Mehreen Jabbar
television producer, television director, film director
Mehreen Jabbar is a Pakistani film and television director and producer who currently resides in New York City. She has maintained an active presence in the entertainment industry since 1994.
Early life and education
Jabbar was born in Karachi on 29 December 1971. Growing up in Pakistan's show business environment, she observed the work of her father, Javed Jabbar. He was a filmmaker and an ad man who also served as a former Pakistani senator and a cabinet minister. Because he migrated to Pakistan after the annexation of Hyderabad, his influence shaped the family background.
She attended Saint Joseph's College in Karachi to earn a BA degree. After completing her undergraduate studies, Jabbar traveled to the United States for specialized training. She finished a two-year program at the University of California Los Angeles in 1993. This program provided her with a Film, Television and Video certificate.
Upon returning to Pakistan, she began directing and producing drama serials. These projects were produced under the banner of TasVeer Productions. Most of these works received critical acclaim from the Pakistani press.
Career
Jabbar is a 25-year veteran of the industry. She directs and produces gritty, hard-hitting films along with TV series for South Asian television. Her filmography includes award-winning short films such as Marhoom Colonel Ki Betiyaan, Beauty Parlor, and Daam. She also directed the web drama series Ek Jhoothi Love Story, which ZEE5 released in October 2020.
Her debut feature film, Ramchand Pakistani, was released in 2008. This project earned her the Global Film Initiative Grant. The film premiered in competition at the Tribeca Film Festival and later saw theatrical releases in Pakistan, India, and the United Kingdom during 2008-09. In 2010, she received an invitation to screen this film at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Her second feature film is titled Dobara Phir Se. This production was shot in both Karachi and New York. It achieved a successful theatrical release in December 2016 across the USA, UK, Pakistan, and the UAE.
Beyond directing, Jabbar holds several organizational roles. She served as a member of the National Board of Film Censors in Karachi. She is also a founding member of the KaraFilm Festival and an NGO called WAR (War Against Rape). In 2011, she acted as a directing mentor at the Maisha Film Lab in Uganda.
Personal life
Jabbar comes from a family deeply involved in media. Her father is Javed Jabbar, while her niece is Beo Zafar. She is also the first cousin of Yasir Akhtar, who is a Pakistani-British singer, actor, and director.
Awards and recognition
The director has received various accolades throughout her career. In 2008, she won the Lux Style Award for Best TV Director for the series Doraha. She also won the IndusVision Young Achievers Award in 2002. For her work on Harjai, she received the Best Director title at the 2004 Indus Drama Awards.
Her film Ramchand Pakistani earned several international honors. It won the FIPRESCI Prize from the International Federation of Film Critics. The movie also secured the Audience Award at the Fribourg Film Festival in Switzerland. Additionally, it received an Honorable Mention from the 13th Annual Satyajit Ray Award at the London Film Festival.
Other notable recognitions include:
- Best Director and Best medium-length Film for Daughters of the Late Colonel at the Kara Film Festival in 2001
- Best Drama for Satellite Malal at the 2010 Pakistan Media Award
- A nomination for Best Director for Mata-e-Jaan Hai Tu at the 2012 Hum Awards