Frieha Altaf is a Pakistani actress, former model, host, film director, producer and human rights activist.[1] She is the CEO of her own Catwalk Event Management and Sahil which she founded in 1989.[2] She also worked in classic dramas Rozi and Kohar.[3] Altaf also had guest appearances in films Lahore Se Aagey, Wajood, Baaji and Parey Hut Love.[4]
Frieha Altaf | |
|---|---|
| Born | 21 September 1964 Karachi, Pakistan |
| Education | Barbizon Institute |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Children | Turhan James (son) Parisheh James (daughter) |
| Parents |
|
| Relatives | Neshmia Ahmed (sister) |
Early life
editShe completed her education in US and returned to Pakistan in 1986. In Karachi, she worked as a painter and sculptor. During an exhibition, she was asked by a modeling agent to model for advertising and she agreed.[5] Frieha's mother Yasmeen was a model in the 1960s.[5]
Frieha also went to Canada where she studied fashion design while also teaching there at Barbizon Institute and got a diploma in fashion design.[1]
Career
editFrieha started modeling at age 18 before going to the USA and she also did theater and stage plays.[5] Frieha was paired with supermodel Atiya Khan for a jewellery shoot.[5] In 1986, during the match between Pakistan versus India cricket cup in Sharjah, Frieha was sent abroad for a modelling show for Maheen Khan which was a success for Frieha.[5] She also hosted Lux Style Ki Duniya on PTV in 1989.[1] In 1990 she made her debut as an actress in Sahira Kazmi's directed long play Rozi as Shahana.[5]
In 1991 she worked in Haseena Moin's drama Kohar as Neelam with Shakeel, Marina Khan and Fauzia Wahab.[3]
In 2014 she introduced actress and model Areeba Habib to Pakistani fashion industry.[6]
In 2022 Frieha launched her own podcast called FWhy Podcast in which she interviewed many actors and actresses such as Humayun Saeed, Imran Ashraf and Zara Noor Abbas.[7]
Personal life
editShe married thrice but her three marriages ended in divorce.[5] She has two children from her third marriage and took custody of her children.[8][9] Frieha's sister Neshmia Ahmed is a former model and the CEO of Grandeur Art Gallery.[10]
In 2018 Frieha revealed in an interview with Nida Yasir and Farah that she was abused by her cook at the age of six when her parents were on vacation in Japan. She told about it to her mother when she came back from Japan later they got the cook arrested. She said that it was traumatizing for her and it affected her and her mother but later she recovered.[11]
Filmography
editTelevision
edit| Year | Title | Role | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Rozi | Shahana | PTV[12] |
| 1991 | Kohar | Neelam | PTV[3] |
| 2022 | Stars and Style | Herself | PTV |
Web series
edit| Year | Title | Role | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Churails | Botox Lady | ZEE5[13] |
| 2021 | Dai | Dai | Urduflix[14] |
Film
edit| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Lahore Se Aagey | Herself |
| 2018 | Wajood | Mrs. Shafqat[4] |
| 2019 | Baaji | Herself[15] |
| 2019 | Parey Hut Love | Feroza[16] |
Music video
edit| Year | Song | Singer(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Kiya Darta Hai | Shehzad Roy | CATWALK[17] |
Host
edit| Year | Title | Role | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Lux Style Ki Duniya | Herself | PTV[1] |
| 2022 | FWhy Podcast | Herself | Youtube[7] |
Other appearance
edit| Year | Title | Role | Network |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Mein Nahi Hum | Herself | Hum News |
| 2019 | Ek Nayee Subah With Farah | Herself | A-Plus |
| 2019 | BOL Nights with Ahsan Khan | Herself | BOL Entertainment |
| 2020 | Good Morning Pakistan | Herself | ARY Digital |
| 2022 | G Sarkar | Herself | Neo News |
Ambassadorship
edit- Goodwill Ambassador for Sahil in 2018[18]
Awards and recognition
edit| Year | Award | Category | Result | Title | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 17th Lux Style Awards | Lifetime Achievement Award | Won | Fashion | [19] |
| 2019 | The Pakistan Leading Ladies Awards | Woman of the Year Award | Won | Herself | [20] |
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Interview: Frieha Altaf". Newsline Magazine. 16 October 2022.
- ^ "Frieha Altaf: Power of Influence". Masala. 9 December 2019.
- ^ a b c "Drama serial 'Kohar': Flopped and Forgotten". Daily Times. 20 December 2019.
- ^ a b "Frieha Altaf to feature in Javed Sheikh's Wajood". The News International. 27 February 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g "A Fashionable History: Frieha Altaf, Model – I". The Friday Times - Naya Daur. 29 September 2022.
- ^ "People feel modelling isn't a respectable profession: Freiha Altaf". The Express Tribune.
- ^ a b "In conversation with Frieha Altaf". The News International Paper. 28 August 2022.
- ^ "Frieha Altaf and daughter Parisheh are co-starring in Asim Raza's Parey Hut Love". Images Dawn. 10 August 2022.
- ^ "Turhan James releases debut Urdu single ft. Maanu". The News International. 8 February 2022.
- ^ "It runs in the family: Frieha Altaf and Neshmia Ahmed". The Express Tribune. 26 October 2017.
- ^ "Nadia Jamil, Frieha Altaf speak up about painful childhood abuse memories". Geo News. 15 January 2018.
- ^ "Rozi Haroon:The cross dresser we'll never forget". The Express Tribune. 18 September 2019.
- ^ "A Fashionable History: Frieha Altaf, Model – II". The Friday Times - Naya Daur. 23 May 2022.
- ^ "Frieha Altaf is excited to be playing an 'evil' character in web-series Dai". Images Dawn. 20 June 2021.
- ^ "Baaji is not a film – it's a joke". The Express Tribune. 10 March 2020.
- ^ "Frieha Altaf joins the cast of 'Parey Hut Love' for a special role". Something Haute. 17 May 2020.
- ^ "Frieha Altaf launches #MeinBhi music video, leaving everyone in tears". The Express Tribune. 10 January 2019.
- ^ "Diplo is Coming to Pakistan – For a Good Cause!". Daily Pakistan Global. 12 November 2018.
- ^ "Here are the winners from the Lux Style Awards 2018". www.geo.tv. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
- ^ "Frieha wins Woman of the Year Award". Daily Times. 17 December 2019.