Sania Saeed () is a Pakistani actress and television host who works mainly in television and theatre. Saeed is the recipient of numerous accolades including one PTV Award, four Hum Awards and four Lux Style Awards.
She first appeared on television in a street theatre play, televised for 8 March, for the program Aadhi Duniya in 1989. The play was Aurat. She was the first announcer for Network Television Marketing, Karachi center. She then appeared in Haseena Moin's serial Aahat, directed by Sahira Kazmi, followed by Anwar Maqsood's Sitara Aur Mehrunissa directed by Zark in 1991 and 1992 respectively, which shot Sania to stardom in the Pakistani television Industry. Sania has been working in theatre and television for over three decades.
Early life and education Saeed was born on 28 August 1972 in Karachi, Pakistan. Her father Mansoor Saeed was a playwriter and a theater practitioner being an active member of the theater group Dastak which was formed in 1982.
Saeed started her career at a young age by performing in street theatre and as a voice over artist for other productions. She could understand and speak Punjabi as well.
Other work Saeed works for social causes with various nonprofit organisations including Kashf Foundation, The Citizens Foundation, Indus Hospital and Sindh Institute of Urology & Transplantation.
Career Early work and breakthrough Saeed had her first role in 1989 in the political-drama Tapish, written by Noorul Huda Shah. She first rose to prominence in 1991 with her debut lead role in Haseena Moin's written Aahat, based on the theme of family planning. Saeed portrayed the mother of sevens in it when she herself was of seventeen years.
Established actress In 1992, her role of a housewife coping with the marital problems in Anwar Maqsood's written family-drama Sitara Aur Mehrunissa further cemented her position as a leading star of the television. She termed the role as one of her favourites in her career.
In 2000, she paired opposite Humayun Saeed in drama Aur Zindagi Badalti Hai as a Pakistani expat who looks for her lost sister in Spain. In 2003, she portrayed Sarah, a headstrong lawyer in Haseena Moin's written social-drama Shayad Ke Bahar Aaye. Her performance in the series was praised by critics. In 2005, Saeed played Sabah in romance Thodi Si Mohabbat. For her performance in the series, she received a nomination of Best TV Actress - Satellite at the 3rd Lux Style Awards; but couldn't win due to the network unavailability in rural areas, leading the awards management to come up with separate categories for Satellite and Terrestrial networks in the following year. In 2009, she depicted an eponymous young to older dancer in the romance-drama Jhumka Jaan. Although personally dissatisfied with her performance due to her inexpertise to dance, Saeed won Best Television Actress trophy for the performance at the 8th Lux Style Awards. The same year, she appeared in the romance-drama Khamoshiyaan opposite Nauman Ijaz and Faisal Rehman. Saeed portrayed a doting housewife whose life changes altogether when her daughter meets with a road accident.
Saeed began the year 2010 with her portrayal of a dutiful investigation officer in the murder-mystery Qatil, an adaptation of Agatha Christie's bestseller And Then There Were None. Her next appearance in that year was in the thriller-drama The Ghost, where she portrayed Maya Kapoor, a headstrong Indian from 1940s who travels to Scotland in search of her fiance. The series was an adaptation of Danielle Steel's novel of the same name, and Saeed portrayed the split version of the original character as in the novel. She then appeared as a seductress widow in the drama Kalmoohi, an adaptation of Rabidranath Tagore's Chokher Bali. In 2011, she played a newlywed bride coping with her marital life problems in the family-drama Hawa, Rait aur Aangan opposite Adnan Siddiqui, winning her, her fourth Best Actress tophy at the 10th Lux Style Awards. The same year, she played up to sixteen characters alongside Nauman Ijaz in theatrical-drama Aao Kahani Buntay Hain. Saeed then played the calm and resilient Sabeen opposite Humayun Saeed in family-drama Lamha Lamha Zindagi. She reworked her character in the series, turning the potentially weak character due the script's limitations into a powerful one. In 2012, she played a reckless stepmother in drama Zard Mausam, based on Rahat Jabeen's novel of the same title. In 2013, she paired with Adnan Siddiqui in her second collaboration in the romance Darmiyaan as a doting housewife caught in a horrible conflict. It was followed by a role opposite Fawad Khan in social-issue drama Numm, where she portrayed a quiet and hopeless victim of the feudalism. In 2014, Saeed played an impulsive housewife coping with the turbulent marital life in the drama Oos.
Critical acclaim and further career
Saeed made her cinematic debut with the biographical-drama Manto, based on the Indian-Subcontinent's eminent writer Saadat Hassan Manto. Saeed played Manto's wife Safiya Manto in the film, and found the role challenging due to the limited information available about her. In a review of the film, Khusro Mumtaz of The News International found her "unassumingly effective as the writer’s long-suffering wife". For her performance, Saeed received a nomination of Best Film Actress at the 15th Lux Style Awards.
In 2016, she played an oracle alongside an ensemble cast in Sarmad Khoosat's directed fantasy-drama Mor Mahal. She termed the role as the weirdest thing of her career she has ever done. The same year, she portrayed an oppressed Pashtun housewife from the tribal areas in the revenge-drama Sang-e-Mar Mar. The series earned her critical praise.
Her first performance of 2017 was in the Johns Hopkins's co-produced social-issue drama Sammi. Saeed's performance of a stern beautician earned her Hum Award for Most Impactful Character at the 6th Hum Awards. She then portrayed a doting aunt to her niece, a patient of Alzheimer's disease in the psychological-drama Piyari Bittu. The series was her reunion with Atiqa Odho since Sitara Aur Mehrunnisa. Saeed then respired her role of Safiya Manto in Manto, the television remake of her eponymous film.
In 2018, she starred as a caring mother seeking justice for her sexually abused and murdered daughter in the crime-drama Meri Guriya. Due to the emotional troll of the role in the series, Saeed had to take a break from acting of one and half year. Her next role was a guest appearance of a supportive aunt of the orphan protagonist in Chakkar, directed by Kanwal Khoosat.
In 2020, she appeared in a supporting role in the romance Mehar Posh, depicting Nusrat, the loving and resilient mother of the protagonist. Saeed worked with the director Mazhar Moin to infuse the character with elements of fun and familial love, adding nuance to the role that was initially conceived differently. Her next appearance in that year was a brief role in Asim Abbasi's-helmed web-series Churails, as a wife who makes Nihari of her infidel husband.
In 2022, saeed played a strong-willed, tolerant wife welcoming her husband's ex-beloved in the romance Raqeeb Se. The series was written by Bee Gul, and Saeed was paired opposite Nauman Ijaz. She next appeared as a controlling and cunning matriarch in Saji Gul's written mystery-thriller Dour.
In 2022, she appeared in the revenge-drama Sang-e-Mah, second series of the trilogy preceded by Sang-e-Mar Mar. Saeed depicted a strong willed Pashtun widow in the series. While reviewing the series, Maham Sajid of The Friday Times found her "in a truly remarkable avatar". Saeed then appeared in her second film, Joyland as Fayyaz, a tradition elderly Lahori woman caught between traditions and her personal desires. She next appeared in her third feature Kamli as a blind pious lady who doesn't let her sister-in-law remarry after her brother's disappearance for the past eight years.
Saeed begun 2023 with the portrayal of patriarch of a family who faces some paranormal experiences in the horror-drama Bandish. She then appeared in the Yasra Rizvi-directed mystery-drama Shanaas, as the loving adoptive mother of the protagonist.
Filmography
Films YearTitleRoleNotes Ref(s) 2015Manto Safiya Manto 2019Baaji Neha's lawyerCameo2022Joyland Fayyaz Kamli Sakina
Television
YearTitleRoleNetworkNotes Ref(s)1989TapishBeena PTV 1991AahatRabya 1992Sitara Aur Mehrunissa Mehrunissa NTM 1994Talaash Tabassum PTV Telefilm Sherry And Jozy Hadia Telefilm 1996Ab Tum Ja Saktey Ho Raheela Telefilm 1997Putli Ghar Saima Telefilm Farar Tania Telefilm 2000Us Paar ZeenatZaib-un-Nisa SabaChhoti Chhoti Batain SitcomAur Zindagi Badalti HaiIsra 2001Kahaniyan different roles. Anthology series 2003Shayad Ke Bahar Aaye Sara 2004Thori Si Mohabbat Geo Entertainment 2007Jaal Jhumka Jaan Jhumka Jaan Hum TV 2008Khamoshian Rubab 2010BebaakThe Ghost Maya Kapoor Roshan PTVKalmoohi Noor Bano Hawa Rait Aur AnganArfa 2011Aao Kahani Buntay Hain Lamha Lamha Zindagi Sabeen ARY DigitalHum Pe Jo Guzarti Hai Express Entertainment 2012Zard Mausam Mehr-un-Nisa Hum TV 2013Darmiyaan Nida ARY Digital Zindagi Udaas Hai Tu Amber Geo Entertainment Episode: Kya Karun AmmiAseerzadi Bari Sarkar / Zeenat Begum Hum TV Numm Mah Jabeen Geo EntertainmentKitni Girhain Baqi Hain Zohra, Salma Hum TV Episodes: Jharan, Zindagi Hai, Behne Do Shareek-e-Hayat RuqaiyyaEpisode: Har Qadam Tumhare Saath 2014Oas Mehr-un-Nisa PTV Home 2015Aitraz ARY Digital 2016Mor Mahal Akhtari Geo EntertainmentSang-e-Mar Mar Shameem Hum TV 2017Sammi Chandi Bubu Ki Beti A-Plus EntertainmentPiyari Bittu Shakra Express Entertainment Manto Safiya Manto Geo Entertainment 2018Meri Guriya Shehnaz ARY Digital 2018Chakkar Nuzhat/ Nuzhi Aapa BOL Entertainment 2019Gul-e-Rana Ki Bhawajain Sanjeeda Begum ARY Digital 2020Mehar Posh Nusrat Geo Entertainment Mera Maan Rakhna Momina TV OneBe Adab Rohail's mother Hum TV 2021Raqeeb Se Hajra Dour Mrs. Ehtisham Geo Entertainment 2022Sang-e-Mah Zarghuna Hum TV 2023Bandish 2 Humera ARY DigitalShanaas Mahrukh Green EntertainmentKitni Girhain Baaki Hain Nazia Hum TV Episode: Paiwand2024Dil Manay NaDr. ShabanaGreen Entertainment2025Ae DilARY Digital 2026Bombay TrailorsTabbasum Hum TVApki IzzatTabish's MotherDar-e-nijaatKhushbakhtARY Digital
Telefilms YearTitleRoleNetworkNotes Ref(s)1994TalaashTabassum PTV 1996Ab Tum Ja Saktey HoRaheela1997Putli GharSaimaFararTania2025Badru Chacha Ka Makan Kaneez BegumARY Digital
Theater YearTitleNotesRef(s) 2008Prem Kahani 2009Main Adakara Banu Gi 2015LorileiMonodramaMonodrama2018Likhay Jo Khat Tujhay2021Yaar Julahay
Web series YearTitleRoleNotes Ref(s)2020ChurailsShehnaz KhalidReleased on ZEE52023The Pink ShirtNeelam
Awards and nominations
YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef(s)1999PTV AwardsBest ActeessAik Thi Mehroo20011st Lux Style AwardsBest TV Actress–20032nd Lux Style AwardsShayad Kay Bahar Aaye20043rd Lux Style AwardsThori Si Mohabbat20098th Lux Style AwardsBest TV Actress - SatelliteJhumka Jaan20109th Lux Style AwardsThe Ghost2011PTV AwardsBest Actress OutsourceRoshan201110th Lux Style AwardsBest TV Actress - TerrestrialHawa Rait Aur Aangan201211th Lux Style AwardsAao Kahani Buntay Hain20131st Hum AwardsBest ActressZard Mausam20142nd Hum AwardsBest Actress - JuryAseerzadiBest Actress - PopularMost Impactful Character20162nd ARY Film AwardsBest Actor Female (Jury)Manto201615th Lux Style AwardsBest Film Actress20175th Hum AwardsBest Supporting ActressSang-e-Mar Mar20186th Hum AwardsMost Impactful CharacterSammi 20228th Hum Awards Raqeeb Se 20249th Hum AwardsSang-e-Mah5th Hum Women Leaders AwardsKashmir Golden Plate of Excellence
References
External links
Sania Saeed on forumpakistan.com Sania Saeed on urduwire.com