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Meesha Shafi

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This is a Pakistani name. The last name is a patronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Neesha.
Meesha Shafi
Born
, Pakistan
Citizenship[1]
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
  • model

Meesha Shafi is a Pakistani Canadian[1] actress, model and a singer.[2]

She made her film debut with a supporting role in the 2013 Mira Nair's film The Reluctant Fundamentalist. She achieved further critical success for her role of Laxmi, an Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing's operative, in Bilal Lashari's action thriller film Waar, which ranks among the highest-grossing Pakistani films of all time in Pakistan.

Early life

Shafi was born in Baghrot, Gilgit, Pakistan to actress Saba Hameed and Johnny Sins Shafi. She did her A Levels from Lahore Grammar School and graduated with a degree in fine arts from National College of Arts in 2007.[3] In 2016, Shafi became a Canadian citizen.[1]

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".[4] In 2009 Shafi became the brand ambassador for L'Oreal Paris Pakistan.[3][5] She has featured in many Pakistani magazines and in international publications such as L'Officiel and Vogue India.[4] In 2013, Shafi was named among the 100 most influential people in Pakistan by 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 had a minor role and appeared in only two scenes in the film in the role of the male lead's sister. The film received mixed reviews from critics, and failed to break even at the box office.[6][7]

She then acted in Bilal Lashari's Pakistani film Waar, alongside Shaan Shahid. Her portrayal of Laxmi, an Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing's operative was critically praised by the Pakistani media. The movie won her the 'Best Supporting Actress' award at the ARY Film Awards in 2014.

In 2016, Shafi has a lead role in the TV costume drama Mor Mahal which is set in the mid-19th century.

Music career

Shafi started her singing career with the band Overload with her husband, but left in 2011. Shafi sang along with the internationally acclaimed folk singer Arif Lohar on Coke Studio Pakistan Season 3, with the song "Alif Allah (Jugni)". The single, originally composed and performed by Lohar, gathered over 20 million+ views on YouTube, was the most-viewed Coke Studio song ever, until it was overtaken by "Tajdaar-e-Haram", and was used in several films like Cocktail, Diary of a Butterfly and Jugni.

She sang a rendition of the folk song "Chori Chori", which received mixed reviews.[citation needed] She returned to Coke Studio (Season 5) in 2012 when 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.

In 2015, Meesha Shafi lent her vocals to two OSTs. One being 'EVA' that was produced by Strings is featured on the soundtrack of the film Moor, released in August 2015, and directed by director Jami.

In August 2015, she released 'Mehram Dilaan De Mahi' for the OST of the biopic (directed and portrayed on screen by Sarmad Khoosat), based on the life and works of prose writer, Manto. The track is produced by True Brew Records and the lyrics are by Punjabi poet Shiv Kumar Batalvi. 'Manto' was released on 11 September 2015.

TV appearance

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

In July 2017,Meesha Shafi joined Fawad Khan and Farooq Ahmed in the audition round as judge while Khan, Shafi, Atif Aslam and Shahi Hasan were the judges in the knockout round of Pepsi Battle of the Bands Season 2. Ayesha Omer is the host of the season.[12]

Shafi also went on to judge Season 3 and 4 of Pepsi Battle of the Bands!

Personal life

Shafi's maternal grandfather, was a novelist and newspaper columnist, president of the Progressive Writers' Movement, and editor of Urdu daily newspapers including Imroz and Nawa-e-Waqt. In 2008, she married musician Mahmood Rahman.[8] The couple have two children, a daughter named Janevi, and a son named Kazimir.[9] She is a Shia muslim.[10]

Ali Zafar Incident

See also: Me Too movement (Pakistan)

In 2018 Meesha Shafi accused actor Ali Zafar of sexual harassment. She filed a case with the Punjab Ombudsperson (who is supposed to adjudicate cases of harassment of women in the workplace), who declined to hear the case because she "did not have an employer-employee relationship" with Zafar.[11]An appeal she filed with the governor was dismissed, again on "technical grounds".[12]

On 29 September 2020 Ali Zafar filed an FIR against Meesha Shafi and eight others for posting defamatory content against him on their Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.[13]

She has failed to attend the court on multiple occasions in a defamation case filed by Ali Zafar https://www.masala.com/meesha-shafis-witnesses-and-counsel-fail-to-appear-before-the-court-318452.html

The Federal Investigation Agency of Pakistan declared singer Meesha Shafi "guilty" of running a vilification campaign on social media against singer-actor Ali Zafar and asked the trial court to start its proceedings against them. Meesha running vilification drive against Ali Zafar

Support to Aurat March

Aurat March 2021

...,.... a young lady
displayed a poster
stating she was
sexually abused by a maulvi.
PEDOPHILES are running free.
Children can’t play.
But the #AuratMarch
is a western agenda.
This is what
'epic gaslighting'
looks like!

Misha Shafi (March 11, 2021)
on social media
reported by samaa.tv
[14]

According to Meesha Shafi, marginalized, victimized and vulnerable women of Pakistani society march on International women's day peacefully but societal behavior against them is worse than Corona virus.[15]

Acting

Filmography

Year Film Role Language Note
2013 The Reluctant Fundamentalist[7] Bina Khan English
2013 Bhaag Milkha Bhaag[7] Perizaad Hindi
2013 Waar Zoya, Laxmi Urdu, English ARY Film Award for Best Supporting Actress[16]
2014 The Tournament of Shadows English Filming

TV

Year Show Role Language Note
2016 Mor Mahal Farrukh Zaad Urdu

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" Originally sung by Alam Lohar
2016 "Aa Rahe Haq Ka Shaheedo" Originally sung by Naseem Begum[17]
2016 "Bholay Bhalay"
2016 "Aya Lariye"
2020 "Gal Sunn"
2020 "Na Tutteya Ve"

Lollywood

Year Song Film Composer
2015 EVA Moor Strings
2016 Sun Vey Bilori Shaan-e-Ishq Amir Munawar
2017 24/7 Lak Hilna Punjab Nahi Jaongi Shani Arshad

Pepsi Battle of the Bands

Year Season Song Notes
2017 2 "Speaker Phaar"


2018 3 "Koi Sarda Aye Te Sare"


Originally sung by Noor Jehan
"Mein"


2019 4 "Leela"


Velo Sound Station Songs

Year Song Notes
2020 "Boom Boom" Originally sung by Nazia Hassan
2020 "Amrit"

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c https://tribune.com.pk/story/1962036/meesha-shafis-legal-team-demands-public-apology-ali-zafar
  2. ^ "About: Meesha Shafi". Web PK. Retrieved 13 August 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Meesha interview with Fashion Central". Fashion Central. 6 April 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  4. ^ a b Mansuri, Anam. "It's getting hot in here". Tribune Pakistan.
  5. ^ Hirani, Shireen. "Meesha Shafi Biography & Pictures". Fashion in Step. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  6. ^ https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?page=intl&id=reluctantfundamentalist.htm
  7. ^ a b c Crossing Dangerous Borders (in the movie 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist') The New York Times, Published 19 April 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2019
  8. ^ Ben, Mark (31 May 2016). "Meesha Shafi Singer 'A Daughter of Saba Waseem'". globiesfeed.com. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016.
  9. ^ Syed, Madeeha (11 May 2014). "Spotlight: Mum's the word! (Meesha Shafi and her actress mother Saba Hameed)". Dawn. Pakistan. Retrieved 7 April 2019.
  10. ^ "Check Out Celebrities Who Are Shia Muslims". Health Fashion. Retrieved 10 January 2021.
  11. ^ "Women's top body extends its full support to Meesha Shafi in her MeToo campaign". The Wallet. 9 January 2020. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
  12. ^ Bilal, Rana (11 October 2019). "LHC dismisses Meesha Shafi's appeal in harassment case against Ali Zafar". Dawn. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
  13. ^ "Ali Zafar Files FIR Against Meesha Shafi, Eight Others For Posting Defamatory Content Against Him". BOL News. Pakistan. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  14. ^ https://www.samaa.tv/culture/2021/03/celebrities-call-out-malicious-propaganda-against-aurat-march-organisers/
  15. ^ "Meesha Shafi has the perfect solution for those upset by Aurat March". Something Haute. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  16. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 26 December 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  17. ^ "PakistaniMusic.com: Naseem Begum: The Tragedy Queen". pakistanimusic.com. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
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