When it comes to being associated with the showbiz, it is imperative that those who’re in this industry have to have a strong connection with the glamour because most of the times, it is the demand of the camera & also, it turns out to be a comfort zone of the people who face camera every single day of their lives. Being glamorous is a part of the showbiz industry but when it comes to our dramas, quite often we see such characters that do not require being glamorous at all because we have a vast range of characters that our actors end up playing, which depict Pakistani women from all the walks of life & from all the age brackets.
Most of the times, the characters that are showed on screen end up looking far from reality because the actors that are playing those roles chose to give them the treatment that do not sit well with the viewers due to them being overly glamorous because it suddenly takes away the factor of naturalness & reality from character. It somehow also depicts the insecurity of the actor playing such a character who might not be a bit too comfortable in their own skin but fortunately, we have a handful of very talented actresses who not only own their skin, who not only own their real-self in front of the camera, but also own their characters because of the realistic treatment they give to them which is far from being glamorous & this happens to be the reason why people end up falling in love with the characters that they play & also get impressed with their vision & maturity as actors.
There are quite a few actresses who have made sure to keep their looks as simple, realistic & natural as possible, because for them, it is the acting that matters. Here’s a list of those amazingly talented actresses in no particular order:
Samiya Mumtaz:
Samiya Mumtaz, one of the finest actors of our industry, is a character actor, which is why we never see her giving such a treatment to her appearance that wouldn’t match the nature of the characters that she plays. Samiya Mumtaz makes sure to keep things as closer to reality as possible, that is why, in stead of getting distracted by her appearance or looks, viewers feel connected to her characters immediately because of her acting as Samiya’s entire focus is on her performance & is not on glam-ming herself up, which most of the time wouldn’t gel well with the characters that she plays, like that of Saba in Meri Zaat Zarra-e-Benishaan, Rasheeda in Sadqay Tumhare & Sajida in Udaari.
Mahira Khan:
Mahira Khan is very selective about the projects she chooses to be in because she takes her work very seriously. Her looks in dramas like Hamsafar, Shehr-e-Zaat and Sadqay Tumhare were completely in line with the roles she was playing and the situations her character was in. When there is no need for make-up Mahira Khan is A-okay with minimal styling and make-up whether she is working in a drama or a film.
Sanam Baloch:
Sanam Baloch, is another one of those very few young actresses who focus more on the acting & don’t put much energy into looking glamorous all the time. Sanam Baloch’s effortlessness in both acting & her appearance is what made her such a strong actress. Sanam has played a lot such characters which demanded a no-makeup look & she flaunted her natural beauty with her raw face, with a lot of confidence because Sanam Baloch knows that by the end of the day, it is the acting that makes a mark & leaves an impact.
Samina Peerzada:
A veteran actor who is well aware of the the beauty that she embodies, that is why we saw her confident in her own skin in dramas like Durr-e-Shehwaar & Shehr-e-Zaat where the demand of her character didn’t allow her to have a speck of makeup on her face & Samina Peerzada owned those characters because of the way she kept things natural. Samina Peerzada can be quite experimental with her looks but she is also one of those actresses who don’t mind sporting a natural look as far as they compliment the character that she is playing.
Maya Ali:
Even though Maya Ali can sport a glamorous look in photoshoots & award functions, but when it comes to dramas, Maya’s no make-up look in a lot of her projects has helped the viewers connect to the roles that she plays immediately. She is more than okay and comfortable in a neatly tied braid and only enough make-up which is needed to meet the needs of the camera and the scene.
Sanam Saeed:
Sanam Saeed happens to be one of those few young actresses who rely solely on their acting in the dramas & don’t really put much thought into the glam side of their job. As far as photo-shoots & the modelling side of the spectrum is concerned, Sanam Saeed has proved that she can carry versatile & dolled up looks too but when it comes to dramas & acting, she makes sure to keep her outlook as natural & as simple as possible, in order to depict a character of any regular Pakistani girl flawlessly. If we take a closer look at her work in Daam, Mata-e-Jaan, Mera Naseeb, Firaaq or Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Sanam Saeed has followed the same pattern of keeping her character looking as natural & as simple as possible, which showcases her focus & confidence in her acting more than the superficial appearance.
Ayeza Khan:
Ayeza Khan glams up for award shows and functions but when a character she is playing on screen does not allow her to wear too much make-up she is perfectly alright with it. Her no make-up look and barely any styling in drama serial Adhoori Aurat went to show that she feels very comfortable in her own skin!
Sajal Ali:
Sajal Ali is another actress who is hardly ever seen wearing too much make-up. She knows how to keep it natural by wearing nude shades of eye make-up and very thin liner which accentuates her eyes but does not stand out because she plays the roles of a young girl most of the times, so she makes sure to give her character the right treatment which sync well with the age of the character that she is trying to portray.
Sania Saeed:
Sania Saeed, an actor with a lot of experience, knows exactly how the camera perceives her face, that is why Sania makes sure to give her character the treatment that it deserves. Where we saw her all dolled up as Bari Sarkar in Aseerzadi, we are now getting to see her as a simple Pukhtoon housewife in Sang e Marmar & the treatment she has given to both these characters is completely different & shows her command over her work & her experience as an actor. In the initial stages of her career, Sania Saeed barely wore any makeup because she was confident about herself as an actor.
Arij Fatyma:
Arij Fatyma is blessed with a very cute face and tons of confidence! She knows when to glam up for her role and when to keep it natural. Using the right kind of foundation and applying only enough make-up which suits the role is a trick Arij Fatyma is well aware of. The character of Bareera in Aik Pal goes through a complete transformation, where from being a very modern girl always clad in makeup she turns into someone who chooses an entirely different path in her life & both these phases were perfectly portrayed by Arij Fatyma.
Syra Yousuf:
The only time Syra Yousuf wore slightly more make-up on screen was in drama serial Mera Naseeb even in that play when her character was going through tough times her look completely changed. Syra Yousuf isn’t seen wearing a lot of make-up even in award functions. The natural look suits her and she knows it!
So, here’s the list of all these actresses who according to us keep their looks as natural as possible & give their characters a very realistic feel with a realistic portrayal to add more depth in their performances. Please do let us know your thoughts & feel free to add more names to the list.
Zahra Mirza & Fatima Awan