Saba Qamar Zaman (born 5 April 1984), known professionally as Saba Qamar, is a Pakistani actress who works predominantly in

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
''

Lux Style Awards The Lux Style Awards is an award ceremony held annually in Pakistan since 2002. The awards celebrate "style" in the Pakistani entertainment industry, and it is the oldest event dedicated to cinema, television, fashion, music and film industry ...

and

Hum Awards Hum Awards are annual Pakistani accolades bestowed by the Hum Network Limited in recognition of excellence in programming of television, fashion and music industry of Pakistan. Winners are awarded the Hum Award of Merit. The awards were first p ...

. Qamar is one of Pakistan's most popular and highest-paid actresses.

Government of Pakistan The Government of Pakistan ( ur, , translit=hakúmat-e pákistán) abbreviated as GoP, is a federal government established by the Constitution of Pakistan as a constituted governing authority of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provin ...

honoured her

Tamgha-e-Imtiaz Tamgha-e-Imtiaz () also spelled as Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, is a state-organised honour of Pakistan. It is given to any civilian in Pakistan based on their achievements. While it is a civilian/military award, it can be bestowed upon officers of the P ...

in 2012, and

Pride of Performance The Pride of Performance ( ur, ), officially known as Presidential Pride of Performance, is an award bestowed by the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to recognize people with "notable achievements in the field of art, science, literature, sports, an ...

in 2016. Qamar first received positive media attention for the role of

Fatima Jinnah Fatima Jinnah ( ur, ; 31 July 1893 – 9 July 1967), widely known as Māder-e Millat ("Mother of the Nation"), was a Pakistani stateswoman, politician, dental surgeon and one of the leading founders of Pakistan. She was the younger sister of ...

in the historical drama '' Jinnah Ke Naam'' (2007), and this breakthrough was followed with further success in several television series, including the pre-partition drama '' Dastaan'', the melodrama ''

Uraan Uraan may refer to the following television series from Pakistan: * Uraan (2010 TV series) * Uraan (2019 TV series) * Uraan (2020 TV series) ''Uraan'' is a Pakistani television series, produced by Abdullah Kadwani and Asad Qureshi under thei ...

'' (both 2010), the romantic dramas ''

Maat Maat or Maʽat ( Egyptian: mꜣꜥt /ˈmuʀʕat/, Coptic: ⲙⲉⲓ) refers to the ancient Egyptian concepts of truth, balance, order, harmony, law, morality, and justice. Ma'at was also the goddess who personified these concepts, and regul ...

'' and '' Pani Jaisa Piyar'' (both 2011), the socio ''

Thakan ''Thakan'' ( ur, ) is an Urdu language Pakistani drama television series directed by Amin Iqbal and written by Faiza Iftikhar. First broadcast in Pakistan by ARY Digital, ''Thakan'' features Saba Qamar, Yumna Zaidi, Saba Hameed, Tauqeer Nasi ...

'' (2012), thriller ''

Sannata ''Sannata'' () is a Pakistani drama serial aired on ARY Digital. It is directed by Kashif Nisar and written by Saji Gul and stars Saba Qamar, Danish Taimoor and Sajal Aly in lead. Drama is produced by Abdullah Seja and Nauman Masood under t ...

'', the romantic ''

Bunty I Love You ''Bunty I Love You'' ( ur, ) is a Pakistani drama serial directed by Siraj-ul-Haque , written by Khalil-Ur-Rehman Qamar & produced by Momina Duraid under the production Momina Duraid Productions. The drama was aired from 29 December 2013 to 18 ...

'' (both 2013), family drama ''

Digest Writer ''Digest Writer'' ( ur, ) is a Pakistani drama series which premiered on Hum TV on 5 October 2014. The serial is penned by Umera Ahmad and directed by Syed Ahmed Kamran. It stars Saba Qamar, Agha Ali and Gohar Rasheed. It received seven no ...

'' (2014), crime thriller '' Sangat'' (2015) and '' Besharam'' (2016), receiving Best Actress awards and nominations for each of them. She has also appeared in acclaimed biographical film ''

Manto may refer to: People * Mando (singer), Greek singer * Manto Mavrogenous, Greek national heroine * Saadat Hasan Manto, Urdu short story writer known by his pen name Manto * Manto Tshabalala-Msimang (1940–2009), South African politician * Manto ...

'' (2015), romantic comedy ''

Lahore Se Aagey ''Lahore Se Aagey'' (; ) is a 2016 Pakistani road-comedy romantic film directed by Wajahat Rauf, written by Yasir Hussain and Produced by Wajahat Rauf, Asfand Faruok, Salman Iqbal, and Jarjees Seja. The film is a spin-off to 2015 comedy fil ...

'' (2016), and the

hindi Hindi (Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been de ...

educational drama ''

Hindi Medium ''Hindi Medium'' is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama film written and directed by Saket Chaudhary, and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Bhushan Kumar under their respective banners Maddock Films and T-Series. It stars Irrfan Khan, Saba ...

'' (2017), for which she received a nomination of

Filmfare Award for Best Actress The Filmfare Award for Best Actress is given by ''Filmfare'' as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Bollywood, Hindi films, to recognise the female actor who has delivered an outstanding performance in a leading role. The award was first gi ...

. Qamar continued to draw praise for portraying

Fouzia Azeem Fouzia Azeem ( ur, ; 1 March 1990 – 15 July 2016), known by her stage name Qandeel Baloch ( ur, ), was a Pakistani model, actress, social media celebrity and activist. She was the country's first social media celebrity. Azeem rose to promin ...

and

Noor Jehan Noor Jehan ( Punjabi: ) (born () Allah Rakhi Wasai ; 23 September 1926 – 23 December 2000; sometimes spelled Noorjehan),Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen, ''Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema,'' British Film Institute, Oxford University Pres ...

in the 2017 biographical dramas '' Baaghi'' and ''

Main Manto ''Manto'' is a 2017 Pakistani television biographical drama series, directed by Sarmad Khoosat who also played the titular role in the series, produced by Babar Javed and Asif Raza Mir under banner A&B Entertainment. The other cast includes San ...

'', and a strong woman, fighting for her friend's attempted rape and murder in the 2019 courtroom drama ''

Cheekh ''Cheekh'' ( ur, ; ''lit'': 'Scream') was a 2019 Pakistani crime-drama television series created and produced by Fahad Mustafa and Dr. Ali Kazmi under their production house, Big Bang Entertainment. It features Saba Qamar and Bilal Abbas in le ...

''. The first of these earned her a Lux Style Award for Best Television Actress. She features in listings of the nation's most popular personalities.

Early life

Saba Qamar Zaman was born on 5 April 1984 into a Sindhi family in

Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part ...

Sindh Sindh (; ; ur, , ; historically romanized as Sind) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southeastern region of the country, Sindh is the third-largest province of Pakistan by land area and the second-largest province ...

, Pakistan. She lost her father at a very young age and spent most of her childhood in

Gujranwala Gujranwala ( ur, , label=none; ) is a city and capital of Gujranwala Division located in Pakistan. It is also known as "City of Wrestlers" and is quite famous for its food. It is the 5th most populous city proper after Karachi, Lahore, Faisala ...

with her grandmother. She got her early education in Gujranwala, then moved to

Lahore Lahore ( ; pnb, ; ur, ) is the second most populous city in Pakistan after Karachi and 26th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 13 million. It is the capital of the province of Punjab where it is the largest city. ...

to pursue further studies. Her family is settled in

Karachi Karachi (; ur, ; ; ) is the most populous city in Pakistan and 12th most populous city in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast. It is the former cap ...

Acting career

Beginnings and breakthrough (2005–2011)

Qamar appeared in the

PTV Home PTV Home HD is a Pakistani Free-to-air Television channel owned by the Pakistan Television Corporation. It also broadcast as a Terrestrial television Terrestrial television or over-the-air television (OTA) is a type of television broadcastin ...

television series ''Mein Aurat Hoon'' (2005). The series was shot in

, and was followed by several classic PTV series including ''Gharoor'', ''Taqdeer'', ''Chaap'', ''Dhoop Mein Andhera Hai'', ''Kanpur Se Katas Tak'', ''Unbiyaanable'' and ''Maamo''. Later in 2007, Qamar appeared in ATV's series ''

Khuda Gawah ''Khuda Gawah'' (, also translated and released as ''God Is My Witness'') is a 1992 Indian epic drama film written and directed by Mukul S. Anand. It stars Amitabh Bachchan, Nagarjuna, Sridevi, Shilpa Shirodkar, Danny Denzongpa, Kiran Kuma ...

'' which was the remake of 1992 Indian film of the same name, and the biographical drama '' Jinnah Ke Naam'', which was the production of

in the direction of Tariq Mairaj. She has played the role of

and the series was a tribute to the founder of Pakistan,

Muhammad Ali Jinnah Muhammad Ali Jinnah (, ; born Mahomedali Jinnahbhai; 25 December 1876 – 11 September 1948) was a barrister, politician, and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah served as the leader of the All-India Muslim League from 1913 until the ...

. Though the series failed commercially, Qamar received a nomination for Best TV Actress (Terrestrial) at the Lux Style Awards. In an earlier interview with ''

The Express Tribune ''The Express Tribune'' is a daily English-language newspaper based in Pakistan. It is the flagship publication of the '' Daily Express'' media group. It is Pakistan's only internationally affiliated newspaper in a partnership with the ''Interna ...

'', Qamar confessed, "For me, acting is being able to express the feelings, emotions and expressions of different people and characters". In 2010, she appeared in a supporting role of Surraya in

Hum TV Hum TV is a 24-hour Urdu General Entertainment TV channel based in Karachi, Pakistan. It was founded by Sultana Siddiqui and Duraid Qureshi. It is owned by Hum Network Limited and traded on Pakistan Stock Exchange as (HUMNL). Hum Network Limi ...

's pre partition television series '' Dastaan'', an adaptation of

Razia Butt Razia Butt ( ur, ) was an Urdu novelist and playwright from Pakistan. One of the famous popular fiction writer of the 1960s and 1970s, she is often compared with English writer Barbara Cartland due to her popularity among the household readers. ...

's novel '' Bano''. She was seen opposite

Ahsan Khan Ahsan Khan ( ur, احسن خان; born 1981) is a Pakistani actor, producer and TV host. He began acting in 1998. He appeared in the films ''Nikah'', '' Billi'', '' Ghar Kab Aao Gay'', ''Sultanat'', ''Ishq Khuda'', ''Dil Mera Dhadkan Teri' ...

Sanam Baloch Sanam Baloch Hisbani or Jatoi ( ur, , ) (born 14 July 1986) credited as Sanam Baloch is a Pakistani actress and television presenter. She has hosted various television shows such as; ''Sanam Small Room'' on KTN and the morning show on Samaa TV ...

and

Fawad Khan Fawad Afzal Khan ( ur, ) (born 29 November 1981) is a Pakistani actor, producer, screenwriter, model and singer having received several awards including a Filmfare Award, two Lux Style Awards and six Hum Awards. Khan began his acting caree ...

. Series proved to be the break-through for her and she won the Best TV Actress trophy at the

Pakistan Media Awards The Pakistan Media Awards, commonly known as The PMA, are a set of awards given annually for radio, TV, film and theatre achievements. The award is a statuette representing a knight with a star on the chest. Its official named is a Pakistan Me ...

(2010). She won the

PTV Awards PTV National Awards () was an awards ceremony annually held by the Pakistan Television Corporation. The awards were first introduced in the late 1970s to encourage talented people in Pakistan. History The PTV awards is the largest awards cerem ...

for the best TV actress in both public and jury choice categories at the 16th Annual PTV awards, held on 23 July 2011 for her role in ''Tinkay''.''Tinkay'' also earned her a nomination for Best Television Actress at

. This was followed by a supporting role in the PTV Home's social drama on women ''Bint-e-Adam''. Her role in the series was of a rich brat who falls for a boy from poor background, and marries him against her cruel father's wishes. ''Bint e Adam'' was a major critical and commercial hit, however, critics noted that her role was "limited" from an acting point of view. Qamar then appeared in

Sarmad Khoosat Sarmad Sultan Khoosat (born May 7, 1979) is a Pakistani actor, film director, film/television director, TV director, producer and screenwriter best known for directing the super-hit TV dramas ''Humsafar'' and ''Shehr-e-Zaat''. He is considered t ...

's romantic series '' Pani Jaisa Piyar'' (2011), where she played the character of Sana who has been engaged to Adarsh, the son of her mother's best friend ever since she was a child. Adarsh, however, has been unaware of this engagement, as his parents thought that he needed to focus more on his

education Education is a purposeful activity directed at achieving certain aims, such as transmitting knowledge or fostering skills and character traits. These aims may include the development of understanding, rationality, kindness, and honesty. Va ...

than

wedding A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...

plans. It was followed by a role in PTV's '' Tera Pyar Nahi Bhoole''. She was paired opposite Ahsan Khan in both the series. Both of which garnered her Lux Style Award nominations for Best Television Actress. Later that year, she appeared in ''

'' where she played the role of selfish, self-obsessed Saman opposite

Adnan Siddiqui Adnan Siddiqui ( ur, ) (born 23 October 1969) is a Pakistani actor, producer and model who has worked in Lollywood and Hollywood and also made his debut in Bollywood with the Hindi film '' Mom'' (2017). He also has his own production house, ''C ...

and

Aamina Sheikh Aamina Sheikh ( ur, ) is an American-Pakistani actress, songwriter and former fashion model. Sheikh has received critical appreciation for her work in the Urdu television series and art films, and is the recipient of four Lux Style Award from nin ...

. The series was critically and commercially hit and became the thirteen highest-rated Pakistani television series and also garnered her

for Best Actress. That same year, Qamar collaborated with

Sami Khan Mansoor Aslam Khan Niazi, known professionally as Sami Khan, is a Pakistani actor and model who appears in films and television dramas. He started his career with film ''Salakhain'' and then moved to television. Early life He was born on July ...

in three of

Geo TV Geo Television Network is a television channel based in Pakistan. It was established in May 2002 and is owned by the Jang Media Group. The channel began its test transmission on 14 August 2002, with regular transmission beginning on 1 October 2 ...

's projects, '' Jo Chale To Jaan Se Guzar Gaye'', '' Tere Ik Nazar'', and ''

Main Chand Si ''Main Chand Si'' is a 2011 Pakistani romantic drama, that was aired on ARY Digital. The series starred Sami Khan, Saba Qamar and Fahad Mustafa, while Saba Hameed and Tipu Sharif were cast in supporting roles. Plot Irsa is an independent out ...

'', receiving further praise.

Critical acclaim and professional expansion (2012–2015)

Qamar next appeared in Ameen Iqbal's ''

'' (2012), which also starred Yumna Zaidi where she played the role of Sadaf who works extremely hard like a machine day and night to run her family but no one except her grandfather feels sympathy for her or even cares about her. It was followed by the leading roles in the Amna Nawaz Khan-written ''

Na Kaho Tum Mere Nahi ''Na Kaho Tum Mere Nahi'' ( ur, نہ کہو تم میرے نہیں) is a 2012 Pakistani romantic drama serial broadcast by Hum TV every Monday. Serial was first aired on 22 October 2012. It airs every Monday on Hum TV It is written by ''Maha Ma ...

'' (2012) and

Faiza Iftikhar Faiza Iftikhar is a Pakistani writer, author, novelist and screenwriter. She is active in the Pakistani television industry and known for her romantic and social plays. Her popular plays include '' Dil Lagi'', '' Aunn Zara'', '' Ranjha Ranjha ...

's '' Yahan Pyar Nahin Hai'' (2012). The later of which earned her a nomination for

Best Actress Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress awar ...

. She gained recognition for portraying a range of characters in the serials ''

Shehryar Shehzadi ''Shehryar Shehzadi'' is a Pakistani television drama series originally shown on the Urdu 1 and A-Plus Entertainment channels. This drama is a Mastermind Production, directed by Syed Ahmed Kamran and written by Zafar Imran. In an interview, S ...

'' (2012), '' Kaash Aisa Ho'' (2013), ''

'' (2013), and '' Ullu Baraye Farokht Nahi'' (2013), some of which garnered her several best actress nominations. Qamar won her first Hum Awards for the Best TV Actress for her role as Diana in ''

'', at the 3rd Hum Awards. That same year, Qamar worked in the television film ''

Aina Aina may refer to: * Aina (given name) Places * Aina (Crete), a town of ancient Crete * Aïna River, a river in Cameroon and Gabon * Aina, Iran, a village in Kermanshah Province, Iran Art and entertainment * ''Aina'' (1977 film), a 1977 Pakista ...

'' (2013), opposite Faysal Qureshi. The film, a remake of the 1977 film of the same name, was well received by the audience and she was nominated for the Best Actress award at the Tarang Housefull Awards.After two consecutive years of poorly received serials, Qamar's career prospects began to improve in 2014; she appeared in five projects: ''

Jaanam ''Jaanam'' is a 1993 Indian Hindi-language film directed by debutante Vikram Bhatt. It stars Rahul Roy and Pooja Bhatt. It has a critically and publicly acclaimed soundtrack by Anu Malik. This movie was a remake of cult classic ''Bobby (1973 fil ...

'', ''Bay Emaan Mohabbat'', ''

'', '' Izteraab'', and ''

''. The romantic drama ''Jaanam'' (alongside

) and the romance ''Bay Emaan Mohabbat'' (alongside

Agha Ali Aagha Ali Abbas ( ur, ) is a Pakistani television actor, singer, presenter, writer, song writer, and director. Early life and background Agha Ali was born on 4 December 1985 in Lahore, Punjab. He is the younger son of the widely known actor ...

and

Adnan Shah Tipu Adnan Shah, well known as Adnan Shah Tipu or simply Tipu is a Pakistani actor known for his comic and villainary roles. Career Adnan Shah started his career in 1999 as a television actor and gained popularity through a sitcom titled "Sub Set Hai" ...

) earned little praise, but the family drama ''

'' (a story about a girl who got married at age of 17 to much older man, later dreams of living a free life after his death) was Qamar's first critical success since ''

''. Directed by

Siraj-ul-Haque Siraj-ul-Haque is a Pakistani television director. He is best known for his works '' Parsa'', ''Tum Mere Kya Ho'', ''Roshan Sitara'', ''Humnasheen'' and ''Bunty I Love You''. His recent works include Fitoor as well as Raaz-e-Ulfat and Ramz-e-Is ...

, the series was generally well received. Reviewer from ''

Daily Pakistan The ''Daily Pakistan'' ( ur, ) is a daily newspaper in Pakistan, published both in Urdu language and in English. Mujeeb-ur-Rehman Shami is its chief editor.Digest Writer ''Digest Writer'' ( ur, ) is a Pakistani drama series which premiered on Hum TV on 5 October 2014. The serial is penned by Umera Ahmad and directed by Syed Ahmed Kamran. It stars Saba Qamar, Agha Ali and Gohar Rasheed. It received seven no ...

'' as "one of the best performances of Qamar". The series received five nominations at Hum Awards including Qamar for best actress. She next appeared in '' Izteraab''. Her performance as the working women did not go well and despite the strong cast, story, production house and promotions, the drama turned out to be a major critical and commercial

Disaster A disaster is a serious problem occurring over a short or long period of time that causes widespread human, material, economic or environmental loss which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources ...

. Qamar appeared in three series in 2015. She first reunited with Muhammad Younis Butt and Fawad Wyne in the comedy series ''S.H.E'' where she played a role of lady S.H.O Bajirao Mastani. She then starred alongside

Adeel Chaudhry Adeel ( ar, عديل) is a Muslim male name in South Asia. Given name * Adeel Ahmed (born 1983), Pakistani footballer * Adeel Ahmed, Pakistani politician * Adeel Akhtar (born 1980), English actor * Adeel Chaudhry (born 1988), Pakistani-Canadian ...

in Fahim Burney's directorial ''

Kaisay Tum Se Kahoon ''Kaisay Tum Se Kahoon''; is a 2015 Pakistani romantic drama serial airing on Hum TV based on the novel of Maha Malik. The series is directed by Fahim Burney and produced by Concepts & Fahim Burney, including a stellar cast of Saba Qamar, Ade ...

'' which tells the story of star-crossed lovers who are reincarnated. It was her third consecutive appearance in

Momina Duraid Momina Duraid ( ur, ) is a Pakistani director and producer. She is a senior producer and creative head of television network Hum TV and CEO of her own production company MD Productions. She has produced and created several series including '' ...

's production. Although the series did not do well in terms of ratings, but her performance was praised by the critics. The following year, Qamar collaborated with

Mikaal Zulfiqar Mian Mikaal Patras Zulfiqar (born 5 September 1981), commonly known as Mikaal Zulfiqar ( ur, ), is a British-Pakistani actor and former model. He has appeared in a number of Pakistani television series. He has also acted in a few Indian films ...

for the third time (alongside Zahid Ahmed, Kiran Haq, and

Sonia Mishal Sonia Mishal is a Pakistani actress. She is known for her roles in drama serials '' Ishqaaway'' (2015), ''Dumpukht Aatish-e-Ishq'' (2016), and ''Khasara Khasara ( ur, خسارا;) is a Pakistani romantic drama aired on ARY Digital. It focu ...

) in

Kashif Nisar Kashif Nisar ( ur, ) is a Pakistani television director, producer and screenwriter, and the nephew of Pakistani TV Director Tariq Mairaj. He is known for directing artistic drama serials. Kashif's most notable works are '' Dumpukht - Aatish ...

's '' Sangat'' where she played a role of Aisha, a rape survivor who faced difficulties when her husband came to know that he was not the biological father of a daughter they have. The series earned her the nomination for Best Actress in both

Jury A jury is a sworn body of people (jurors) convened to hear evidence and render an impartiality, impartial verdict (a Question of fact, finding of fact on a question) officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a sentence (law), penalty o ...

and

Popular Popularity or social status is the quality of being well liked, admired or well known to a particular group. Popular may also refer to: In sociology * Popular culture * Popular fiction * Popular music * Popular science * Populace, the total ...

categories at the

. Qamar then made her acting debut with a leading actress in the acclaimed biographical drama ''

'' (2015). Directed by

, the film was made on a big budget and performed poorly at the box office with a lifetime collection of Rs 5.05 million, however it was critically praised and Qamar's portrayal of the singer

was well received by the critics, and earned her a nomination at the ARY Films Awards for Best Supporting Actress. The film was later adapted into a television series with the same cast in 2017, titled as ''

'', and was aired on Geo TV.

Established actress (2016–present)

In 2016, Qamar played the role of a struggling actress in the period drama ''

Mein Sitara Mein may refer to: People * Alexander Mein (1854–1927), British soldier who played on the winning side in the 1875 FA Cup Final * Hannie Mein (1933-2003), Dutch ceramist. * John Gordon Mein (1913-1968), a United States ambassador to Guatemala, ...

'', (serial based on

lollywood Lollywood ( ur, , translit=lâli vuḍ) refers to Pakistan's film industry based in Lahore, previously the base for both Punjabi and Urdu language film production. Lahore has been the center of Pakistani cinema since the partition of ...

golden era) alongside

Mekaal Zulfiqar Mian Mikaal Patras Zulfiqar (born 5 September 1981), commonly known as Mikaal Zulfiqar ( ur, ), is a British-Pakistani actor and former model. He has appeared in a number of Pakistani television series. He has also acted in a few Indian films ...

and appeared as Mishal in

Farooq Rind Farooq Rind is a Pakistani television director, he is best known for his drama serials ''Sanjha'', '' Rishtay Kuch Adhooray Se'', ''Mere Meherbaan'' and telefilm ''Nao Main Darya'' which earned him several awards and nominations. He won Hum Award ...

's '' Besharam'' opposite Zahid Ahmed. The later was a commercially and critically hit. Sadaf Haider of ''

'' praised her saying, "Qamar is in great form as Mishi and plays her with restraint and quiet power; a welcome relief from the wounded women she has played of late". During the 16th Lux Style Awards, the series earned 5 nominations including Qamar for Best TV actress. She was also nominated for her projects ''

'' and ''

'' in Best Actress category. Qamar next played a rockstar opposite

Yasir Hussain Yasir Hussain ( ur, ) is a Pakistani screenwriter, actor, playwright and host from Islamabad best known for his comic roles. He hosted '' The After Moon Show'' on Hum TV. He is also known for playing the antagonist in the 2018 social drama '' ...

, in the travel comedy ''

'' (2016). The film, a sequel to the comedy '' Karachi Se Lahore'', ranks among the

highest-grossing Pakistani films This list charts the most successful Pakistani films screened at cinemas in Pakistan and overseas. Pakistani films generate income from several revenue streams including box office sales (admissions), theatrical exhibitions, television broadc ...

of all time with a worldwide grossing of Rs21.60 million. Later that year, she played a leading role in the psycho–thriller '' 8969'', a critical and commercial failure. Qamar was offered an Indian film opposite

Randeep Hooda Randeep Hooda (; born 20 August 1976) is an Indian actor and Equestrianism, equestrian known for his work predominantly in Hindi cinema. Hooda made his Hindi film debut with ''Monsoon Wedding''. He had a turning point in his career with the ga ...

, and supporting roles in ''

Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai ''Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai'' is a 2010 Indian Hindi-language gangster film written by Rajat Arora and directed by Milan Luthria. It stars Ajay Devgn, Emraan Hashmi, Kangana Ranaut, Prachi Desai and Randeep Hooda. Produced by Ekta Kapoor unde ...

'' (2012) and ''

Heroine A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ''actor''), ''hero' ...

'' (2012), which she declined. After the 2016 Uri attack, relations between India and Pakistan deteriorated; the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA) and the Film Producers Guild of India banned Pakistani artists from working in India until the situation normalised. The comedy-drama ''

'' (2017), in which Qamar played the lead female role of Mita Batra, a

nouveau riche ''Nouveau riche'' (; ) is a term used, usually in a derogatory way, to describe those whose wealth has been acquired within their own generation, rather than by familial inheritance. The equivalent English term is the "new rich" or "new money" ( ...

opposite

Irrfan Khan Irrfan Khan () (born Sahabzade Irfan Ali Khan; 7 January 196729 April 2020), also known simply as Irrfan, was an Indian actor who worked in Indian cinema as well as British and American films. Widely regarded as one of the finest actors in In ...

, marked her first project in the

Hindi cinema Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...

. Critical reception of the film was positive. A reviewer for ''

The Times of India ''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest ...

'' wrote, "Saba, as the dominating wife is sheer delight onscreen". In a scathing review, Sreehari Nair of ''

Rediff.com Rediff.com (stylized as ''rediff.com'') is an Indian news, information, entertainment and shopping web portal. It was founded in 1996. It is headquartered in Mumbai, with offices in Bangalore, New Delhi and New York City. , it had more than 300 e ...

'' labelled the film "fascinatingly frustrating" and called Qamar "natural actress, sexual daring". The film earned over ₹334.36 million worldwide, a majority of which came from the Chinese box office. and China with a collection of ₹334.36 million. Qamar received several Best Female Debut and Best Actress awards and nominations at various award ceremonies, including a

nomination at

Filmfare ''Filmfare'' is an Indian English language, English-language fortnightly magazine published by Worldwide Media. Acknowledged as one of Indian most popular entertainment magazines, it publishes pieces involving news, interviews, photos, videos, r ...

. Later that year, Qamar was declared as the top Bollywood debutante of 2017 by ''

Eastern Eye The ''Eastern Eye'' is a British weekly newspaper. It was created in 1989 and was first published by ''The Guardian'', before becoming a standalone newspaper. History Sarwar Ahmed Sarwar Ahmed ( bn, সরয়ার আহমেদ; bor ...

''. In 2017, Qamar worked in the

biographical A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...

drama series '' Baaghi'', in the role of Pakistani controversial figure

Qandeel Baloch Fouzia Azeem ( ur, ; 1 March 1990 – 15 July 2016), known by her stage name Qandeel Baloch ( ur, ), was a Pakistani model, actress, social media celebrity and activist. She was the country's first social media celebrity. Azeem rose to promin ...

. The series was a critical and commercial success, becoming one of the highest-grossing Pakistani drama of 2017. Qamar's performance was widely praised by the critics and her portrayal of the actress and singer was applauded even before its release. Neeha of ''

The Nation ''The Nation'' is an American liberal biweekly magazine that covers political and cultural news, opinion, and analysis. It was founded on July 6, 1865, as a successor to William Lloyd Garrison's '' The Liberator'', an abolitionist newspaper tha ...

'' wrote, "Without a doubt, Qamar has done an outstanding job", whereas reviewer from ''

'' said she "slayed the social media star with such finesse". The series earned her a

for Best Actress (Television) and IPPA Awards for Best Actress. In 2018, Qamar appeared in three short films. She first paired with

directorial Moomal Rano. The film was made as part of the Zeal For Unity initiative to bridge cultural barriers between India and Pakistan. It was critically praised and was nominated for Best film at the 2018 European festival. It was also released by digital platform

Zee5 ZEE5 is an Indian subscription video on-demand and over-the-top streaming service, run by Zee Entertainment Enterprises. It was launched in India on 14 February 2018 with content in 12 languages. The ZEE5 mobile app is available on Web, Androi ...

. She then appeared in Fahim Burney's ''

Dil Diyan Gallan ''Dil Diyan Gallan'' (; previously titled ''Naiki Kar Doob Marr'') is a 2018 Pakistani drama television film released on Eid-ul-Fitr 2018. It was developed by Shahzad Javed, Head of Content, HUM TV, Written by Atiq Inayat, Directed by Fahim B ...

'', opposite Zahid Ahmed where she played the character of Raniya and '' Iss Dil Ki Essi Ki Tessi''. in 2019, Qamar worked in crime drama ''

'', opposite Bilal Abbas khan, she played a headstrong girl who fights for justice. It is considered both critical and commercial blockbuster. Qamar next collaborated with Sarmad Khoosat for film '' Kamli'', and Saqib Khan's debut film, titled '' Ghabrana Nahi Hai''.

Other work and media image

In 2009, Qamar joined the political satire show '' Hum Sab Umeed Se Hain'', as a host and presenter where she also did the

parody A parody, also known as a spoof, a satire, a send-up, a take-off, a lampoon, a play on (something), or a caricature, is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satiric or ironic imitation. Often its subj ...

of politicians and actors. The show was extremely popular and was at the number one spot in ratings in Pakistan. She decided to quit the show and was replaced by

Meera Meera, better known as Mirabai and venerated as Sant Meerabai, was a 16th-century Hindu mystic poet and devotee of Krishna. She is a celebrated Bhakti saint, particularly in the North Indian Hindu tradition. Mirabai was born into a Rathore ...

in 2013. In January 2018, she appeared in photoshoot for Mahid Khawar's creation "Padmavat" where she dressed up like Rani Padmavati. In May 2018, she showcased golden bridal couture for designer Nilofer Shahid. She was showstopper for Rimple and Harpreet Narula's first Pakistan show on ''Shaan-E-Pakistan''. On 10 December 2018, she walked the ramp for designer Uzma Babar's collection Umsha on Bridal Couture Week. Qamar became the ambassador for a number of brands including Lux Pakistan,

Sunsilk Sunsilk is a British hair care brand produced by the company Unilever. The brand was introduced in 1954 in the UK and available in most countries globally. It is a hair care brand in Southeast Asia (Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, an ...

Dalda Dalda is a brand of vegetable oil (hydrogenated vegetable cooking oil) popular in South Asia. History An individual by the name Hussein Dada, used to import vanaspati ghee from a Dutch company before the 1930s as a cheap substitute for des ...

Ufone Pak Telecommunication Mobile Limited or Ufone ( ur, ) is a Pakistani GSM cellular service provider. It is the third mobile operator to enter Pakistani market. It started its operations under the brand Ufone, in Islamabad on January 29, 2001. PTM ...

, and Tapal. Qamar is considered one of the nation's most popular and highest-paid actresses. After the success of ''Mein Sitara'' and ''Hindi Medium'', she was cited by critics as one of the finest actresses in Pakistan. Throughout her career, she has received several accolades including

and a

Filmfare Awards The Filmfare Awards are annual awards that honour artistic and technical excellence in the Hindi-language film industry of India.Al The Filmfare ceremony is one of the most famous film events in India. The awards were first introduced by th ...

nomination. In 2012,

honoured her with

, the fourth-highest

decoration Decoration may refer to: * Decorative arts * A house painter and decorator's craft * An act or object intended to increase the beauty of a person, room, etc. * An award that is a token of recognition to the recipient intended for wearing Other ...

given to civilians in Pakistan based on their achievements. In 2016, she received

in recognition of meritorious work in the fields of

arts The arts are a very wide range of human practices of creative expression, storytelling and cultural participation. They encompass multiple diverse and plural modes of thinking, doing and being, in an extremely broad range of media. Both hi ...

. In addition to acting, Qamar has supported charitable organisations for various causes. She is involved with several humanitarian causes and is vocal about issues faced by women and children. In June 2018, she did a special appearance in

Shuja Haider Shuja ( ar, شجاع‎, ur, شجاع‎, bn, সুজা) is a surname and male given name. Notable people with this name include: * Shuja al-Khwarazmi, was the mother of Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil (r. 847–861) * Ahmad Shuja Pasha (born ...

's music video "Jeevan Daan" to raised awareness against child abuse. The song was socially relevant and highlights issues concerning children and women. In August 2018, Qamar expressed in an interview, "I encourage and urge people to invest in good education as it will shape the future of our children and our society". On

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Man ...

in 2018, '' Daily Times'' named Qamar "Pride of Pakistan". In April 2020, she started her

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

channel and released mini series ''Isolation'' based on the situation of

Lockdown A lockdown is a restriction policy for people, community or a country to stay where they are, usually due to specific risks (such as COVID-19) that could possibly harm the people if they move and interact freely. The term is used for a prison ...

due to

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. She further raised her hands for collecting COVID relief funds for poor minorities and

transgender A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through tr ...

communities with

Ali Zafar Ali Zafar ( pa, ; born 18 May 1980) is a Pakistani singer-songwriter, model, actor, producer, screenwriter and painter. Zafar started out on Pakistani television before becoming a popular musician. He later also established a career in Bo ...

's charity trust "Ali Zafar Foundation". Qamar revealed thorugh her YouTube channel about her relationship in which she was engaged for eight years and parted ways with him. She described it as abusive relationship.

Filmography

Films

Telefilm

Short films

Television

Special appearance

Music videos

Web Series

Hosting

Other appearances

Awards and nominations

Lux Style Awards The Lux Style Awards is an award ceremony held annually in Pakistan since 2002. The awards celebrate "style" in the Pakistani entertainment industry, and it is the oldest event dedicated to cinema, television, fashion, music and film industry ...

She holds the record of most acting nominations ever received by an actress.

Other Recognition

''Top

Bollywood Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...

Debutante'' of 2017 by ''

'' ''Pride of Pakistan'' by

Daily Times Pakistan The ''Daily Times'' (''DT'') is an English-language Pakistani newspaper. Launched on April 9, 2002, ''Daily Times'', is simultaneously published from Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi. The newspaper was owned by Governor of Punjab and Pakistan Pe ...

in 2018

References

External links

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Qamar, Saba Living people 1984 births Punjabi people People from Hyderabad, Sindh Actresses from Karachi Pakistani film actresses Pakistani television actresses Pakistani female models PTV Award winners Lollywood Recipients of the Pride of Performance Actresses in Urdu cinema Actresses in Hindi cinema Pakistani expatriate actresses in India 21st-century Pakistani actresses