Nadia Afgan is a Pakistani actress who appears in Urdu films, television and films. She is known for her work in theatre and television. Her numerous works on television include a series of plays in both Urdu and Punjabi. She rose to prominence when she appeared in the hit TV serial Family Front in 1997. Further success came in 2000 with PTV Home's mostmemorable sitcom ,Shashlik,which was later re-aired on Geo TV in 2011.[1] Afghan garnered wider appreciation for her comic role in Hum TV's blockbuster comedy drama Suno Chanda (2018), and for its sequel, Suno Chanda 2, as Shahana Batool the following year.[2][3]

Nadia Afgan
نادیہ افگن
Born
Nadia Afgan

(1970-09-07) 7 September 1970 (age 54)
Karachi, Pakistan
Occupations
  • Actress
  • Director
  • Producer
  • Host
Years active1990 – present

Early life

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Nadia Afghan was born in Karachi and is the first-born among four siblings.[4] Her parents are Naila Afghan and Tanvir Afghan, a retired Group Captain from the Pakistan Air Force. Due to her father's military postings, Nadia lived in various cities throughout her childhood. Inspired by her father's career, she aspired to become a fighter pilot herself but was unable to pursue this dream due to gender restrictions at the time.[4] She is married to Jodi Pai, and the couple has been open about their decision not to have children. Nadia frequently shares her love for her pets, highlighting the joy and companionship they bring to her life.[4]

Career

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Afgan started her career as an actress at PTV Lahore Center.[5] She hosted talk shows and nighttime transmissions of PTV for early few years. In late 1990s and early 2000s, her comic roles in PTV's sitcoms such as Family Front, 1 2 3, and Hubahu earned her prominence but she gained with her portrayal of Mishi in Sarmad Khoosat's directorial Shashlik. In early 2010s, besides her portrayals of comic roles, she played dramatic to tragic roles in Bilqees Kaur, Shehr-e-Zaat Dil Muhallay Ki Haveli and Sannata.[6] In 2016, she directed A&B Entertainment's Shaam Dhaley, and played a supporting role in it as well.[1][7] In 2017, Afgan received her first ever award nomination–Hum Award for Best Supporting Actress for portraying an orphan nurse in Noorul Huda Shah's written and Saife Hassan's directorial Sammi. In 2018, her career saw a resurgence when besides popularity she gained widespread acclaim and various accolades for her portrayal of Shahana Batool, a typical Punjabi mother in Saima Akram Chaudhry's written Ramadan special Suno Chanda.[8] The same year, her directorial venture Parlour Wali Larki debuted on Bol TV which revolves around two small town girls and their dreams and aspirations.[1] In 2018, she respired her role of Shahana Batool in the sequel of Suno Chanda. In 2021, she received little praise for her role of a dutiful police officer in Shahzad Kashmiri's Parizaad.[9] In 2022, she was praised for portraying the powerful head of a saraiki clan in Abullah Badini's Dushman.[10] Following the success of Suno Chanda, she appeared in another Saima Akram Chaudhry's written, Kala Doriya in the same year, where she portrayed the character of Tanno which was similar to Shahana Batool.[11] Since July 2023, Afgan has been portraying the parallel lead in Kashif Nisar's Kabuli Pulao.[5]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
2015 Manto Saugandhi [1]
2019 Darling Nagina Short film[12]
Zindagi Tamasha TV show Host Cameo

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1992 Maya Shamim PTV
1993 Nazli Rabia PTV
1994 1 2 3 Sharmim PTV[5]
1995 Home Sweet Home Firdaus PTV
1996 Teesra Aadmi Nadia PTV
1997 Family Front Bushra PTV[13]
2000 Hubahu Sonia PTV[1]
2001 Shashlik Mishal (Mishi) PTV[1]
2004 Qurban Tere Ishq Pe Zebunnisa PTV
2006 Mr and Misses Shaista PTV
2010 Jinhein Raste Main Khaber Hui Bilqees PTV
Ye Jugnu Hamaray Shazia PTV
2011 Karakti Bijliyan Samina
Shashlik Xtra Hot Mishi
2012 Mere Huzoor Saleha
Chalo Phir Se Jee Kay Dekhein Shazia
Afsar Bekar e Khaas Saima
Black & White Noor
Wilyti Desi Ayesha
Larka Karachi Ka Kuri Lahore di Anjuman [1]
Raju Rocket Sameen [13]
Bilqees Kaur Mumtaz [1]
Shehr-e-Zaat Tabinda [14]
2013 Sannata Husna [1]
Dil Mohallay Ki Haveli Safiya [5]
2014 Ladoon Mein Pali Samreen
2015 Surkh Jorra Sabiha
2016 Shaam Dhaley Wajeeha Director also[1][7]
Baaghi Esma [15]
Faltu Larki Lubna [1]
2016 Kitni Girhain Baqi Hain Amina/Kausar Episode 9 and 17
2017 Sammi Naheed Nominated — Hum Award for Best Supporting Actress[16]
Dil-e-Nadaan Hina [17]
2018 Zamani Manzil Kay Maskharay Mehrunnisa
Suno Chanda Shahana Jamshed Ali aka Shanoo Hum Award for Best Supporting Actress
Nominated — Hum Award for Most Impactful Character[18][19]
Dukh Kam Na Hoge Saima
Parlour Wali Larki Rahat Director also[13]
2019 Hoor Pari Hajra
Suno Chanda 2 Shahana Jamshed Ali aka Shanoo [20]
Bhool Shabana [21]
2020 Tum Se Kehna Tha Saba Chaudhary
2021 Dil Na Umeed To Nahi Batool a.k.a. Batoolan [22]
Terha Aangan Shakila
Parizaad DSP Badar Munir [13]
2022 Ibn-e-Hawwa Shabratan
Sang-e-Mah Sheherzaad's boss
2022-2023 Dushman Malkani [10]
Kala Doriya Tehniyat Shuja Ahmed A.K.A Tanno [11]
2023 Kabuli Pulao Shamim [5]
Khel Rafiya
Honey Moon Shabnam
Tere Ishq Ke Naam Ronaq Jehan
2024 Radd Shehla Zamin Shah ARY Digital
Jafaa Sadia Hum TV
Pas E Dewar Najm-Ul-Nisa Green Entertainment

Telefilm

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Year Title Role
2010 Ronak Jehan Ka Nafsiyati Gharana Gul-e-Banfashan
Pichal Pairiyaan Imrana Shaukat
2013 Behadd Shafaq[23]
2023 Mera Dil Meri Marzi Shehnaz Bano

Web series

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Year Title Role Network Notes
2020 Churails Aasia ZEE5 Episode 3
2023 Khoj Nargis OTT [24]

Accolades

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Year Awards Category Work Result Ref(s).
2018 Hum Awards Best Supporting Actress Sammi Nominated [16]
2017 Suno Chanda Won [25]
Most Impactful Character Nominated
2020 Pakistan International Screen Awards Best Television Actress in Comedy role Won [26]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "'Baat Cheet' with Nadia Afgan". The Nation. 28 July 2018. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Ramadan 2019, Suno Chanda Season 2: Nadia Afghan's Comedic Timing is Gold!". masala.com. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  3. ^ "Fans Think That Nadia Afgan Is The Best Thing To Happen To "Suno Chanda 2" And We Couldn't Agree More". Mangobaaz. 28 May 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b c Rewind with Samina Peerzada (17 February 2019). Suno Chanda Star Nadia Afgan | The Most Lively Person | Speak Your Heart With Samina Peerzada NA1G. Retrieved 19 August 2024 – via YouTube.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Sunday conversation: 12 questions with Nadia Afgan". 31 October 2021. Archived from the original on 19 February 2022.
  6. ^ "Pakistani dramas: highlights of 2012". dawn.com. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Giving daughters a level playing field". The News. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
  8. ^ "I never watched 'Suno Chanda', says Nadia Afgan". The Express Tribune. 24 August 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  9. ^ "In my 23-year-long career, I enjoyed working most in 'Parizaad': Nadia Afgan". Express Tribune. 3 February 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  10. ^ a b Irfan Ul Haq (30 April 2022). "PTV's new drama starring the late Naila Jaffri, Nadia Afgan and Saman Ansari looks promising". Dawn Images.
  11. ^ a b "Is 'Kala Doriya' the next 'Suno Chanda'? Nadia Afgan clarifies". Express Tribune. 30 July 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
  12. ^ Tribune.com.pk (23 August 2019). "'Darling' to premiere at Toronto International Film Festival 2019". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  13. ^ a b c d "Done with clichés: Nadia Afgan wants better roles for women on TV". Express Tribune. 20 October 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  14. ^ "Shehr-e-Zaat: A spiritual romance". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  15. ^ Haider, Sadaf (8 January 2018). "Osman Khalid Butt is a breath of fresh air in Baaghi". Images. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  16. ^ a b Isani, Aamna Haider. "Why is everyone crying on TV?". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  17. ^ "Dil-e-Nadaan: Behind the scenes of Lahore's much-awaited play". The Nation. 23 April 2017. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  18. ^ Staff (6 October 2019). "Here's everyone who won big at the 7th Hum Awards". DAWN. Retrieved 6 October 2019.
  19. ^ Images Staff (3 August 2019). "Nominations for the 7th Hum Awards are out". DAWN. Retrieved 3 August 2019.
  20. ^ "Suno Chanda is back". The Nation. 7 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  21. ^ Shirazi, Maria. "Saheefa Jabbar to play Saboor Aly's mother in her next, Daag". www.thenews.com.pk. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  22. ^ "Kashf Foundation's production mega serial "Dil Na Umeed Tou Nahin" to on air on TVONE from Jan 18". www.oyeyeah.com. 12 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  23. ^ Salati, Aamir (30 August 2014). "Fawad Khan is back! Top 3 reasons to watch blockbuster telefilm 'Behadd'". India.com. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  24. ^ Khoj trailer reveals dark cinematic mystery. Hum News. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  25. ^ "Here's everyone who won big at the 7th Hum Awards". Images. Dawn. 6 October 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
  26. ^ "PISA 2020 winners – complete list of all categories". Incpak.
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