Hamza Ali Abbasi (born 23 June 1986) is a Pakistani actor and director. He is best known for his roles as Afzal in the drama serial Pyarey Afzal (2013) and as Salahuddin in the drama serial Mann Mayal (2016).
In 2013, he appeared in Main Hoon Shahid Afridi and Waar, for which he received the Best Star Debut Male and Best Supporting Actor awards at the 1st ARY Film Awards. In 2022, he played the main antagonist Noori Natt in The Legend of Maula Jatt.
Early life and education Abbasi was born on 23 June 1986 in Multan into a Punjabi family of civil servants to Major (Retd) Mazhar Ali Abbasi, an army officer, and Begum Nasim Akhtar Chaudhry, a former judge and politician affiliated with the Pakistan Peoples Party. His sister Dr. Fazeela Abbasi is a dermatologist. His maternal cousin Areej Chaudhary is also an actress.
He gained his Bachelor's in International Relations from the United States and his Master's in the same subject from the Quaid-e-Azam University."Hamza Ali Abbasi: From Police to Pyaray Afzal" (2 March 2015), hipinpakistan. Retrieved 14 April 2019.Saif Ali (10 November 2015), "These Facts About Hamza Ali Abbasi’s Life Will Leave You Speechless!", Parlho. Retrieved 14 April 2019. While in the United States he also studied film-making.
He also passed the CSS exams and was working as a civil service officer in the police group before abandoning the job to concentrate on his passions, film-making and acting.
Career Abbasi started his career in 2006 as a theatre actor with a play titled Dally in the Dark. Later, he appeared in several plays such as Bombay Dreams, Phantom of the Opera, and Home is Where Your Clothes Are.
He began his television career in 2012 with a supporting role in Meray Dard Ko Jo Zuban Miley before getting fame for his lead roles in the serials Pyarey Afzal (2013) and Mann Mayal (2016). His breakthrough was the movie Waar (2013). He was initially an assistant director to Bilal Lashari, before the later offered him a role in the movie, that he considers important for his future career.
He voiced Baba Bandook, the main antagonist, and Vadero Pajero in the Unicorn Black produced animated series, Burka Avenger (2013).
Abbasi made his directorial debut with the feature film Mud House and the Golden Doll, released in 2011, which described as a simple story about simple people.
In December 2020, Abbasi announced that he was writing a book on religion. In August 2024, he released that book, My Discovery of Islam, God & Judgement Day.
Personal life
Abbasi married painter and actress Naimal Khawar in 2019.
Abbasi was born a Muslim, then for a while became an atheist but now identifies as Muslim again. He is affiliated with the Farahi school of thought and studied in Dallas under Javed Ahmad Ghamidi.
Abbasi was a supporter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, and he was elected as the cultural secretary of the party in January 2018. However, he resigned from this role in April of the same year because he felt that his movies did not represent Pakistan's culture well.Asia Afzal (1 April 2015), "Hamza Ali Abbasi resigns as PTI Cultural Secretary", Business Recorder. 14 April 2019.
In 2018, he exposed journalist and former wife of Imran Khan, Reham Khan, by revealing the manuscript of her book beforehand. Reham Khan claimed to have been threatened directly by Abbasi via emails, but he denied these allegations. He believed that Reham Khan's claims were an attempt to tarnish his reputation due to his close relationship with Imran Khan.
Filmography
Film +KeyFilm are currently on Cinema Denotes films that have not yet been released Year Title Role Director Note(s)Ref(s) 2011 The Glorious Resolve Tariq Documentary film Mudhouse And The Golden Doll Malang Directorial debut 2013 Main Hoon Shahid AfridiMaulvi Majeed ARY Film Award for Best Star Debut Male WaarSP Ehtesham KhattakARY Film Award for Best Supporting Actor 2015 Jawani Phir Nahi Ani Saif Ahmed 2016 Ho Mann Jahaan Malang BabaCameo appearance2017Shaan-e-Ishq Mehwish's brother2018 Parwaaz Hai Junoon Sq/Ldr Hamza Ali HaiderLead role Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2Saif AhmedSpecial appearance as Imran Khan 2022 The Legend of Maula Jatt Noori NattMain antagonist2024Umro Ayyar – A New BeginningUmro AyyarSpecial appearance
Television Year Title RoleNetwork Note(s)Ref(s)2012 Meray Dard Ko Jo Zuban Miley Salaar/AzamHum TVTV debut2013–2015 Burka Avenger Baba BandookGeo Tez/Nickelodeon Voice over 2013Pyaray Afzal Afzal SubhanullahARY Digital Drama series Ek Tha Raja aur Ek Thi RaniFarhanTelefilm Gullo Weds GulliGullo 2016 Mann Mayal SalahuddinHum TV Drama series 2019 Alif Qalb-e-MominGeo Entertainment2023Jaan-e-JahanShahramARY Digital2024FaraarBatishGreen Entertainment
Hosting and judging Year Show Role Channel Note(s)Ref(s) 2014 1st ARY Film Awards Co-host ARY Digital 2015 3rd Hum Awards Hum TV 2018 Debate Headquarters Host BOL Network 2019 Pakistan Star Judge
Book My Discovery of God, Islam & Judgement Day, Ghamidi Center of Islamic Learning, 2024.
Awards and nominations
! style="background:#bfd7ff;" colspan="5" |ARY Film Awards |- |rowspan="2"|2014 |Waar |ARY Film Award for Best Supporting Actor
|Main Hoon Shahid Afridi |ARY Film Award for Best Star Debut Male
|2016 |Jawani Phir Nahi Ani |Best Supporting Actor
! style="background:#bfd7ff;" colspan="5" |Lux Style Awards |- |2015 |Pyarey Afzal |Best TV Actor
| rowspan="2"|2021 | rowspan="2"|Alif | Best TV Actor (Viewers' Choice) | rowspan="2" |- | Best TV Actor (Critics' Choice) |- ! style="background:#bfd7ff;" colspan="5" |Hum TV Awards |- |2017 |Mann Mayal |Best Actor Popular
|2017 |Mann Mayal |Best Onscreen Couple
! style="background:#bfd7ff;" colspan="5" |International Pakistan Prestige Awards |- |2017 |colspan="2"|Style Icon of the Year Male
Notes
References
External links