Savera Nadeem

Savera Nadeem is a Pakistani actress, producer, and director. She primarily works in television, although she has also appeared in films and theatre.

Early life and education

Nadeem was born in 1974 to a Kashmiri family located in Lahore. Her father, Shahid Nadeem, is a prominent journalist. She completed a Masters in English Literature at Kinnaird College in Lahore. After her degree, she studied directing at the National School of Drama in Delhi. She also possesses a background in classical music.

Career

Acting began for Nadeem when she was fifteen years old. Her first appearance occurred in 1989 through the drama Kiran. She later secured the lead role in the social-issue drama Inkaar, which was directed by Ayub Khawar. This performance earned her the PTV Award for Best Actress. In 1995, she played a gynecologist in the dark comedy Janjal Pura.

Nadeem appeared in the 2010 drama Diya Jalay as a wife in an abusive marriage. A reviewer from Dawn stated that she emotes well and looks smashing. Later that year, she portrayed an emotional housewife in the drama Qaid-e-Tanhai. This role led to her winning a Lux Style Award at the 11th ceremony.

In 2012, she played Zubeida, a dictatorial character, in the drama Bari Aapa. She chose this project because of the gripping dialogues and the specific character. Following this, she appeared in Mera Yaqeen as a paralysed housewife dealing with her husband's affair. Reviewer Altaf Hussain wrote for The Express Tribune that she steals scenes whenever she appears on screen.

Her film work includes a 2015 cameo in the biographical-drama Manto. This film focuses on the life of Urdu writer Saadat Hassan Manto. In this production, Nadeem portrayed a tanga puller from one of his short stories. She returned to television in 2022 to play a sly matriarch in the mystery-thriller Wehem. In 2023, she played a malevolent stepmother in the romance Jaan-e-Jahan, which received positive reviews.

Nadeem also works behind the camera as a director and producer. Her directorial debut was the 2006 telefilm Kal, which featured Saba Qamar and Fawad Khan. This production aired on both PTV and Geo TV. She subsequently directed 13 episodes of the PTV drama Qurbaton Ke Silsilay. Additionally, she served as a presenter for the AAJ TV morning show AAJ SUBH from 27 September 2010 to 16 September 2011.

Awards and recognition

Nadeem received one Lux Style Award for Best Television Actress. She also earned five nominations for this award throughout her career. Her earlier work in Inkaar resulted in a PTV Award for Best Actress.