Vaneeza Ahmad

Vaneeza Ahmad or Vaneeza Ahmed (Urdu: ونیزہ احمد‎; born 24 June 1971) is a Pakistani model and actress, and occasional singer. As a model she has seen success as the face of some of the leading brands in Pakistan, and is the first Pakistani model to walk the ramps for famous international designers such as Donna Karan and Calvin Klein.[3][4][2][1]

Vaneeza Ahmed Ali
ونیزہ احمد
Vaneeza at an Event
Born
Vaneeza Ahmed

(1971-06-24) 24 June 1971
Murree, Punjab, Pakistan
Other namesVinnie[1][2]
Occupation
  • Actress
  • model
  • singer
Years active1994–present
Height168 cm (5 ft 6 in)

Biography

Early life

Vaneeza Ahmad was born into a Muslim family in Murree, Pakistan, and later moved to Germany with her parents to study. Ahmad reportedly said to news media that when she was a youngster, the college students those days mostly had three career options – medicine, engineering or teaching. Modelling as a career was not an option for girls back then.[2] Ahmad returned to Pakistan at the age of 18 to attend the Kinnaird College liberal arts university in Lahore[5] and graduated with a bachelor's degree in psychology.

While at University, Ahmad started to model casually.[5] Although not much interested in modelling as a career option, she received offers from various fashion designers, some of whom were notable in the Pakistani fashion industry[5] including the likes of fashion designer Nilofer Shahid.[1]

Modelling as a career

When designer Nilofer Shahid approached Ahmad, she was unsure of which career to pursue and settled for fashion modeling. Her initial walks at fashion shows led fashion critics to praise her elegance on the cat-walk. In dealings with corporate heads of the entertainment industry, her business acumen was similarly praised.[5]

Vaneeza, the brand

Ahmad conceived the brand name Vlawn[6] for her range of lawn fabrics. The collection consisted of nine different lawn prints created by designers that included Nomi Ansari, Umar Sayeed and Hassan Sheheryar Yasin. In March 2006, the collection sold-out in a series of exhibitions.[6] In 2011, she continued with her "VLawn" brand of women's lawn suits.[2]

Acting and acclaim

Ahmad made her acting debut in Jamal Shah's controversial saga Kal and has since acted in Marina Khan's Tum Hi Tau Ho, Janey Anjaney and Tum Say Mil Ker; Armaan; Khayal; and Talaash (Pakistani TV series). She played the founder of Pakistan Muhammad Ali Jinnah's daughter Dina Wadia in Jamil Dehlavi's 1998 biographical film, Jinnah.[1]

On 16 April 2008, Vaneeza Ahmad was selected as one of the Olympic torch bearers when the torch arrived in Islamabad. She was one of the few selected celebrities[7] to hold the torch in the relay out of the chosen 66.[8]

Personal life

She married Islamabad-based businessman Ali Afzal Malik in July 2010 and has two daughters. She also runs her own side business besides her responsibility as a mother.[3][9][1]

Filmography

Films
YearTitleRoleRef
1998 film Jinnah as Dina Jinnah [1]

Television

TV Commercials
  • (1997) | "Kyun Ke Yeh Dil Ka Mamla Hai" | Habib Oil
  • Sab Say Ghara Doodh | Haleeb Milk
  • Pepsi Diet | Pepsi
  • Head & Shoulders
  • (2001) | "Express Yourself" | Instaphone
  • Lipton by Unilever
  • (2006) | "Ramzan Mubarak" | Olpers
  • (2006) | "50 Years" | LUX by Unilever
  • (2007) | Brings People Closer | Indigo by Jazz Pakistan
  • (2007) | Subah Bakhair Zindagi | Olpers
  • (2008) Sunsilk by Unilever
  • (2009) Dettol
  • (2010) | "Ghee" | Kissan Oil
  • (2011) | "Prints" | V Lawn
  • (2016) | "Ghizayat Bhara Har Ghoont" | Olpers
  • (2020) | "Khulay To Dil Khulay" | Coca-Cola

Music Videos
Song title Co-singer Year
"Woh Pal" Atif Aslam TBA
"Spring Blossom" 2007
"Yaad" Shehzad Roy 2005
"Na Re Na" Ali Azmat 2003
"Bulleya" Junoon (band) 1999

See also

References
  1. Muhammad Asadullah (11 March 2020). "The undisputed supermodel – Vaneeza Ahmed, Pakistani model turned actress, speaks exclusively about her two-decade long journey and career". Gulf Times (newspaper). Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  2. Amber Liaqat (9 February 2017). "All I see in models now are nakhray: Vaneeza Ahmed". The Express Tribune (newspaper). Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  3. Sheharyar Rizwan (8 February 2015). "Vaneeza Ahmad: Beauty and brains". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  4. Maliha Rehman (2 November 2014). "In Fashion: The affair of the 'Supermodel'". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  5. "Page 3 Bollywood: Vaneeza Ahmad". WordPress. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  6. "Vaneeza: Biography". Archived from the original on 31 May 2008. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  7. "Sports Update: Pakistan torch bearers for Olympics named". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  8. "Olympic torch comes to Pakistan after 44 years". All Things Pakistan website. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  9. Hani Taha (12 May 2012). "Vaneeza Ahmed: Of nap times and nappy changes". The Express Tribune (newspaper). Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  10. Irfan-ul-Haq (19 September 2019). "Vaneeza Ahmed is playing Ahad Raza Mir's mother in Ehd-e-Wafa". Dawn (newspaper). Retrieved 16 June 2020.
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