (Season 3) as a backing vocalist[25]
    "Aisha"
    "Chori Chori"

    Awards and nominations
    Year Work Award Result Ref
    Hum Awards
    2013 Zindagi Gulzar Hai Best Actor Female (Jury) Nominated [50]
    2013 Zindagi Gulzar Hai Best Actor Female (Popular) Won [50]
    2013 Zindagi Gulzar Hai Best On-screen Couple (Jury) Won [50]
    2013 Zindagi Gulzar Hai Best On-screen Couple (Popular) Won [50]
    2015 Diyar-e-Dil Best Actor in a negative role Nominated [51]
    Lux Style Awards
    2013 Zindagi Gulzar Hai Best Television Actress - Satellite Won [52]
    2017 Dobara Phir Se Best Supporting Actress in a Film Won [53]
    Bachaana Best Lead Actress in a Film Nominated
    2019 Cake Best Film Actress Nominated [54][55]
    Hum Style Awards
    2016 Dobara Phir Se Most Stylish Actress - Film Nominated [56]
    2017 Cake Most Stylish Actress - Film Won [57]

    Other recognitions
    • 2012: Loreal Paris Award (Model of the year)
    • 2013: Tarang House Full Awards (Best Female In Supporting Role for Dil Mera Dharkan Teri)[58]
    • 2017: Eastern Eye Awards 2016 (Best Film Actress award for Rahm)[59]
    • 2019: "Pride of Pakistan" by Daily Times[60]

    References
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