Zeba Bakhtiar
Zeba Bakhtiar زيبا بختيار | |
|---|---|
| Born | 5 November 1965[1] |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1988 - present |
| Known for | Henna (1991) Sargam (1995) |
| Spouse(s) |
Salman Valliani
(m. 1985; div. 1986)Sohail Khan Leghari
(m. 2009; div. 2010) |
| Children | Azaan Sami Khan (son) |
| Parent | Yahya Bakhtiar (father) |
| Relatives | Sultana Zafar (aunt) Huma Akbar (sister-in-law) Ali Haider (cousin) |
Zeba Bakhtiar (Urdu: زيبا بختيار; born 5 November 1965[1]) is a Pakistani film and television actress, producer and director. She is known for her roles in the historical television drama Anarkali (1988), the Bollywood romantic drama Henna (1991), and the Lollywood musical-romance, Sargam (1995). She produced and directed film Babu in 2001. For her performance in Sargam, she won the Nigar Award for Best Actress in 1995.
Early life and family
Zeba is the daughter of Yahya Bakhtiar, a lawyer, politician and pre-independence Muslim League activist who served as the Attorney General of Pakistan, and also played a key role in framing Pakistan's current constitution.[2][3] Her father belonged to Quetta,[2] while her mother was an English woman born to Hungarian parents.[4][3] Her father died in 2003,[2] and her mother died in 2011.[5] Her parents met in the UK in the early 1940s and married, with her mother eventually settling in Pakistan in 1949 after graduating from the University College London.[4][5] Zeba has two brothers, Salim and Karim, who are both doctors, and a sister, Saira.[2] She was raised in Quetta,[5] and moved to Karachi later.[2]
Career
Bakhtiar made her television debut with a Pakistan Television the period-drama, Anarkali in 1988.[6] Her melancholic romantic role in the series was widely appreciated. Bakhtiar was then offered the lead role in Raj Kapoor's film Henna, on Haseena Moin's recommendation after Shehnaz Sheikh and Salma Agha didn't work out.[7][8] She played Henna, a compassionate rural Kashmiri in the film. Upon its release in 1991, the film emerged as a major critical and commercial success.[6] For her performance, Bakhtiar received the nominations of Best Actress and Best Female Debut at the 37th Filmfare Awards.[9][10]
Bakhtiar's second film, Nargis, directed and produced by Khalid Mohamed, was completed in 1992 but remained unreleased until 2019 when the lab dues were cleared.[11] Later, she worked in more Bollywood films like Mohabbat Ki Arzoo (1994), Stuntman (1994), Jai Vikraanta (1995), and Muqadama (1996). But her career in Bollywood didn't make any progress after Henna. Then she came back to Pakistan and worked in the Syed Noor-directed film Sargam (1995). Her other Lollywood films include Chief Sahib (1996), Qaid (1996), and Musalman (2001). She produced and directed film Babu in 2001, and in 2014, she produced the spy thriller film O21.[12]
After the big screen, Bakhtiar also appeared in television productions like Tansan, Laag, Abke Hum Bichre tau Shayad and Pehli See Mohabbat.[13][14]
Personal life
Marriages
Bakhtiar married four times. Her first husband was Salman Valliani whom she married in the year 1985 and divorced in 1986.[15] Zeba married Indian actor Jaaved Jaaferi in 1989 and divorced in 1990. She came in the limelight because of her marriage to singer and music composer Adnan Sami.[16] Zeba and Adnan got divorced in 1997. They have a son named Azaan Sami Khan.[17] Later she married Sohail Khan Leghari in 2009 but the couple divorced in 2010.[15]
Health
Zeba was diagnosed with diabetes before her second marriage.[18] She now participates in the diabetes awareness campaigns on various forums.[19][20]
Social work
She is involved in women's association football in Pakistan as chairwoman of Karachi-based Diya W.F.C.[21]
Filmography
Film
All films are in Urdu unless otherwise noted.
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Henna[22] | Henna | Hindi |
| 1993 | Nargis | Nargis | Hindi |
| 1994 | Mohabbat Ki Aarzoo | Poonam Singh | Hindi |
| 1994 | Stuntman | Reena B. Tiwari | Hindi |
| 1995 | Jai Vikraanta | Nirmala Verma | Hindi |
| 1995 | Munda Bigra Jaey | ||
| 1995 | Sargam[2] | Zeb-un-Nisa | |
| 1996 | Muqadama | Chanchal Singh | Hindi |
| 1996 | Chief Sahib | ||
| 1999 | Qaid | Khushboo | |
| 2001 | Babu | ||
| 2001 | Musalmaan | Gul | |
| 2008 | The Weeping Queen | Mother Earth | [23] |
| 2014 | O21 | N/a | Producer[2] |
| 2015 | Bin Roye | Maliha Shafiq |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Anarkali | Anarkali | [24] |
| Tansen | |||
| 1998–2000 | Laag | Bisaal Indaraabi | [25] |
| Aabla Paa | |||
| Kharaash | |||
| 1996 | Muqaddas | ||
| Be Imaan | |||
| Takoune | |||
| Doordesh | |||
| Aye Mere Pyar Ki Khushboo | |||
| Ishq Ki Ibtida | |||
| 2000 | Abke Hum Bichre tau Shayad | [14] | |
| 2001 | Pehli See Mohabbat | Sofia | [25] |
| 2005 | Masoori | Director | |
| 2005 | Maa Aur Mamta | Anoushey | Episode "Muskaan" |
| 2009 | Mehmaan | N/a | Director & producer only[26] |
| Mulaqat | Rabi | Director and producer[27] | |
| 2010 | Moum | ||
| 2012 | Main Baba Ki Ladli | Producer also[24] | |
| Samjhauta Express | Shaista | ||
| Hazaron Saal | Zeba | ||
| Shehr-e-Dil Ke Darwaze | |||
| 2016–17 | Bin Roye | Maliha Shafiq |
Accolades
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Work | Result | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Filmfare Awards | Best Actress | Henaa | Nominated | [10] |
| Best Female Debut | Nominated | [9] | |||
| 1995 | Nigar Awards | Best Actress | Sargam | Won | [28] |
| 2004 | Lux Style Awards | Chairperson's Lifetime Achievement Award | for contributions to Pakistani entertainment industry | Won | |
| 2006 | Best TV Director (Terrestrial) | Masoori | Nominated | ||
| 2015 | Best Film | O21 | [29] |
See also
References
- ^ a b Interview given to Aamna Haider Isani (Jul-2023), published on YouTube (Zeba Bakhtiar On Life Survival Hacks I Six Pack at 60 I How To Overcome Depression I AHI).
- ^ a b c d e f g "Yahya Bakhtiar dies". Dawn. 28 June 2003. Archived from the original on 20 October 2019. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
- ^ a b "'My hero': Zeba Bakhtiar shares a memorable picture". ARY News. 19 February 2020. Archived from the original on 20 February 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
Her father Yahya Bakhtiar was a lawyer and Attorney General of Pakistan who played a key role in the framing of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan. Zeba's mother was a Hungarian woman.
- ^ a b "Azaan Sami Khan discusses relation with father, Adnan Sami Khan". The News International. 19 September 2019. Archived from the original on 6 September 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
Speaking about family dynamics, Azaan first revealed, "My mother's mother was English; her parents were Hungarian. My grandfather met her in the early 1940s," he revealed.
- ^ a b c "Yahya Bakhtiar's wife dies". Dawn. 8 January 2011. Archived from the original on 28 September 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- ^ a b Maliha Rehman (16 March 2025). "The Icon Interview: Still Beautiful". Dawn.com.
- ^ "Pakistani actors who refused offers from Bollywood". Dunya News. 2 May 2021.
- ^ "When Raj Kapoor dreamed of launching his cousin in 'Henna'". Times of India. 16 September 2025.
- ^ a b Muhammad Suhayb (2 June 2023). "Raj Kapoor and his connection to Pakistan". DAWN Images. Archived from the original on 7 September 2025.
- ^ a b Sadiq Saleem (31 December 2015). "Filmfare's Pakistani connection". The News International. Archived from the original on 3 December 2024.
- ^ Param Arunachalam. BollySwar: 1991 - 2000. Mavrix Infotech Private Limited. pp. 245, 246. ISBN 9788193848210.
- ^ "Zeba Bakhtiar's 'Operation 021' set to release this year". Dawn.com. 23 May 2014.
- ^ "زیبا بختیار نے بھارتی فلم حنا سے فنی سفر کا آغاز کیا". express news. 20 September 2013. Archived from the original on 16 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- ^ a b "Explosive relationships". The News International. 2 October 2001. Archived from the original on 8 October 2001. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
- ^ a b "Why Actress Zeba Bakhtiar Returned To Pakistan After Gaining Immense Fame With Henna". News 18. 9 November 2023. Archived from the original on 7 November 2023.
- ^ "Did you know Jaaved Jaaferi's first wife Zeba Bakhtiar was a Pakistani actress and was Raj Kapoor's favourite?". Times of India. 12 December 2024. Archived from the original on 12 December 2024.
- ^ Hafeez, Zara Nasir (19 May 2014). "The buzz: In conversation with Zeba Bakhtiar". tribune.com.pk. Archived from the original on 8 February 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2017.
- ^ "Zeba joins JJ diabetes care". The Nation. 10 September 2013. Archived from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- ^ "Zeba Bakhtiar and Johnson and Johnson aspire towards better diabetes care". Asianet Pakistan. Archived from the original on 16 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- ^ "Adnan Sami married the star, not person: Zeba Bakhtiar". Zee News. Archived from the original on 16 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
- ^ "A football victory for girls' rights in Karachi". United Nations Pakistan Newsletter Issue No. 2 (2016). 20 May 2016. Archived from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- ^ "RIP Rishi Kapoor: 'Henna' will be remembered forever". DeccanHerald. 30 April 2020. Archived from the original on 2 May 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- ^ Khursheed Hyder (16 July 2008). "KARACHI: The weeping queen of Quetta". Dawn.com.
- ^ a b Saadia Qamar (26 December 2011). "The acting prowess of Zeba Bakhtiar". The Express Tribune.
- ^ a b Anis Shakur (26 August 2009). "Zeba Bakhtiar: Accepted the challenge!". Pakistani TV Drama. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013.
- ^ "Drama Serial Mehman on Ary Tv". Pakistani TV Drama. May 2009. Archived from the original on 18 May 2011.
- ^ "Drama Serial Mulaqat on Hum Tv". Pakistani TV Drama. 18 April 2009. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014.
- ^ "List of Nigar awards from 1957 to 1971". The Hot Spot Online. 17 June 2002. Archived from the original on 3 August 2008. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ^ "Nominations for Lux Style Awards 2015 announced". Daily Times. Karachi. 17 July 2015. Archived from the original on 19 July 2015.