The Nigar Award for Best Actress, also known as Nigar Public Film Award for Best Actress, is an award constituted for the cinema of Pakistan to recognise contribution of a lead actress in Lollywood. Established in 1958 by Ilyas Rashidi, it is presented annually by Nigar magazine as part of its annual ceremony of Nigar Awards. The award ceremony takes place independently and is not associated with government or for-profit entities such as production house or television channel.
First presented in 1957, the first Best Actress award was given to Sabiha Khanum for Saat Lakh (1957). The last award was given to Saba Qamar in 2017 for Lahore Se Aagey.
Multiple winners 10 Wins: Shabnam 7 Wins: Babra Sharif 6 Wins: Anjuman 6 Wins: Reema Khan 5 Wins: Neeli 4 Wins: Shamim Ara 4 Wins: Mumtaz 3 Wins: Zeba 3 Wins: Neelo 3 Wins: Musarrat Nazir 3 Wins: Saima Noor 2 Wins: Sabiha Khanum 2 Wins: Nayyar Sultana 2 Wins: Meera 2 Wins: Firdous Begum 2 Wins: Mustafa Qureshi 2 Wins: Umer Shareef
Winners and nominees
+ Table key Indicates the winner
1950s Year Photos of winners Actor Role(s) Film 1957 (1st) N/A Saat Lakh 1958 (2nd)style="text-align:center" Sanwali Zeher-e-Ishq 1959 (3rd) style="text-align:center" Shadaan Jhoomer
1960s Year Photos of winners Actor Role(s) Film 1960 (4th) Saheli 1961 (5th)style="text-align:center" Laila Shaheed 1962 (6th) Tayyaba Aulad 1963 (7th) Ismat Shikwa 1964 (8th) Gul Farangi 1965 (9th) Naila 1966 (10th) Armaan 1967 (11th) Lakhon Mein Aik 1968 (12th) Saiqa Saiqa 1969 (13th) Zarqa Zarqa
1970s Year Photos of winners Actress Role(s) Film Awards are also presented to Punjabi language films since 1970 1970 (14th) style="text-align:center" N/A Insaan aur Aadmi (1970) style="text-align:center" Heer Heer Ranjha 1971 (15th) Rani Dosti N/A Babul 1972 (16th) style="text-align:center" N/A Mohabbat style="text-align:center" N/A Zulm Da Badla 1973 (17th) Bano Anmol style="text-align:center" N/A Ziddi 1974 (18th) Najma Dillagi style="text-align:center" N/A Khatarnaak 1975 (19th) Nargis/ Zeenat Zeenat style="text-align:center" N/A Jadoo 1976 (20th) style="text-align:center" Shabana/ Farzana Shabana style="text-align:center" N/A Jat Kurian Taun Darda 1977 (21st) Rita Aina N/A Qanoon 1978 (22nd) style="text-align:center" Rano Mutthi Bhar Chawal style="text-align:center" N/A Shola 1979 (23rd) N/A Pakeeza (1979) style="text-align:center" N/A Nizam Daku (1979)
1980s Year Photos of winners Actress Role(s) Film 1980 (24th) N/A Hum Dono (1980) style="text-align:center" N/A Sohra Te Jawai (1980) 1981 (25th) N/A Qurbani (1981) style="text-align:center" N/A Sher Khan (1981) 1982 (26th) style="text-align:center" N/A Sangdil (1982) style="text-align:center" N/A Do Bigha Zameen (1982) 1983 (27th) style="text-align:center" N/A Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna (1983) N/A Sona Chandi (1983) 1984 (28th) style="text-align:center" N/A Miss Colombo (1984) style="text-align:center" N/A Ishq Nachaway Gali Gali (1984) 1985 (29th) N/A Naraaz (1985) style="text-align:center" N/A Dhee Rani (1985) 1986 (30th) style="text-align:center" N/A Miss Bangkok (1986) style="text-align:center" N/A Qismet (1986) 1987 (31st) style="text-align:center" N/A Kundan (1987) style="text-align:center" N/A Dulari (1987) 1988 (32nd) style="text-align:center" Gori Bazar-e-Husn style="text-align:center" N/A Mukhra 1989 (33rd) style="text-align:center" N/A Barood Ki Chahoon (1989) style="text-align:center" N/A Madam Bawari (1989)
1990s Year Photos of winners Actor Role(s) Film 1990 (34th) style="text-align:center" Miss Rita Insaniyat Kay Dushman style="text-align:center" N/A Gorian Dian Jhangra (1990) 1991 (35th) style="text-align:center" Miss Sherin Watan Kay Rakhwalay style="text-align:center" N/A Bakhtawar 1992 (36th) style="text-align:center" N/A Mr. 420 (1992) style="text-align:center" N/A Majhoo (1992) 1993 (37th) style="text-align:center" N/A Haathi Mere Saathi style="text-align:center" N/A Zamana 1994 (38th) style="text-align:center" Sitara Aakhri Mujra (1994) style="text-align:center" N/A Rani Beti Raaj Kare Gi (1994) 1995 (39th) N/A Sargam style="text-align:center" N/A Jungle Ka Qanoon (1995) 1996 (40th) N/A Khilona (1996) style="text-align:center" N/A Sakahi Badshah (1996) 1997 (41st) style="text-align:center" N/A Mujhe Jeene Nahi Dete (1997) style="text-align:center" N/A Kala Raj (1997) 1998 (42nd) style="text-align:center" Bisma Nikah style="text-align:center" Billo Choorian 1999 (43rd) style="text-align:center" Salma Jannat Ki Talash style="text-align:center" N/A Nikki Jaee Haan (1999)
2000s Year Photos of winners Actor Role(s) Film 2000 (45th) style="text-align:center" Preeti Tere Pyar Mein style="text-align:center" N/A Mehndi Waley Hath (2000) 2001 (46th) N/A Khoey Ho Tum Kahan 2002 (46th) Sitara Yeh Dil Aap Ka Huwa Not announced from 2003 to 2016 2017 (47th) Taara Ahmed Lahore Se Aagey
References
Further reading The Nigar Awards 1972 - 1986. The Hotspot Online. Showtime: A Brief History of the Nigar Awards. Youline Magazine.