# Ushna Shah

Ushna Shah (born 12 February 1990) is a Pakistani-Canadian film and television actress. Her accolades includes a Hum Award and a Pakistan Media Award, and a nomination for Lux Style Award.
Shah graduated from the York University and made her debut with a supporting role in the 2013 romance Mere Khwabon Ka Diya, winning a Pakistan Media Award for Best Emerging Talent. After playing a series of roles, she starred as a struggling wife in the blockbuster thriller Bashar Momin (2014) and went on to feature as the female lead in the 2017 spiritual drama Alif Allah Aur Insaan and the 2018 psychological thriller Balaa, and earned further praise as a victim in the thriller Cheekh (2019), the love interest of the main character in the drama Parizaad (2022), and a naive wife in the romance Habs (2022).

## Early life

Shah was born on 12 February 1990, in Karachi, Sindh, to Muhammad Shah, a businessman, and Ismat Tahira, a veteran actress and a radio artist. She has one elder brother, Shah Sharabeel, a theater director, and an elder half-sister from her mother's first marriage, Irsa Ghazal, another television actress. The family relocated to Toronto, when Shah was a child, where she was raised. Shah moved back to Pakistan in 2012, to pursue a career in acting. Shah graduated with a major in English Literature and Professional Writing from the York University.

## Career

Shah began her career with character roles, including the serial Bashar Momin in 2014, the drama serial Duaa (2015) in which she played the title character, and Alif Allah Aur Insaan (2017) in the role of a beggar turned courtesan. She was cast in Jawad Bashir's Teri Meri Love Story in which she played the leading character Eesha, but the film was halted post-production and the official release never happened. She also starred in the first online Pakistani comedy film Oye Kuch Kar Guzar by D-juice Pakistan. She then appeared as a guest in the film Punjab Nahi Jaungi in 2017. She has been the brand ambassador for the fashion label Nickie Nina, and has done campaigns for various lawn brands such as Jahanara. In June 2017 she wrote on Facebook criticizing what she said was the trend of various talk shows using Ramadan to cash in on television rating points.

## Personal life

Shah married professional golfer Hamza Amin, the son of golfer Taimur Hassan Amin, on 26 February 2023 in Karachi, two months after announcing her engagement.

## Filmography

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2016 | Teri Meri Love Story | Esha | |
| 2017 | Oye Kuch Kar Guzar | Zara Hayat | Released online by Djuice |
| 2017 | Punjab Nahi Jaungi | Herself | Special appearance in song "Raat Ka Nasha" |
| 2023 | Chikkar | Ayla Akbar | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Additional Notes |
| 2013 | Mere Khwabon Ka Diya | Rahma | Debut |
| 2014 | Kitni Girhain Baaki Hain | Shafeeqa | Episode "Harjai" |
| 2013 | Shehr-e-Yaaran | Durr e Shehwar | |
| 2013 | Rukhsaar | Mahrukh | |
| 2014–2015 | Aag | Momina | |
| 2014 | Hum Tehray Gunahgaar | Sara | |
| 2014 | Bashar Momin | Rudaba | |
| 2015 | Piya Mann Bhaye | Hania | |
| 2015 | Duaa | Duaa | |
| 2016 | Bheegi Palkien | Mehar Bano | |
| 2016 | Neelam Kinaray | Sakina | |
| 2016 | Bitiya Hamaray Zamanay Mein | Iraj | |
| 2016 | Ab Kar Meri Rafugari | Taban Sultan | |
| 2016 | Thoda Sa Aasman | Rakhshi | |
| 2017 | Alif Allah Aur Insaan | Rani (Reena Begum) | |
| 2017 | Yeh Ishq Hai | Tajwar | Episode "Kiya Yahi Pyaar Hai" |
| 2017 | Kitni Girhain Baaki Hain (season 2) | Rozi/Sarah | Episode 1, 25 |
| 2018 | Lashkara | Bubly | |
| 2018 | Ru Baru Ishq Tha | Salwa | |
| 2018 | Balaa | Nigar | |
| 2019 | Cheekh | Nayab | |
| 2019 | Help Me Durdana | Maheen | |
| 2019 | Choti Choti Batain | Pareshay (Pari) | Story 2 |
| 2019 | Pinky Ka Dulha | Pinky | |
| 2019–2020 | Bewafa | Shireen | |
| 2020 | Dikhawa | Rabia | Episode 19 |
| 2020 | Bandhay Aik Dor Se | Maheen | |
| 2021 | Aakhir Kab Tak | Noor | |
| 2021 | Parizaad | Naheed | |
| 2022 | Habs | Ayesha Basit Khan | |
| 2023 | Daurr | Shezray Hanif | |
| 2024-present | Ghair | Wafa | |
| 2024-present | Aye Ishq-e-Junoon | Aimen Hafeez/Aimen Rahim Nawaz | |

## Awards and nominations

* Best Emerging Talent Female at 4th Pakistan Media Awards for Mere Khwabon Ka Diya
* Hum Awards for Best Soap Actress at 3rd Hum Awards for Hum Tehray Gunahgar'
* Hum Award for Best Negative Character at 6th Hum Awards for Alif Allah Aur Insaan
* Nominated-Lux Style Awards for Best Television Actress for Balaa