| Sheheryar Munawar | |
| Birth Date: | 9 August 1988 |
| Birth Place: | Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan |
| Occupation: | Actor, model, producer |
| Years Active: | 2012–present |
| Nationality: | Pakistani |
| Relatives: | Sultana Siddiqui (aunt) Jahangir Siddiqui (uncle) Ali Jehangir Siddiqui (cousin) |
Sheheryar Munawar Siddiqui (Urdu: شہریار منور; born 9 August 1988) is a Pakistani actor, director and producer. He is the recipient of a Lux Style Award and a Hum Award.[1] [2]
The nephew of Hum Network-founder Sultana Siddiqui, Munawar pursued finance and marketing from the Institute of Business Administration. Aspiring to take up a career in acting, he worked as a model for various brands and made his acting debut with the acclaimed television series Meray Dard Ko Jo Zuban Miley (2012), winning the Hum Award for Best Television Sensation.
Munawar then went on to play the romantic interest of female leads in the romance Kahi Un Kahi (2013), and received praise for portraying a struggling husband in the Geo TV series Aasmanon Pay Likha (2014). He followed it by staring and co-producing the coming-of-age musical film Ho Mann Jahaan (2016) and the romantic comedy film Parey Hut Love (2019). For the former, he won the Lux Style Award for Best Supporting Actor, and the latter earned him two Best Actor nominations at Lux Style, and both the films rank among the highest-grossing Pakistani films.
Sheheryar Munawar Siddiqui was born on 9 August 1988 in Karachi, Sindh.[3] His father, air commodore Munawar Alam Siddiqui, was in the Pakistan Air Force before switching to business after retirement, and his mother, Ameena Munawar Siddiqui, is a housewife. His father, Munawar, is also a board member of Hum Network, founded by his aunt Sultana Siddiqui. His sister, Nadia, is a business graduate, while his elder brother, Asfandyar, who died in a car accident on 23 December 2012, was an investment banker.[4] His younger brother, Manoucheher, was wounded in a cafe shooting in 2011.[5]
In a 2018 interview with Samina Peerzada, he revealed that he's of Sindhi descent from his paternal side and Brahui maternally.[6] [7] One of his uncles, Mazhar ul Haq Siddiqui, is one of Pakistan's senior most civil servants and an eminent educationist, who also served as the vice-chancellor of Sindh University and is a board member of Hum Network as well, while another of his uncle, Jahangir Siddiqui, is the founder of JS Group.[7] [8] Ali Jehangir Siddiqui, an entrepreneur who also served as ambassador of Pakistan to the United States for few months in 2018, and the businessmen Shunaid Qureshi and Duraid Qureshi, are his cousins.[9] [10]
Munawar relocated to Islamabad along with his family for a brief period of time, when he was young. He was educated at The City School with O Levels there. The family moved back to Karachi a few years later, and he finished his A levels from the Southshore School in Karachi. Munawar later graduated with a Bachelors degree in finance and marketing from the Institute of Business Administration (IBA).[11]
After graduating from IBA, Munawar worked at a German venture capitalist company in Karachi, and during this time he participated and won an advertisement-making competition for KFC, and then appeared in an advertisement for Omoré.[12] [13] Munawar later quit his job to pursue acting and appeared in several advertisements for various brands and products.[14] He soon received offers for acting roles and made his acting debut in 2012 with the Hum TV's drama series Meray Dard Ko Jo Zuban Miley, in which he played the character of a deaf and dumb boy. He later played leading and supporting roles in several television series, including the ensemble social drama Tanhaiyan Naye Silsilay (2012), a spiritual sequel to the 1986 series Tanhaiyaan, the romantic series Kahi Unkahi (2012), opposite Ayeza Khan and Urwa Hocane, and played the friend of the lead character (played by Fawad Khan), on his aunt Sultana Siddiqui's insistence, in one of the highest-rated television dramas of the country, the romance Zindagi Gulzar Hai (2013).[15] Munawar then gained nationwide success with the Geo TV's critically acclaimed melodrama series Aasmanon Pay Likha (2013), opposite Sajal Aly.[16] [17]
Three years later, Munawar starred and produced the coming-of-age musical drama Ho Mann Jahaan (2016), a film about three college friends who are passionate about music and face difficulties for their common dream.[18] Co-starring opposite Adeel Hussain and Mahira Khan, he was cast as a struggling musician who falls in love with his best friend. Upon release, the film received mixed reviews from critics, however Munawar was praised for his performance in the film. Commercially, the film went on to become one the highest-grossing films of 2016.[19] [20] At the annual Lux Style Awards, Munawar was awarded the Lux Style Award Best Supporting Actor for his performance and received an additional nomination in the Best Film category.[21] [22] Following the success of Ho Mann Jahaan, he starred in the romantic comedy 7 Din Mohabbat In (2018).[23] Directed by Meenu–Farjad, his role was of an introverted man who is romantically involved with three women, played by Mahira Khan, Mira Sethi and Amna Ilyas, at different stages of his life.[24] Amna Zaidi of Siddy Says praised Munawar, stating that "Tipu played by Sheheryar Munawar is the highlight of the film, not only does he act like a dorkey 29 year old to perfection, he looks amazing on screen".[25] [26] The film, despite receiving mixed to negative reviews, was a commercial success, with a worldwide earning of .[27] [28]
In 2019, Munawar featured alongside Humayun Saeed and Syra Yousuf in the science fiction Project Ghazi, a film about a group of rogue men try to seize a project.[29] The film was a commercial disappointment.[30] Munawar next played the role of one of a self-confessed aspiring actor in Asim Raza's romantic comedy Parey Hut Love (2019).[31] The film, divided in four chapters, tells the story of a commitment phobic guy who falls in love with an already engaged girl (played by Maya Ali).[32] The film received positive reviews from critics, and Munawar earned critical acclaim for his performance.[33] [34] The Express Tribune worte that "[Sheheryar] has come a long way and that's evident in this movie — he is not the best but definitely not the worst".[35] Dawn noted that "He takes the emotional highs and lows of his character in stride to look within and struggle with introspection and repeated career and personal setbacks."[36] Mahwash Ajaz thought that the film is a "stunning cinematic experience" and added that Munawar is "definitely the new heartthrob of the nation. He’s the it boy you’ve been waiting for. His eyes and vulnerability express a lot and you can’t help but root for him and his struggle."[37] Parey Hut Love earned over to emerge as one of the highest-grossing Pakistani films.[38] He has since created much hype for his upcoming television series, titled as Pehli Si Mohabbat, opposite Maya Ali, that will start airing on Hum TV in 2021.[39]
Munawar announced his engagement to Hala Soomro, a doctor, on his social media account in March 2019.[40] However, the engagement was called off after a few months in October and no reason of the break-up was given.[41] [42]
| Year | Serial | Role | Director | Screenwriter | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Meray Dard Ko Jo Zuban Miley | Arooj | [43] | |||
| 2013 | Tanhaiyan Naye Silsilay | Zarak Khan | [44] | |||
| Kahi Unkahi | Shahryar | |||||
| Zindagi Gulzar Hai | Osama | [45] | ||||
| 2014 | Aasmanon Pay Likha | Aaliyan | [46] | |||
| 2021 | Pehli Si Muhabbat | Aslam | [47] | |||
| Sinf-e-Aahan | Major Usama | [48] | ||||
| 2023 | Aik Thi Laila | Qais | Cameo | [49] | ||
| Kuch Ankahi | Asfar Motiwala | [50] | ||||
| Budhi Ghori Lal Lagam | Telefilm | [51] | ||||
| 2024 | Radd | Salaar Shah | [52] | |||
| Year | Film | Role | Producer | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Ho Mann Jahaan | Arhan | [53] | ||
| 2017 | Kambhakht | Shahryar | [54] | ||
| 2018 | 7 Din Mohabbat In | Tipu | [55] | ||
| 2019 | Project Ghazi | Zayn | [56] | ||
| Parey Hut Love | Shahryar | [57] | |||
| 2021 | Khel Khel Mein | Wajih Karamullah (Dada) | [58] | ||
| 2023 | Teri Meri Kahaniyaan | Salman | [59] |
| Year | Title | Role | Director | Platform | Notes | Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Prince Charming | See Prime on YouTube | Short film; Directorial debut | [60] | |||
| Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam | Bilal | ZEE5 | Web series | [61] | |||
| 2023 | Likhari | Kabir Khan | See Prime on YouTube | Short film | [62] |
| Year | Award | Category | Program | Result | Ref(s). |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Meray Dard Ko Jo Zuban Miley | [63] | |||
| 2016 | Hum Style Awards | Most Stylish Film Actor | Ho Mann Jahaan | [64] | |
| 2017 | Best Supporting Actor | [65] | |||
| 2017 | Best Film | ||||
| 2017 | Galaxy Lollywood Awards | Best Male Debut | [66] | ||
| 2017 | Best Actor in a Supporting Role | ||||
| 2017 | Best Film | ||||
| 2017 | International Pakistan Prestige Awards | Best Film | [67] | ||
| 2017 | Best Actor Film | ||||
| 2017 | Best Film | [68] | |||
| 2017 | Best Debut Male | ||||
| 2020 | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Parey Hut Love | [69] | ||
| 2020 | Lux Style Awards | Best Actor Viewer's Choice | [70] | ||
| 2020 | Best Actor Critic's Choice | ||||
| 2021 | Filmfare Middle East Awards | Best Debutante Filmmaker | [71] | ||
| International Pakistan Prestige Awards | Best On-Screen Film Couple (with Maya Ali) | [72] |