Meesha Shafi

Early life Shafi was born in Lahore, Pakistan 1981 to actress Saba Hameed and Syed Pervaiz Shafi. She did her A Levels from Lahore Grammar School and graduated with a degree in fine arts from the National College of Arts in 2007.

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". In 2009 Shafi became the brand ambassador for L'Oreal Paris Pakistan. She has featured in many Pakistani magazines and in international publications such as L'Officiel and Vogue India.

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 had a lead role in the TV costume drama Mor Mahal which is set in the mid-19th century.

In 2023, Shafi appeared in the film Mustache, which premiered at the South by Southwest film festival.

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. The couple have two children, a daughter named Janevi, and a son named Kazimir.

Ali Zafar case

On 19 April 2018, Shafi accused fellow singer Ali Zafar of sexual harassment on Twitter. More women came in Shafi's support and accused Zafar of misconduct. Zafar categorically denied the allegations and filed a legal defamation suit. Reported as a "high-profile" case, it was ruled in Zafar's favour on 31 March 2026, and Shafi was ordered to pay in damages. Meanwhile, other cases that were filed include Shafi's workplace harassment case, Zafar's cybercrime case, and two counter-defamation suits against Zafar. While Zafar's legal team claimed that no other case can be pending due to the verdict covering everything, Shafi's legal team filed an appeal against the verdict.

Acting career Filmography Year Film Role Language Note 2013 The Reluctant Fundamentalist 2023 Mustache AsiyaEnglishUrdu

TV Year Show Role Language Note 2016 Mor Mahal Farrukh Zaad Urdu

Discography Year Title 2009 Pichal Pairee 2012 The Reluctant Fundamentalist 2016 "Bholay Bhalay" 2016 "Aya Lariye" 2020 "Gal Sunn" 2020 "Na Tutteya Ve" 2022 "Muaziz Shaarif"

Lollywood

Pepsi Battle of the Bands YearSeasonSongNotes20172"Speaker Phaar"20183"Koi Sarda Aye Te Sare"Originally sung by Noor Jehan"Mein"20194"Leela"

Velo Sound Station Songs Year Song Notes 2020 "Boom Boom" Originally sung by Nazia Hassan 2020 "Amrit" 2023 "Saranjaam"

Miscellaneous Songs Year Song Notes 2020 “Sakal Ban” Written by Amir Khusrau 2021 “Hot Mango Chutney Sauce” 2022 “Rajkumari”