Aamina Sheikh is a Pakistani film and television actress and former fashion model. Sheikh has received critical appreciation for her work as an actress, has established a career in the Urdu television industry and art films, and is the recipient of four Lux Style Award from nine nominations. Born in New York City and raised in Karachi and Riyadh, Sheikh studied video production at the Hampshire College. After working as an assistant at the Curious Pictures, she returned to Pakistan and started her career in the entertainment industry with fashion modeling, during which she garnered international recognition as a spokesperson for the French beauty brand L'Oreal and received a nomination at the Lux Style Award for Best Model. After establishing herself as one of the top female models of Pakistan, she made her acting debut with a leading role in the 2008 telefilmBaarish Mein Deewar. The following year, she appeared in the Geo TV seriesDil e Nadan, for which she received the Lux Style Award for Best Emerging Talent. In 2010, she earned critical acclaim for the ARY Digital's romance Daam. She later garnered wide recognition for playing leading roles in female-centric serials, including Hum Tum, Ishq Gumshuda, Uraan, Mera Saaein, Main Abdul Qadir Hoon. Sheikh subsequently played more prominent roles in serials like Maat, Mera Saaein 2, Mirat Ul Uroos, and Jackson Heights. Her performances in the romantic series Agar Tum Na Hote, Umm-e-Kalsoom, and Kuch Is Tarah, earned her Satellite Best Actress and Best Actress Terrestrial nominations at Lux Style Awards. In addition to acting in television serials, Sheikh made her film debut with the 2012 social drama Seedlings, a critical and commercial success. Her performance in the film garnered critical appreciation and earned her many national and international awards, including the Lux Style Award for Best Film Actress, New York Film Festival Award and SAARC Film Festival Award. She achieved further critical and commercial success for her role of portrayal of Zarnab, in the romance Armaan, which earned her a nomination for the Tarang Housefull Awards—Best Actress. The following year, she starred in the social drama , a critical and commercial success. Sheikh was widely praised for her role and received nominations in the Best Actress category at the Lux Style Awards and the Silent River Film Festival. Her greatest commercial success came with the family drama Cake, which garnered her critical appraise and several Best Actress awards and nominations, including the Lux Style Award. In 2015, she served as one of the committee member of the Pakistani Academy Selection Committee. Since 2018, Sheikh has been separated from actor Mohib Mirza, whom she married in 2005; she has a daughter with him.
Early life
Sheikh was born in New York City to Abdul Sheikh, a pharmacist by profession. Sheikh's paternal side of family have established themselves in the textile business, but her father had a passion for chemistry; he pursued it and became a pharmacist. She spent her childhood in Karachi and Riyadh and received her primary education from Mama Parsi School, Karachi and secondary education from the American International School in Riyadh. Sheikh continued further studies in Karachi, and did her O and A levels from St Joseph's Convent School, Karachi and The Lyceum School, respectively. Aamina has majored in film video production from Hampshire College, Amherst, Massachusetts and worked as an assistant at Manhattan-based multi-media company Curious Pictures before returning to Pakistan.
Career
After returning to Pakistan, Sheikh landed a job with Geo Television, where she directed and produced children talkshow Bachey Man Ke Sachey. In 2007, Aamina made her on-screen debut in Sharjil Baloch and Khalid Ahmed's telefilm, Gurmuch Singh ki Waseeyat. It was based on Saadat Hassan Manto's novel, The Will of Gurmukh Singh. She garnered international recognition as a spokesperson for the French beauty brand L'Oreal. In 2008, Sheikh appeared in three major telefilms: Aasmaan Chu Lay, Pachees Qadam Pe Maut and Baarish Mein Deewar. Sheikh played a rickshaw driver who's determined to become the sole breadwinner of the family, in Syed Ali Reza's Aasmaan Chu Lay. Sheikh had to learn and drive a rickshaw on Karachi's busiest M.A. Jinnah road and Garden Area, with a massive camera attached to it and had to attract real passengers. In the same year Sheikh made her runaway debut with Rehana Saigol's fashion show. She has done extensive print work for fashion/advertising labels/companies, such as Deepak Perwani, Amir Adnan, Nomi Ansari, Niche Lifestyle, Khaadi, Teejays, The Men's Store, Fahad Hussayn, Hang Ten, Maheen Khan, Umbereen Sharmeen, Chinyere, Crossroads and Limited Edition. In the following year, she did her second photoshoot for Niche Lifestyle, with Atif Aslam. In 2010, Sheikh did Mehreen Jabbar's mega revenge drama Daam and Haissam Hussain's romantic dramaIshq Gumshuda. In 2011, Sheikh played the role of a grieving mother in Summer Nicks' multi award-winning feature film Seedlings and went on to win New York Film Festival Award for Best Actress and SAARC Film Festival Award for Best Actress. She then went on to play the lead in Iram Parveen Bilal's feature, before taking on the role of Natasha in the high-octane action spy thriller, Operation 021, produced by Zeba Bakhtiar and directed by Australian filmmaker, Summer Nicks. In 2013, Sheikh was awarded Miss Photogenic Award at the 1st Veet Celebration of Beauty Awards. In 2018, she starred in Asim Abbasi's drama filmCake, which was a critical and commercial success. The film earned her a Best Film Actress nomination at the 18th Lux Style Awards.
Personal life
Sheikh married actor Mohib Mirza, at Karachi. Their wedding was a three-day event taking place from 30 April to 2 May 2005. Mohib and Aamina met on the sets of a show which Mohib was hosting and Aamina was directing. In an interview given to Jang, Mohib revealed that he had the hardest time convincing Aamina's father and that each meeting with him involved "extensive grilling". They have a daughter together, Meissa, born in 2015; they announced their separation in 2018.
