Meesha Shafi

Meesha Shafi

Background information
Birth name Meera Shafi
Born 1981 (age 34–35)
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Occupation(s) Singer, actress, model
Instruments Vocals, lyrics
Associated acts Coke Studio Pakistan and Overload
Website meeshashafi.net

Meesha Shafi (Urdu: میشا شفیع‎) is a Pakistani actress, model and a singer.[1]

Shafi made her film debut with a supporting role in the 2013 Mira Nair's Hollywood film The Reluctant Fundamentalist, which was moderately successful at the box office. Her portrayal of a confident, modern-day Pakistani singer, drew critical appreciation. The following year she appeared in Bollywood film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, which rank among the third highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2013 in India. She achieved further critical and commercial success for her role of Laxmi, an Indian spy agency Research in the 2013 Bilal Lashari's action thriller Pakistani film Waar, which rank among the first highest-grossing Pakistani film of all time in Pakistan.

Early life

Shafi was born into a Punjabi family in Lahore, Pakistan to actress Saba Hameed and Syed Pervaiz Shafi. She did her A Levels from Lahore Grammar School 55-main and graduated with a degree in fine arts from National College of Arts in 2007. [2] Shafi has done extensive modeling as a child star for notable, multinational brands like Coca Cola, Panda Ice Cream, Fuji Films and local companies Nirala sweets and Bobby Shoes. Shafi was a competitive swimmer during her school years, and won two gold medals in inter school diving competitions. She learnt Kathak, an eastern classical dance under the tutelage of dance maestro Ami Minwala for 8 years.

Career

Modelling

Shafi entered the modelling industry at the age of 17, when she starred opposite Jawad Ahmed in the music video for the song "Bin Teray Kya Hai Jeena".[3] In 2009 Shafi became the brand ambassador for L'Oreal Paris Pakistan.[2][4] She has featured in many Pakistani magazines and in international publications such as L'Officiel and Vogue India.[3] She has also appeared in commercials for Coca-Cola, Fanta, LG mobile phones, Mobilink, Allied Bank, Lipton Tea, Sprite among others. Shafi also won the "Best Show Stopper" Award at the "Paper Awards 2013" by Paper Magazine.Also in 2013, Shafi was named among the 100 most influential people in Pakistan by international franchise 'Hello' magazine.

Acting

Shafi made her screen debut with the 2006 serial Muhabbat Khawab Ki Soorat on Hum TV. She then appeared in Geo TV serial Ye Zindagi To Woh Nahi in 2007

She made her film debut with Mira Nair's 2012 Hollywood film, The Reluctant Fundamentalist (based on Mohsin Hamid's novel of the same name), alongside Kate Hudson and Riz Ahmed. The film describes the bad impact of Americans toward Muslims after 9/11. Shafi played the confident, modern-day Pakistani singer. The film received mixed reviews from critics, and was moderately successful at the box office; however, Shafi's performance was praised by film critics.[5]

While talking about her selection in The Reluctant Fundamentalist she said,

"I was selected for the film without audition. Mira Nair invited me to meet her when she was in Lahore scouting for actors. At that time I didn't even know what I was going to meet her for. But once the role was offered to me, I did not hesitate in taking it up. Opportunity comes, and I've been very lucky with that."

The following year, she starred in Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra's Bollywood film Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, alongside Farhan Akhtar and Sonam Kapoor. The film revolves based on the life of Milkha Singh, an Indian athlete who was a national champion runner and an Olympian. Shafi played the rebellious Olympic swimmer, Perizaad, who was romantically attracted to Milkha Singh. The film opened to tremendous critical acclaim and was termed as a huge box office success ranking third highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2013 in India and Shafi earned critical acclaim for her performance.

She achieved further critical and commercial success in Bilal Lashari's Pakistani film Waar, alongside Shaan Shahid. The film rank among the first highest-grossing Pakistani film of all time in Pakistan. Her portrayal of Laxmi, an Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing's operative was critically praised. The movie also won her the 'Best Supporting Actress' award at the ARY Film Awards in 2014.

As of October 2013, Shafi has several projects in various stages of production, and is filming Hollywood film The Tournament of Shadows (based on the Karl Meyer's novel of the same name), a biopic set in the 1800s. Shafi has just completed shooting for her lead role in a mega budget period play 'Mor Mahal' produced by TV giants Babar Javed in collaboration with GEO TV network, the play is written by veteran scriptwriter Sarmad Sehbai, directed by A-list director Sarmad Khoosat of 'Humsafar' and 'Manto' fame. It is the most expensive production to be produced in Pakistan's show biz industry.

Mor Mahal is set somewhere in the mid 19th century, a fantasy revolving around the royals of the subcontinent. The costume drama is slated for an international, global release around new year's 2015/2016

Music career

Shafi started her singing career with the band Overload with her husband, but left the band in 2011. Shafi became an overnight success with the runaway success of her collaboration with Arif Lohar on Coke Studio Pakistan Season 3, with the song "Alif Allah (Jugni)". The single with Lohar gathered over 20 million+ views on YouTube, and is the most-viewed Coke Studio song ever, and was used in several films like Cocktail, Diary of a Butterfly and Jugni. She also sang a unique rendition of the classic folk song "Chori Chori", which also was viewed extensively on YouTube and received more critical acclaim than "Jugni". She returned to Coke Studio (Season 5) in 2012 in where she sang "Ishq Aap Bhi Awalla" with the Chakwalees, and sang a ghazal by Faiz Ahmad Faiz, "Dasht-e-Tanhai". In 2014, Meesha Shafi returned to the Coke Studio floor for a third time to perform 'Sun Ve Balori' with the composer and tabla guru Ustad Tafu and producers Strings. This song saw her return to her rock roots and powerhouse singing style which has become her signature. She has also contributed to the soundtrack of The Reluctant Fundamentalist in a track produced by Mahmood Rahman.

In 2015, Meesha Shafi lent her vocals to two highly acclaimed OSTs. Her new, hit single 'EVA' produced by Strings is featured on the soundtrack of MOOR, a revolutionary film released in August 2015 to much critical and commercial acclaim. Directed by ace director Jami.

Also in August 2015, she released a haunting new track called 'Mehram Dilaan De Mahi' for the OST of much awaited biopic (directed and portrayed on screen by Sarmad Khoosat), based on the life and works of legendary prose writer, 'Manto'. The track is produced by True Brew Records and the lyrics are by famous Punjabi poet 'Shiv Kumar Batalvi'

'Manto' releases across cinemas on the 11th of September, 2015.

TV appearance

In April 2013, Shafi joined veterans of the music industry Strings, Ali Azmat, Shahzad Hasan and Alamgir as a judge and mentor on the singing talent show Cornetto Music Icons, aired on ARY Digital.

Personal life

Shafi belongs to a family of writers, painters and actors. Her maternal grandfather, Hamid Akhtar was an award winning novelist and columnist. President of the 'Progressive Writers' Movement and editor of countless Urdu daily newspapers like 'Imroz' and 'Nawa-e-Waqt' Hamid Akhtar was awarded with a 'Pride of Performance' in 2010.

Shafi's mother, veteran theater and television actress Saba Hamid is a highly successful Pakistani actress and has been gracing the screens for over 35 years and counting. She has won countless awards over the span of nearly 4 decades and was awarded the 'Pride of Performance' (a national award given to those with extraordinary contribution and achievement in the liberal arts field) in 2012.

Shafi married guitarist/music producer and fellow Overload band member, Mahmood Rahman, in 2008. Both are graduates of the National College of Arts from where they graduated with a Bachelors in Fine Arts degree. They are parents to daughter Janevi Rahman, and son Kazimir Rahman.

Filmography

Year Film Role Language Note
2013 The Reluctant Fundamentalist Bina Khan English
2013 Bhaag Milkha Bhaag Perizaad Hindi
2013 Waar Zoya, Laxmi Urdu, English ARY Film Award for Best Supporting Actress[6]
2014 The Tournament of Shadows English Filming

Discography

Year Title
2009 Pichal Pairee
2012 The Reluctant Fundamentalist

Coke Studio songs

Year Song Notes
2010 Chori Chori Originally sung by Reshma.
2010 Alif Allah Performed with Arif Lohar.
2012 Dasht-e-Tanhai Originally sung by Iqbal Bano.
2012 Ishq Aap Bhe Awalla Performed with Chakwal Group.
2014 Sunn Ve Balori Originally sung by Noor Jehan. 2014 ' ' jugni ]].

Lollywood

Year Song Film Composer
2015 EVA Moor Strings

See also

References

External links


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