Sanam Saeed
A graduate of film and theatre studies at Lahore, Saeed made her television debut in the 2010 romance Daam. Saeed had her first commercial success with the 2013 romantic series Zindagi Gulzar Hai. She rose to prominence by featuring as the female lead in several top-grossing television series, including Mata-e-Jaan Hai Tu (2013), Talkhiyaan (2013), Zindagi Gulzar Hai (2013) and Kadoorat (2013), Kahin Chand Na Sharma Jaye (2013), Ek Kasak Reh Gayi (2015), Firaaq (2014)—and received critical recognition for playing antagonist type in the 2015 family drama Diyar-e-Dil, that earned her a nomination for Best Villain at Hum Awards. Saeed was last seen playing the main protagonist in Deedan opposite Mohib Mirza.
After establishing herself as a leading actress in television, Saeed made her film debut with the 2016 romantic comedy Bachaana and later appeared in a supporting role in Dobara Phir Se in the same year. Both of which earned her nomination for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress respectively at Lux Style Awards. Her other film appearances include the biographical drama Mah-e-Mir, the period drama film Rahm (both 2016), the melodrama Azaad (2017) and the family drama Cake (2018), for which she received nominations for Best Actress at Lux Style Awards and Pakistan Achievement Awards. In 2019, Saeed was named "Pride of Pakistan" by Daily Times.
Early life
Born in England, her father is a retired interior designer, while her mother was an art teacher. She has one brother, Adnan Saeed, and one sister, Amira Saeed. The multi-ethnic family (her father is a Punjabi while her mother is a Memon) moved back to Karachi in 1990. She did her O-levels at Bay View High School Karachi and her A-levels at L'Ecole College. Saeed started modelling at the age of 16. In Paper Magazine, she confessed that she quit modelling as she was becoming increasingly conscious about her looks for the first time in her life.
Career
Television debut (2010–2011)
Saeed started her acting career with a supporting role in the 2010 ARY Digital serial, Daam, the adaption of Umera Ahmad's novel of the same name, opposite Aamina Sheikh and Sanam Baloch. Directed by Mehreen Jabbar, Saeed played the role of Fiza, a "selfish and arrogant girl" who develops feeling for her sister-in-law's brother, which later become a burden for her.
The following year she played the lead female role in Adnan Ahmed's Hum TV serial Mera Naseeb, along with Syra Yousuf, Imran Aslam and Imran Abbas Naqvi. Her portrayal of Shazia, an outspoken and rebellious girl, was particularly praised.
Zindagi Gulzar Hai and success (2012–2014)
Saeed followed with the role of Yamina, a British Pakistani who is married to a materialistic snob, a wife beater (played by Junaid Khan) in Mehreen Jabbar's Mata-e-Jaan Hai Tu an adaptation of Farhat Ishtiaq's novel of the same name. Sultana Siddiqui's romantic drama Zindagi Gulzar Hai an adaption of Umera Ahmad's novel of the same name was Saeed's next serial. Co-starring Fawad Khan, she was cast as Kashaf Murtaza, a very sensible and mature girl, coming from a middle-class family background. It marked a departure from the glamorous characters that she had a reputation for portraying. The pairing of Saeed with Khan resulted in hype over the drama and it proved a major commercial success. It earned her 3 Awards as Best Actress. In addition, Saeed played Bibi, a Syrian Christian single mother in Bee Gul's Talkhiyan, based on Arundhati Roy's novel The God of Small Things. The drama, directed by Khalid Ahmed, set in Murree, received positive feedback from the critics and Saeed's portrayal of Bibi, a Syrian Christian single mother, was particularly praised.
Saeed next played opposite Junaid Khan in the 2013 mystery drama Kadoorat, aired on Hum TV from Momina Duraid. Her role was Minah, who took revenge from her stepmother and stepsister and later felt guilty. The same year, she appeared in Geo TV serial Ek Kasak Reh Gaye opposite Mikaal Zulfiqar and ARY Digital's Shukk opposite Adeel Hussain and Ayesha Khan.
Saeed next appeared opposite Ahsan Khan and Sarwat Gilani in the romantic telefilm Dil Mera Dhadkan Teri, her third collaboration with Mehreen Jabbar. The telefilm was the remake of Waheed Murad's 1968 film of the same name. She featured in the role of "a rich and spoiled brat". The telefilm received mixed reviews from critics, however, Saeed's performance was praised by both critics and viewers. Saeed also starred in two other Eid special telefilms Kahin Chand Na Sharma Jaye opposite Goher Mumtaz and Tamana ki Tamana opposite Bilal Khan and Mathira. Saeed's only serial of 2014 was the Hum TV serial Firaaq, opposite Mohib Mirza, Noor Hassan Rizvi and Junaid Khan. She portrayed the role of Paiman who struggles to live at her own will despite strict boundaries set by her mother.
Recent work and film debut (2015–present)
Her next serial, Diyar-e-Dil, was not only the biggest success of 2015 but also one of the most successful serials of all time in Pakistan. Directed by Haseeb Hassan, and based on Farhat Ishtiaq's novel of the same name, she was cast alongside Maya Ali, Mikaal Zulfiqar, Osman Khalid Butt and Abid Ali, and portrayed Ruhina Behroze Khan, a young middle-class girl who marries her rich class fellow Behroze Khan (played by Zulfiqar), against his family members and leaves home and gives birth to new rivalry in both families.
In 2016, she was seen in four Pakistani films. She made her film debut in Nasir Khan's romantic thriller Bachaana with Mohib Mirza She next appeared in Anjum Shahzad and Sarmad Sehbai's Mah-e-Meer, along with Fahad Mustafa and Iman Ali, describing it as the first "glamorous" role of her career. She was also seen in Ahmed Jamal's Rahm. She then appeared in Mehreen Jabbar's Dobara Phir Se, alongside Adeel Hussain, Hareem Farooq, Ali Kazmi and Tooba Siddiqui, which earned her an award for Best supporting actress (film) at the 16th Lux Style Awards.
In 2018, she appeared as the younger sister Zara, in the critically acclaimed film Cake. Reviewing the film for The Express Tribune, critic Rahul Aijaz appreciates Saeed's extraordinary performance in the film and wrote ''Saeed portrays Zara with suppressed emotions, running away from her past. Hers is the journey we try to keep digging into, slowly. The actor's naturally calm exterior and controlled style of speaking aid her project Zara's insecurities.''
Music career
Saeed briefly appeared in the third season of Coke Studio Pakistan, where she sang background vocals on "Alif Allah (Jugni)" by Arif Lohar and Meesha Shafi, "Aisha" by Amanat Ali and "Chori Chori" by Meesha Shafi as a backing vocalist.
Musical theater
Sanam has worked for Made for Stage Productions in the following stage plays: Chicago, Mamma Mia!, Carnage, Dhaani and Grease.
Personal life
Saeed married her childhood friend, Farhan Hassan, a banker from Karachi, on 2 January 2015. In 2018, Saeed stated that her husband and she are divorced.
In 2021, Saeed married actor, Mohib Mirza, in a private ceremony. They announced their wedding in 2023.
Filmography
Films
| † | Denotes films that have not yet been released |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Bachaana | Aalia | ||
| Mah-e-Meer | Naina Kanwal | Based on the life of Mir Taqi Mir | ||
| Dobara Phir Se | Samar | |||
| Rahm | Samina | |||
| 2017 | Azad | Sabreen Hisbani | Screened at South Asian International Film Festival | |
| 2018 | Cake | Zara | ||
| 2022 | Ishrat Made in China | Akhtar | ||
| 2024 | Umro Ayyar - A New Beginning † | TBA | Post production | |
| TBA | Aan † | TBA | Filming |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Network | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Daam | Fizza | ARY Digital | |
| 2011 | Mera Naseeb | Shazia | Hum TV | |
| 2012 | Mata-e-Jaan Hai Tu | Yamina | Hum TV | |
| 2012–2013 | Talkhiyan | Bibi | Express Entertainment | |
| 2012–2013 | Zindagi Gulzar Hai | Kashaf Murtaza | Hum TV | |
| 2013 | Kadoorat | Minah | Hum TV | |
| 2013 | Ek Kasak Reh Gayi | Paras | Geo TV | |
| 2013 | Shukk | Sania | ARY Digital | |
| 2014 | Firaaq | Paimaan | Hum TV | |
| 2015–2016 | Diyar-e-Dil | Ruhina Behroze | Hum TV | |
| 2016–2017 | Dil Banjaara | Nida Nafees | Hum TV | |
| 2018 | Aakhri Station | Tehmina | Ary Digital | |
| 2018–2019 | Deedan | Resham | A-Plus TV |
Other appearance
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Dil Mera Dharkan Teri | Beenish | Telefilm | |
| Kahin Chand Na Sharma Jaye | Mishal/Sameer | |||
| Tamanna ki Tamanna | Zainab | |||
| 2015 | Mr. Shamim | Maya | Sitcom |
Web series
| Year | Title | Role | Platform(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam | Zuvi | Zee5 |
Theatre
| Year | Theatre Play | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Chicago | Roxie Hart | |
| 2009 | Mama Mia | Rosie | |
| 2009 | Carnage | ||
| 2013 | Grease | Rizz | |
| 2013 | Dhaani | Ruqayya |
Discography
| Year | Song | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "Alif Allah (Jugni)" | on Coke Studio Pakistan (Season 3) as a backing vocalist |
| "Aisha" | ||
| "Chori Chori" |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Work | Award | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hum Awards | ||||
| 2013 | Zindagi Gulzar Hai | Best Actor Female (Jury) | Nominated | |
| 2013 | Zindagi Gulzar Hai | Best Actor Female (Popular) | Won | |
| 2013 | Zindagi Gulzar Hai | Best On-screen Couple (Jury) | Won | |
| 2013 | Zindagi Gulzar Hai | Best On-screen Couple (Popular) | Won | |
| 2015 | Diyar-e-Dil | Best Actor in a negative role | Nominated | |
| Lux Style Awards | ||||
| 2013 | Zindagi Gulzar Hai | Best Television Actress - Satellite | Won | |
| 2017 | Dobara Phir Se | Best Supporting Actress in a Film | Won | |
| Bachaana | Best Lead Actress in a Film | Nominated | ||
| 2019 | Cake | Best Film Actress | Nominated | |
| Hum Style Awards | ||||
| 2016 | Dobara Phir Se | Most Stylish Actress - Film | Nominated | |
| 2017 | Cake | Most Stylish Actress - Film | Won | |
Other recognitions
- 2012: Loreal Paris Award (Model of the year)
- 2013: Tarang House Full Awards (Best Female In Supporting Role for Dil Mera Dharkan Teri)
- 2017: Eastern Eye Awards 2016 (Best Film Actress award for Rahm)
- 2019: "Pride of Pakistan" by Daily Times