Farhan Saeed

Farhan Saeed is a Pakistani singer-songwriter, actor, and entrepreneur. Born in Lahore on 14 September 1984, he performs music in both Urdu and Punjabi. He is recognized for his work as the former lead vocalist of the pop rock band Jal. Additionally, he operates the Cafe Rock restaurant in Lahore.

Early life and education

Saeed completed his early education at Crescent, where he took his O levels. He later attended The Keynesian Institute of Management in Lahore for his A levels. In 2001, he enrolled in the National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences in Peshawar. He eventually migrated to the Lahore campus to pursue a bachelor's degree in computer sciences.

During his university years, he discovered his future band members, Atif Aslam and Goher Mumtaz.

Career

Music career

Saeed rose to prominence at age 17 when he joined the Lahore-based band Jal as a vocalist. He replaced Atif Aslam in 2003 after musical differences led to Aslam's departure. In September 2011, Saeed announced his decision to leave Jal to pursue a solo career. This departure was confirmed by guitarist Goher Mumtaz on 8 September 2011.

As a solo artist, he collaborated with Aima Baig, Adnan Qazi, and Bilal Saeed for the song "Na cher malangaan nu." He also worked with Hania Aamir for an Asim Jofa project directed by Qasim Ali Mureed. In 2014, he made his Bollywood-singing debut with the romantic duet "Naam-e-Wafa" for the film Creature 3D. This track featured Indian vocalist Tulsi Kumar and was composed by Mithoon.

Acting career

Saeed made his acting debut in the 2014 Hum TV drama serial De Ijazat Jo Tu. He appeared alongside Sohai Ali Abro, Saba Hameed, and Javaid Sheikh. Following this, he played Mohid Shuja in the ARY Digital series Mere Ajnabi with Urwa Hocane. He also portrayed a lawyer named Arsh in the drama Udaari. During this production, he collaborated with Hadiqa Kiani for the OST.

His television roles continued in 2016 with Teri Chah Mein and Sila. In 2018, he starred as Arsal Jamshed Ali in the hit series Suno Chanda alongside Iqra Aziz. He reprised this role in the 2019 sequel, Suno Chanda 2. Saeed later appeared in the drama Mere Humsafar between 2021 and 2022.

He made his film debut in the 2022 romantic comedy Tich Button. The movie was co-produced by his wife under their joint production company, Shooting Star Studio. He previously intended to star in Karachi Se Lahore 3, but music commitments prevented his participation.

Directing

Saeed expanded into direction with the 2018 music video for "O Jaana" by Hamza Malik. This project featured Iqra Aziz and musicians Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Sahir Ali Bagga.

Personal life

Saeed married Urwa Hocane on 16 December 2016, in Lahore. The couple announced they were expecting a child via social media on 6 October 2023.

Awards and recognition

His performance in the drama Udaari earned him a nomination for the Hum Award for Best Supporting Actor. He achieved further success with Mere Humsafar, which won him the Hum Award for Best Actor Popular.