Zara Sheikh
زارا شیخ
Sheikh in 2010
Born
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Occupations
Years active2000 – present

Zara Sheikh (Punjabi, Urdu: زارا شیخ) is a Pakistani model and actress.[1] Sheikh has acted in films such as Tere Pyar Mein (2000), Salakhain (2004) and Laaj (2003).[1] She won the Nigar Award for Best Actress for her performance in film Tere Pyar Mein and Lux Style Award for Best Actress for her performance in ‘Laaj’.[1]

Career

Modelling

Zara Sheikh started her more than a decade long modelling career even before stepping into movies at a very young age. She started out with photographer Khawar Riaz, and till date, is named as one of his most successful models. Due to her unconventional looks, slender frame and height, Zara was an instant favourite for all leading designers. She has graced the covers of almost all Pakistani magazines, and appeared in campaigns for almost all leading brands, including Deepak Perwani, Aasia Saail, Salina Wardah, Nee Punhal, Dawn Bread, Mobilink, Rite Biscuits, Golden Chips, Coca-Cola, Head & Shoulders, Dabur Amla, 7up, Meezan, Gul Ahmed, Nishat, Levi's, Crossroads, Lajwanti, to name a few.

Unlike most Pakistani models, her fashion career, despite entering movies in 2000, continued for a long time owing to get ability to totally transform for each shoot.

Films

Zara Sheikh made her cinema screen debut in 2000, through film director Hassan Askari's Tere Pyar Mein, in which she played the role of an Indian Sikh girl, who falls in love with a Pakistani banker. Sheikh received the Nigar's Best Actress award for her role in the film.[1]

In 2002, she appeared in Sajjad Gul's Chalo Ishq Larain. A year later, in 2003, Sheikh played the part of a Hindu girl, Ram Khori, who converts to Islam, in Laaj (means Honour in English), a love tale set in the backdrop of 1947 partition of India and Pakistan.[2]

In 2004, Zara Sheikh worked in the 150 minute, Shahzad Rafique-directed Salakhain (translated as The Bars).[1]

In 2006, Zara Sheikh played the role of a girl-in-love in the Mubashir Lucman-directed Pehla Pehla Pyar (The First Love), a film partly filmed in Thailand. Speaking of her experience, post-production, Sheikh said, "It's not easy to work with Mubasher. He's motivated by his film a lot and does not believe in any compromises." She also stated that, at one point she had worked twenty-eight hours at a stretch, but that when I saw the result on the screen afterwards, I was in tears because it was clearly worth it."

In 2019, she starred in Heer Maan Ja).[3]

Singing

In 2002, Zara Sheikh collaborated with Ali Haider to playback sing three musical numbers for her movie Chalo Ishq Larain.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleRef.
2000Tere Pyar MeinPreeti[3][1]
2002Chalo Ishq Larain[4]
2003Laaj[4][3][2]
Commando
Yeh Waada Raha
2004Salakhain[4][3][1]
2005Tere Bin Jiya Na Jaye
2006Pehla Pehla Pyaar[4]
2008Kabhi Pyar Na Karna
2014Honour KillingSameera[4][3]
2017Jung
2019Heer Maan Ja[3]

Television

YearTitleRoleNetwork
2021 Raqs-e-Bismil Laila Hum TV

Accolades

Ceremony Category Film Result Ref.
2000 Nigar Awards Best Actress (Urdu) Tere Pyar Mein Won [5]
1st Lux Style Awards Best Film Actress Tere Pyar Mein Won
2nd Lux Style Awards Best Film Actress Chalo Ishq Larain Nominated [6]
3rd Lux Style Awards Best Film Actress Laaj Won

Music videos

  • "Gal V Na Kare" – Wet Metals
  • "O' Sanam" (O' Love!) –Yasir Akhter
  • "Ghar Aya Mera" (Mine, Came Home) – Tulsi
  • "Khamaj" – Fuzon
  • "Punjabi Touch" – Abrar-ul-Haq
  • Hum Ek Hain (We Are One) – Shehzad Roy
  • "Atom Bomb (Jee Chaey)" – Faakhir
  • "Tu Hi Meri Aas" – Usman Malik

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Usman, Ali (5 May 2010). "Zara Sheikh: modelling first, acting later (an interview)". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  2. 1 2 Review of film Laaj (2002) on Cineplot.com website Retrieved 13 June 2020
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sarym, Ahmad (26 May 2019). "Spotlight: The Return of Zara Sheikh". Dawn. Retrieved 13 June 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 Ali, Rashid Nazir (1 July 2014). "Zara Sheikh to make a comeback in singing". Reviewit.pk website. Retrieved 12 June 2021.
  5. ↑ "Pakistan's "Oscars"; The Nigar Awards. - Hot Spot Film Reviews". 24 December 2017. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
  6. ↑ "::LUX Style Awards 2003::". 15 July 2003. Archived from the original on 15 July 2003. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
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