With the Pakistani film and television industry thriving, it is important to highlight some of the best female performances that have been seen this year so far.
This year saw the Pakistani entertainment industry break many barriers and create impactful storylines on television such as Mere Pass Tum Ho, Cheekh and Churails – a digital release. With such engaging plots and complex characters, it is important to realise the level of skill Pakistan has in terms of acting hence this list highlights such actors for their brilliance.
Sarwat Gillani in Churails
Sarwat Gillani plays the role of Sara, in the Pakistani web series Churails, a former lawyer, she is mother to three children and is married to a rich politician. She lives a wholesome and happy life until she is faced with her husband’s infidelity.
The heartbreak leaves Sara shattered and leads her into starting an underground private detective organisation that helps women unearth their husbands’ ‘activities’ to them.
Undoubtedly Sarwat plays the role with utmost poise and caution which can be seen in the way she takes her well-calculated steps throughout the movie. Moreover, her character also leads the all-women ensemble in the series, demanding her to not show too much emotion and stay balanced at all times.
The reason why Sarwat’s performance in the web series remains memorable is due to the way her character goes from an elite housewife to the leader of an underground cult keeping audiences captivated.
Another aspect that makes the character relatable is Sarwat’s portrayal as she changes her body language and expressions as ‘Sara’ goes through several life changing moments throughout the 10 episode long series.
Ayeza Khan in Mere Pass Tum Ho
A role that many of her contemporaries would have hesitated to take up given its controversial nature, Ayeza Khan has indeed delivered one of the finest performances of the year as Mehwish.
Ayeza plays the role of a middle-class housewife Mehwish who remains discontent with living her life within modest means and eventually leaves her husband and child after falling for a rich businessman.
The actor has remarkably portrayed the changes her character goes through as she moves from an insecure, socially complexed housewife to a vivacious confident woman who now has all that she wanted after she moves in with her love interest.
The drama soon after first going on air became one of the biggest hits of all time and it won’t be wrong to say that one of the strongest factors behind its mega success was Ayeza herself.
The actor who usually makes people cry and sympathise with her had the same audience hating her character to the core — although this sentiment remains arguable given the controversial script and it’s representation of what makes a ‘good woman’. Nonetheless Ayeza has definitely proven herself as a dynamic and powerhouse performer.
Saba Qamar in Cheekh
Another strong performance was given by Saba Qamar as Mannat in the drama Cheekh. Married to her best friend’s brother, Mannat is a confident and spirited young woman who holds her two friends dear.
Everything seems to be going perfectly when suddenly her world is turned upside down and she is faced with the fact that one of her friends has been raped and killed by her brother-in-law. This twist of fate leads to Mannat seeking justice for her deceased friend as she fights to hold the assaulter accountable even though it means putting her own life at risk.
Saba Qamar gives a powerful and calculated performance as Mannat. Throughout the span of the show her character goes through many difficult situations which she handled brilliantly.
Playing Mannat, Saba had to portray several different emotions while essaying the multidimensional character. She juxtaposed all the emotions of “softness” and “strength.” Her relationship with her husband is one where she is soft and playful, while she shows anger and resentment when it came to her dealings with opposition.
All in all Cheekh will with a doubt go down as one of Saba’s strongest performances in her career and her portrayal of a strong woman fighting against all odds is something many young girls would look up to.
Hira Mani in Kashf
The story of the drama revolves around a woman, with the same name, played by Hira Mani. She is shown as a gifted girl with the ability to foresee the future through her dreams.
The character is shown to be under strict surveillance of her family members, especially her father, a greedy man who turns her into this symbol of faith in the eyes of the people.
Hira shows obedience and submissiveness in her eyes which adds a great deal to the performance. The choice of having such body and eye movement is something proves to be relevant to the situation that the character finds herself in.
Playing a character that is “closer to god” it was important to not be flamboyant, which Hira has registered in her performance. She stays conscious in her performance to not go overboard even in times of extreme frustration which she feels under the pressure of her family members or even her love interest.
Hira Mani’s performance is impactful because it is kept simple, and at the same time does the job in the most perfect way possible.
Nimra Bucha in Churails
Another ‘Churail’ on the list, Nimra Bucha plays the role of Batool in the web series Churails. Batool is a convicted felon who teams up with three other women to start an underground service to collect information for women who suspect their husbands of infidelity.
Batool is one of the most dynamic characters on the show. She has a difficult past, which has made her into a strong woman. At the same time she faces a lot of scrutiny by society, which makes her someone that comes off as extremely rough.
There is a constant war of good and bad inside her which makes her frustrated most of the time. Her role is a projection of the negative element found in the society.
Nimra carries the role with a lot of thought and passion. “Attention to detail” is the way to describe her performance. She masters the body language of a woman who has spent a good portion of her life behind bars.
Furthermore, Nimra’s eyes reflect Batool’s anger and frustration while she gives an honest contrast between the soft and dark side of her character leaving behind an impactful performance.
