# Uzma Gillani

Uzma Gillani (born 1947; Urdu: عظمیٰ گیلانی) is a veteran Pakistani television actress. She starred and made appearances in several television shows in 1970s through the 1990s.

## Early life

Uzma was born in Meerut, British India and her parents migrated to Pakistan.

## Career

Gillani is known for her choice of roles that demonstrate a character's tough nature and autocratic disposition. She is considered to be one of the greatest television actors of all time in Pakistan. Gillani began her career through PTV's most successful plays Waris (1979), Dehleez (1981), Panah (1981) and Nangay Paoon (1983), which earned her recognition and a Pride of Performance Award by the President of Pakistan in 1982.
Gillani has had cancer. With her career spanning over 45 years, she is one of Pakistan's early TV actresses that gained fame when television emerged in Pakistan in 1964.

## Personal life

Uzma married Inayat Shah Gillani and the couple had two children. Her husband died in 2017.

## Filmography
### Television series

| Year | Title | Role | Network |
| 1971 | Dada Aur Dil Dada | Hamida | PTV |
| 1972 | Aik Mohabbat Sau Afsanay | Maa | PTV |
| 1973 | Maraat-e-Mohabbat | Zakia | PTV |
| 1976 | Maai Aur Kamai | Amma Shana | PTV |
| 1978 | Manzil Hai Kahan | Ishrat | PTV |
| 1979 | Waris | Zakiya Ghulam Ali | PTV |
| 1981 | Dehleez | Anisa Ahmed | PTV |
| 1982 | Alif Noon | Shadani | PTV |
| 1982 | Doosra Kinara | Malkani | PTV |
| 1983 | Nangay Paoon | Mariam-uz-Zamani | PTV |
| 1983 | Phoolon Wala Rasta | Fozia Ahmed | PTV |
| 1986 | Koi To Ho | Abida | PTV |
| 1989 | Neelay Hath | Zulekha | PTV |
| 1990 | Badaltay Qabil | Lali | PTV |
| 1992 | Nasheman | Farida | PTV |
| 1994 | Alao | Hajra | PTV |
| 1998 | Shaam Sey Phelay | Yasmeen Ahmed | PTV |
| 2002 | Punkh | Zohra Begum | PTV |
| 2002 | Reshma To Jhalli Hai | Jammi | Indus TV |
| 2003 | Ishq Aatish | Irene | Geo TV |
| 2003 | Chahtain | Fari | Geo TV |
| 2003 | Badlon Par Basera | Fareedoon's mother | PTV |
| 2004 | Maa | Gohar | PTV |
| 2006 | Masuri | Rani | PTV |
| 2006 | Lagan | Faiza's mother | PTV |
| 2006 | Amar Bail | Ammi | TV One |
| 2007 | Man-o-Salwa | Karam's mother | Hum TV |
| 2008 | Sookhey Pattey | Aini | Geo TV |
| 2009 | Kinara Mil Gaya Hota | Mira | TV One |
| 2009 | Tujh Pe Qurban | Razia Sultana | ARY Zindagi |
| 2012 | Bulbulay | Malika | ARY Digital |
| 2013 | Taar-e-Ankaboot | Hazrat Bibi | Geo TV |
| 2014 | Firaaq | Maa Jee | Hum TV |
| 2015 | Maryam | Firdous Begum | Geo Entertainment |
| 2016 | Shehr-e-Ajnabi | Aapa Begum | A-Plus |
| 2017 | Dastar-e-Ana | Zaibunnisa | TV One |
| 2019 | Kaisa Hai Naseeban | Musarrat | ARY Digital |
| 2019 | Bhool | Mrs. Sherazi | ARY Digital |

### Telefilm

| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
| 1981 | Panah | Shah Bibi | |

### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
| 2019 | Sacch | Uzma | |

## Honour

The Government of Pakistan named a street and intersection after her in Lahore on August 16, 2021. In 2022 on May 19 the Cantonment Board of Bahawalpur (CBB) named a Park after her called Uzma Gillani Park for children and women in Model Town.

## Awards and recognition

| Year | Award | Category | Result | Title |
| 1981 | PTV Award | Best Actress | Nominated | Panah |
| 1982 | Pride of Performance | Award by the President of Pakistan | Won | Herself |
| 1998 | PTV Award | Best Actress | Won | Shaam Sey Phelay |
| 2013 | 2nd Hum Awards | Hum Award for Best Actor in a Negative Role | Nominated | Firaaq |