# Shamim Hilaly

Shamim Hilaly (née Ahmed, born 1947) is a Pakistani actress who has acted in both films and television. She is most famous for acting in PTV dramas including Barzakh, Mere Dard Ko Jo Zuban Mile, Parosi and Waqt Ko Tham Lo. She is noted for her performance in Maigh Malhar during the 1990s. She has also acted in Pakistan's only English language movie, Beyond the Last Mountain (1976).

## Early life

Shamim was born in Bombay during British India after partition then her family moved to Pakistan at Lahore. She was interested in acting from a young age, and she did theatre and dramatic plays at the Convent of Jesus and Mary. Later, she attended Kinnaird College for Women, and there, she practiced choral speaking. Later, she went to Government College, and she used to do dramatic plays. Later, she graduated from Government College with a master's degree in English literature.
After PTV was established in 1964, and Aslam Azhar, Chairman and MD of PTV, was looking for actors and actresses, so he saw Shamim at a college play, and he encouraged her to act in dramas then she agreed, and she also hosted a show called University Magazine Show.

## Career

She worked in Amjad Islam Amjad's drama Barzakh along with Rahat Kazmi, in which she portrayed the role of Rashida. It aired on PTV. In 1976, she worked in Pakistan's first English film, Beyond the Last Mountain, in which she portrayed the role of a single parent bringing up a small child. lt was directed and written by Javed Jabbar; later, it was shown at the 6th International Film Festival of India in Delhi. Later in 1982, she appeared in the drama Alif Noon, and she portrayed the role of a college student who goes to a bicycle shop to have a punctured tire repaired.
In the 1980s, Shamim and her husband moved to Yemen as he was posted there for some work. There she taught English at various colleges and universities. Later she returned to Pakistan with her husband, and she resumed her acting career, but she also taught English at colleges and universities.
In 1990, she worked in the drama Parosi ,which was written by Haseena Moin and directed by Raana Sheikh. Some of the shooting took place in Islamabad and Murree. It aired on NTM. She portrayed the roles of Mrs. Asif, the elder sister of Jahan Ara, portrayed by Khalida Riyasat, and Roshan Ara, portrayed by Marina Khan.
In 1995, she appeared in the drama Maigh Malhar on NTM. It was written by Asghar Nadeem Syed. The story was based on The Time of Separation of Eastern Pakistan (Bangladesh) and Western Pakistan, in which she played the role of Maleeha Khan, who is the second wife of a man who had left the love of his life behind in Bangladesh. It was a negative role, but her role received positive reviews.
In 2010, she worked in the drama Uraan ,Which aired on Geo TV, and she portrayed the role of a psychotic mother in Uraan who wants to marry her mentally unstable son. In 2011, she appeared in the drama Maat ,which was based on an Urdu novel of the same name by Umera Ahmad, and she portrayed the role of Faisal's mother, who is a middle-income widow and sits with her son on a motorcycle. It aired on Hum TV. The following year, in 2012, she appeared in the drama Talkhiyaan. It was based on the novel The God of Small Things ,written by Indian author Arundhati Roy, and she portrayed the role of Mother, a difficult, unsympathetic woman to her daughter, who has left her husband and comes to stay with her with her children, and she favours her son more than her daughter.
Since then she appeared in dramas such as Neeli Zinda Hai, Meri Shehzadi, Wehem, Prem Gali, Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay and Jannat Se Aagay.

## Personal life

She is married to the former ambassador turned political commentator, Zafar Hilaly and they have two children.

## Filmography
### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Network |
| 1972 | Barzakh | Rashida | PTV |
| 1982 | Alif Noon | College Student | PTV |
| 1990 | Parosi | Mrs. Asif | NTM |
| 1991 | Waqt Ko Tham Lo | Irene | PTV |
| 1993 | Mere Dard Ko Jo Zuban Mile | Maira | PTV |
| 1995 | Maigh Malhar | Maleeha Khan | NTM |
| 1997 | Shahpar | Mohsin's mother | PTV |
| 2007 | Manay Na Ye Dil | Roshni's mother | Hum TV |
| 2008 | Meri Adhoori Mohabbat | Samreen | Geo TV |
| 2008 | DiL ki Madham Boliyan | Maya | TV One |
| 2009 | Saiqa | Daadi Huzoor | Hum TV |
| 2009 | Noorpur Ki Rani | Salar's mother | Hum TV |
| 2009 | Malaal | Afia | Hum TV |
| 2010 | Haal-e-Dil | Seerat's mother | ARY Digital |
| 2010 | Ishq Gumshuda | Ali's mother | Hum TV |
| 2010 | Shehr e Dil Ke Darwazay | Afsheen's mother | ARY Digital |
| 2010 | Uraan | Sarah Saeed | Geo TV |
| 2010 | Morr Uss Gali Ka | Afreen | ARY Digital |
| 2010 | Zeenat Bint-e-Sakina Hazir Ho | Amma | Geo TV |
| 2010 | Dil Hai Chota Sa | Amaar's mother | Geo TV |
| 2011 | Maat | Faisal's mother | Hum TV |
| 2011 | Meri Behan Maya | Khala | Geo Entertainment |
| 2011 | Band Khirkiyon Kay Peechay Season 2 | Zeni Mahta | TV One |
| 2011 | Meray Khwab Raiza Raiza | Zainab's mother | Hum TV |
| 2011 | Ek Nazar Meri Taraf | Faris's mother | Geo TV |
| 2011 | Jal Pari | Ammi Bi | Geo TV |
| 2012 | Main Jali | Taimoor's mother | Geo TV |
| 2012 | Band Gali | Afroz Begum | PTV |
| 2012 | Mere Huzoor | Saeeda | Express Entertainment |
| 2012 | Nadamat | Tania's aunt | Geo TV |
| 2012 | Coke Kahani | Nusrat | Hum TV |
| 2012 | Talkhiyaan | Mama | Express Entertainment |
| 2013 | Shak | Tai Jan | ARY Digital |
| 2013 | Dil-e-Muztar | Sila's aunt | Hum TV |
| 2013 | Silvatein | Bilal's mother | ARY Digital |
| 2013 | Shukk | Sania's aunt | ARY Digital |
| 2014 | Mere Humdum Mere Dost | Bibi | Urdu 1 |
| 2014 | Kaun Sitaray Chu Sakta Hai | Khursheed | TV One |
| 2014 | Soteli | Ruqaiya | ARY Digital |
| 2014 | Shanakht | Shireen | Hum TV |
| 2014 | Meri Anaya | Suliman's mother | Express Entertainment |
| 2015 | Aitraz | Arsalan's mother | ARY Digital |
| 2015 | Dil Ishq | Mansoor's mother | Geo TV |
| 2015 | Meray Dard Ki Tujhe Kya Khabar | Saad's mother | ARY Digital |
| 2015 | Aye Zindagi | Sultana | Hum TV |
| 2015 | Unsuni | Farah's mother | PTV |
| 2015 | Ek Sitam Aur Sahi | Saeeda | Express Entertainment |
| 2015 | Aap Ki Kaneez | Amma Jee | Geo Entertainment |
| 2015 | Bheegi Palkein | Meher Bano's mother | A-Plus |
| 2015 | Goya | Mrs. Imtiaz | ARY Digital |
| 2015 | Dil Tere Naam | Safia | Urdu 1 |
| 2016 | Kitni Girhain Baaki Hain: Part 2 | Khala Bi | Hum TV |
| 2016 | Tum Milay | Fakhra's mother | ARY Digital |
| 2016 | Lagaao | Chachi Bi | Hum TV |
| 2016 | Sila | Sajjad's mother | Hum TV |
| 2016 | Iss Khamoshi Ka Matlab | Yasmeen's aunt | Geo TV |
| 2016 | Ab Kar Meri Rafugari | Rabia Sultan | ARY Digital |
| 2017 | Phir Wohi Mohabbat | Dadi | Hum TV |
| 2017 | Piyari Bittu | Mehboob's mother | Express Entertainment |
| 2017 | Teri Raza | Suhana's grandmother | ARY Digital |
| 2017 | Qurban | Amma Ji | ARY Digital |
| 2017 | Dil-e-Jaanam | Rakshy | Hum TV |
| 2018 | Tum Se Hi Talluq Hai | Saadan's mother | Geo Entertainment |
| 2018 | Zun Mureed | Amma | Hum TV |
| 2019 | Dil-e-Gumshuda | Khalida | Geo Entertainment |
| 2019 | Bin Badal Barsat | Daadi | Express Entertainment |
| 2019 | Yateem | Hina's grandmother | A-Plus |
| 2019 | Meray Paas Tum Ho | Roomi's school principal | ARY Digital |
| 2019 | Dil Kiya Karay | Sohana Begum | Geo Entertainment |
| 2020 | Prem Gali | Rahat | ARY Digital |
| 2021 | Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay | Nani | Hum TV |
| 2021 | Neeli Zinda Hai | Pervaiz's mother | ARY Digital |
| 2022 | Wehem | Amma Bi | Hum TV |
| 2022 | Angna | Dadi | ARY Digital |
| 2022 | Meri Shehzadi | Safia | Hum TV |
| 2023 | Sirat-e-Mustaqeem Season 3 | Waqar's mother | ARY Digital |
| 2023 | Mein Kahani Hun | Asif's mother | Express Entertainment |
| 2023 | Kitni Girhain Baaki Hain | Zarina | Hum TV |
| 2023 | Tere Aany Se | Mahir's grandmother | Geo TV |
| 2023 | Shanaas | Jalal's mother | Green Entertainment |
| 2023 | Jannat Se Aagay | Jannat's mother | Geo Entertainment |
| 2024 | Contractors | Nigar | Geo Entertainment |

### Telefilm

| Year | Title | Role | Network |
| 2013 | Dil Mera Dhadkan Teri | Amma | Geo TV |
| 2015 | Nok Jhonk | Urooj's grandmother | Geo TV |
| 2015 | Lucknow Wale Lateefullah | Zulaiqa | Hum TV |
| 2018 | Dino Ki Dulhaniya | Dino's grandmother | Geo TV |
| 2024 | Ijazat | Emi | ARY Digital |

### Web series

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2020 | Churails | Jahanara | Episode 7 - 10 |

### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1976 | Beyond the Last Mountain | Shamim | |
| 2016 | Dobara Phir Se | Maa Ji | |
| 2017 | Chalay Thay Saath | Aqsa | |
| 2018 | Motorcycle Girl | Zenith's grandmother | |
| 2018 | Altered Skin | Imtiaz's wife | Short film |
| 2018 | Pinky Memsaab | Jahanara | |
| 2019 | Laal Kabootar | Aliya's mother | |

### Host

| Year | Title | Role | Network |
| 1964 | University Magazine Show | Herself | PTV |

### Other appearance

| Year | Title | Role | Network |
| 2018 | Hamare Mehman | Herself | ARY News |
| 2021 | Zindagi With Sajid Hasan | Herself | ARY Zindagi |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award | Category | Result | Title | Ref. |
| 2013 | 4th Pakistan Media Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Nominated | Talkhiyaan | |
| 2021 | ARY People's Choice Awards | Favorite Actress in a role of Mother | Nominated | Prem Gali | |