Zara Sheikh

Zara Sheikh is a Pakistani model and actress. She began her career in the fashion industry before transitioning into cinema.

Early life and education

Zara Sheikh was born on June 1, 1982, in Lahore. No specific details regarding her formal education are provided in the available records.

Career

Modelling

Sheikh began a modeling career that lasted more than 10 years. She started working with photographer Khawar Riaz at a very young age. Because of her slender frame and unconventional looks, she became a favorite for leading designers. She appeared on the covers of many Pakistani magazines throughout her career.

Her commercial work includes campaigns for several major brands. She represented companies such as Coca-Cola, Mobilink, and Levi's. She also worked with brands including Gul Ahmed, Nishat, and Dawn Bread. Unlike many of her peers, she continued her fashion career long after entering the film industry in 2000.

Films

Sheikh made her cinema debut in 2000 with the film Tere Pyar Mein. This movie was directed by Hassan Askari. In this production, she played an Indian Sikh girl who falls in love with a Pakistani banker. She followed this role with an appearance in Sajjad Gul's Chalo Ishq Larain in 2002.

In 2003, she starred in Laaj, which translates to Honour in English. The film is a love tale set against the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan. She portrayed Ram Khori, a Hindu girl who converts to Islam. Her next major project was Salakhain in 2004, which was directed by Shahzad Rafique and ran for 150 minutes.

She worked on the film Pehla Pehla Pyar in 2006 under director Mubashir Lucman. Part of this production was filmed in Thailand. Sheikh reported that working with Lucman was difficult because he does not believe in compromises. She stated that she once worked for 28 hours at a stretch to complete her tasks. In 2019, she starred in the film Heer Maan Ja.

Singing

Sheikh has also participated in musical projects. In 2002, she collaborated with Ali Haider to playback sing 3 musical numbers for Chalo Ishq Larain. She has appeared in various music videos, including "Gal V Na Kare" by Wet Metals and "Punjabi Touch" by Abrar-ul-Haq.

Awards and recognition

The actress has received several prestigious honors for her work in film. She won the Nigar Award for Best Actress for her performance in Tere Pyar Mein. Additionally, she earned a Lux Style Award for Best Actress for her role in Laaj.