Sanam Saeed

Sanam Saeed (born 2 February 1985)[3] 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 Mominda Duraid's Zindagi Gulzar Hai for which she received numerous accolades including Lux Style Awards for Best Television Actress.

Sanam Saeed
صنم سعید
Saeed on the sets of Diyar-e-Dil
Born (1985-02-02) 2 February 1985
NationalityPakistani
Alma materL'Ecole College
OccupationActress
Years active2007–present
Spouse(s)
Farhan Hassan
(m. 2015; div. 2018)
[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 established herself as a leading actress in television, Saeed made her film debut with 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 biographical drama Mah-e-Mir, period drama film Rahm (both 2016), melodrama Azaad (2017) and family drama Cake (2018) for which she received nomination for Best Actress at Lux Style Awards and Pakistan Achievement Awards. In 2019, Saeed was named "Pride of Pakistan" by Daily Times.[4]

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.[5] The multi-ethnic family (her father is a Punjabi while her mother is a Memon) moved back to Karachi in 1990.[6] 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.[7] In Paper Magazine, she confessed that the reason she quit modelling was due to her increasingly becoming conscious about her looks for the first time in her life.[8]

Career

Television debut (2010–2011)

Saeed started her acting career with a supporting role in the 2010 ARY Digital serial, Daam as 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.[9]

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.[10]

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.[11] 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 matured girl, comes from a middle-class family background marked a departure from the glamorous characters that she had a reputation for portraying.[1][12] The pairing of Saeed with Khan resulted in hype over the drama aired and it proved a major commercial success.[13] 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.[14] 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.[15][16]

Saeed next played opposite Junaid Khan in the 2013 mystery drama Kadoorat aired on Hum TV from Momina Duraid. Her role was Minah, who take revenge from her step-mother and step-sister and later felt guilty.[17] The same year, she appeared in Geo TV serial Ek Kasak Reh Gaye opposite alongside 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 "rich and spoiled brat". The telefilm received mixed reviews from critics, however Saeed's performance was praised by both critics and viewers.[18] 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 opposite Mohib Mirza, Noor Hassan Rizvi and Junaid Khan in the Hum TV serial Firaaq. She is portraying the role of Paiman who struggles to live at her own wills despite of boundaries by her mother. As for 2015, Saeed had several upcoming projects in various stages of productions. She completed Anjum Shahzad's biographical film Mah-e-Meer with Fahad Mustafa and Iman Ali, describing it as the first "glamorous" role of her career. She has also committed to feature alongside Mohib Mirza in Nasir Khan's romantic thriller Bachaana, where she will portray the role of Aalia, an Indian girl.[19] Saeed was also finalised to play the lead in Duraid's Diyar-e-Dil.

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 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.[20]

In 2016, she was seen in four Pakistani films. She made her film debut in Nasir Khan's romantic thriller Bachaana with Mohib Mirza[21][22][19] 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.[23][24] 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 critically acclaimed film Cake.[25] Reviewing the film for The Express Tribune, critic Rahul Aijaz appreciates Saeed's extra-ordinary 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 aids her project Zara’s insecurities.''[26]

Music career

Saeed had briefly appeared in 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.[27]

Musical theater

Sanam has worked for Made for Stage Productions in the following stage plays: Chicago, Mamma Mia!, Carnage, Dhaani and Grease.[28][29][30][31][32][33]

Personal life

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

Filmography

Key
Denotes films that have not yet been released

Theatre

Year Theatre Play Role Notes
2007 Chicago Roxie Hart [28][29]
2009 Mama Mia Rosie [30]
2009 Carnage [31]
2013 Grease Rizz [32]
2013 Dhaani Ruqayya [33]

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2016 Bachaana Aalia Film Debut[23][35]
2016 Mah-e-Meer Naina Kanwal Based on the life of Mir Taqi Mir[23][24]
2016 Dobara Phir Se Samar [23][36]
2016 Rahm Samina [23]
2017 Azad Screened at South Asian International Film Festival 2017 [37][23]
2018 Cake Zara Best Feature Fiction Award at South Asian Film Festival [38][39]

Television

Year Title Role Network
2010 Daam Fizza ARY Digital[40]
2011 Mera Naseeb Shazia Hum TV[40]
2012 Mata-e-Jaan Hai Tu Yamina Hum TV[11]
2012–2013 Talkhiyan Bibi Express Entertainment[14]
2012–2013 Zindagi Gulzar Hai Kashaf Murtuza Hum TV[40]
2013 Dil Mera Dharkan Teri Beenish Telefilm[41]
2013 Kadoorat Minah Hum TV[40]
2013 Kahin Chand Na Sharma Jaye Mishal/Sameer Telefilm
2013 Tamanna ki Tamanna Zainab Telefilm[42]
2013 Ek Kasak Reh Gayi Paras Geo TV
2013 Shukk Sania ARY Digital[40]
2014 Firaaq Paimaan Hum TV[40]
2015 Mr. Shamim Maya Hum TV
2015–2016 Diyar-e-Dil Ruhina Hum TV[43]
2016–2017 Dil Banjaara Nida Hum TV[44]
2018 Aakhri Station Tehmina Ary Digital[45]
2018–2019 Deedan Resham A-Plus TV[46]

Discography

Year Song Notes
2010 "Alif Allah (Jugni)" on Coke Studio Pakistan (Season 3) as a backing vocalist[27]
"Aisha"
"Chori Chori"

Awards and nominations

Year Work Award Result Ref
Hum Awards
2013 Zindagi Gulzar Hai Best Actor Female (Jury) Nominated [47]
2013 Zindagi Gulzar Hai Best Actor Female (Popular) Won [47]
2013 Zindagi Gulzar Hai Best On-screen Couple (Jury) Won [47]
2013 Zindagi Gulzar Hai Best On-screen Couple (Popular) Won [47]
2015 Diyar-e-Dil Best Actor in a negative role Nominated [48]
Lux Style Awards
2013 Zindagi Gulzar Hai Best Television Actress - Satellite Won [49]
2017 Dobara Phir Se Best Supporting Actress Won [50]
Bachaana Best Film Actress Nominated
2019 Cake Best Film Actress Pending [51]
Hum Style Awards
2016 Dobara Phir Se Most Stylish Actress - Film Nominated [52]
2017 Cake Most Stylish Actress - Film Won [53]

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)[54]
  • 2017: Eastern Eye Awards 2016 (Best Film Actress award for Rahm)[55]
  • 2019: "Pride of Pakistan" by Daily Times[4]

References

  1. Sanam Saeed talks to Fashion Central fashioncentral.pk Retrieved 22 July 2012
  2. SG. "Elegant and extraordinary - Sanam Saeed". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  3. "Pride of Pakistan Sanam Saeed". Daily Times. 29 August 2019. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  4. Salima Feerasta (9 March 2014), "Sanam Saeed & Sanam Jung: Double act", The Express Tribune. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  5. Interview with Samina Peerzada. "Sanam Saeed Like Never Before | Speak Your Heart With Samina Peerzada | Part I", uploaded on YouTube on the 8 November 2018.
  6. "Sanam Saeed: Biography, Interview, and Pics". Showbizpak.com. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  7. "Oh Sanam!". styleonpaper. 10 June 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  8. "Fawad Khan on Kissing: "I didn't want to hurt the sentiments of my core audience"". Thenewsreports.com. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  9. "I like the idea of virgin romance: Fawad Khan | Zee News". Zeenews.india.com. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  10. "India uses cinema to tell its stories, we use TV: Sanam Saeed". Times Of India. 14 July 2014.
  11. "Fahad Mustafa, Sanam Saeed and Iman Ali To Star Together In a Movie!". Reviewit.pk. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  12. Nandini Sharma (29 September 2014). "Indian Author Accuses Pakistani Serial Of Plagiarism | Business Insider India". Businessinsider.in. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  13. Saadia Qamar (6 December 2012). "A story of bitterness: Meet the women of 'Talkhiyan'". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 26 December 2013.
  14. "Sanam Saeed back as Shazia in Zindagi's 'Mera Naseeb' | Zee News". Zeenews.india.com. 19 September 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  15. "FK's virgin romance!". Ahmedabad Mirror. 3 October 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  16. "Breast cancer campaign from 13th". Nation.com.pk. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  17. "Sisters under the skin? Chitra Divakaruni says Zindagi serial rips off her novel". Firstpost. 3 October 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2015.
  18. "New film on the horizon: Sanam Saeed and Mohib Mirza to star in Bachaana". dawn.com. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  19. "Dayar e Dil New Drama Coming Soon on Hum Tv". dramas-online. 3 November 2015. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
  20. "Bachaana' makes Rs20m in three days". Express Tribune. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  21. "Sanam Saeed to play an Indian in upcoming Pakistani film". tribune.com.pk. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  22. Saeed, Mahek (9 December 2015). "Our women don't have much exposure of the outside world: Sanam Saeed". The Express Tribune.
  23. "'Mah-e-Meer' to hit theatres on May 6". Express Tribune. 27 March 2016.
  24. McCahill, Mike (29 March 2018). "Cake review – Karachi sister act ditches melodrama for real life". the Guardian. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  25. "'Cake' review: One slice just won't be enough - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  26. "Sanam Saeed Coke Studio Bio".
  27. Kulsoom (6 January 2015). "Attending Chicago the Musical…in Karachi". Wordpress. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  28. "Chicago in Karachi opens new avenues to art, theatre and a 'wicked' world of possibilities". Saba Sartaj K.
  29. Muniba Kamal. "Mamma Mia! Here they go again!". JANG News. Archived from the original on 24 January 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  30. "'God of Carnage' a play by Nida Butt". Pakistan Today. 6 December 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  31. Salima Fareesta (20 January 2015). "Grease The musical delivers a fun night out". Karachista. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  32. Rafey Mehmood (20 May 2013). "Dhaani: Great performances lost in vain". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  33. “I couldn't balance marriage and my mother's declining health: Sanam Saeed”. The Express Tribune. 9 November 2018.
  34. Hassan, Malik (28 February 2015). "Review: Bachaana is a big slice of highly palatable cheese". Daily Times Pakistan.
  35. Lodhi, Rita (3 September 2016). "'Dobara Phir Se' release date finally revealed". Aaj TV.
  36. https://www.hipinpakistan.com/news/1154257/rehan-sheikhs-azad-to-release-on-9th-feb-2018
  37. http://www.hipinpakistan.com/news/1151833/4-reasons-why-we-are-waiting-for-the-film-cake
  38. NewsBytes. "Cake wins big at the South Asian Film Festival of Montreal". Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  39. Rehman Chagani, Anum. "I like taking on characters that empower women: Sanam Saeed". DAWN. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  40. "Sanam Saeed & Sanam Jung: Double act". The Express Tribune. 9 March 2014.
  41. Khan, Sher (22 August 2012). "Bilal Khan: Acting pushed me out of my comfort zone". Express Tribune.
  42. "Diyar-e-Dil: Of love, pride and family values". The News On Sunday. 15 November 2015.
  43. "Gypsy is not just another drama about wailing women, says Mira Sethi". DAWN. 2 June 2016.
  44. "Aakhri Station Drama Sarmad Khoosat Sanam Saeed". OxGadgets. 4 February 2018. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  45. Shabbir, Buraq. "Sanam Saeed and Mohib Mirza starrer Deedan is a unique tale". Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  46. "2nd Hum Awards Winners". Review it. Rashid Nazir Ali. 30 March 2014. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  47. "The awards will be held in Karachi on April 23rd and the voting lines are open till April 6, 2016". HIP. 6 April 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  48. "13 Lux Style Awards: and the winners are ..." Dawn: Entertainment Desk. 5 December 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  49. Staff, Images (19 April 2017). "Here's what's going down at the Lux Style Awards 2017 right now [LIVE]". Images. Retrieved 19 April 2017.
  50. "Did your favorites get nominated for Lux Style Awards 2019?". www.thenews.com.pk. 30 March 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  51. "Here are the winners from the first ever Hum Style Awards". Dawn. 29 October 2016. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  52. https://images.dawn.com/news/1178667
  53. "Results And Pictures Of Tarang Housfull Awards". Fatima Awan. Review It. 23 June 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  54. "Sanam Saeed Wins Best Actress At Eastern Eye Awards". Images. Dawn. 23 May 2017. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
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