Ushna Shah is a Pakistani actress who works in Urdu cinema and television. She is the daughter of actress Ismat Tahira and sister of Irsa Ghazal. After making her acting debut in the 2013 romance Mere Khwabon Ka Diya, Shah had her first critical success with the 2014 thriller Bashar Momin. She rose to prominence by featuring as the female lead in several critically acclaimed serials, including Duaa, Neelam Kinaray, Ab Kar Meri Rafugari, Thoda Sa Aasman, Lashkara, Ru Baru Ishq Tha. She received further recognition for playing against type in the 2017 spiritual drama Alif Allah Aur Insaan that earned her a Hum Award for Best Negative Actor and the 2018 psychological thrillerBalaa for which she received nomination for Best Actress at Lux Style Awards. Among her awards is the Best Emerging Talent Female at the 4th Pakistan Media Awards for Mere Khwabon Ka Diya. Shah made her debut on the big screen with Jawad Bashir's Teri MeriLove Story in which she played the leading character of Esha and later starred in the first online Pakistani comedy filmOye Kuch Kar Guzar by D-juice Pakistan. She also appeared as a guest in the film Punjab Nahi Jaungi.
Personal life
Shah was born in Lahore and raised in Canada. She is the daughter of veteran TV and radio artist Ismat Tahira, the sister of Shah Sharabeel, an acclaimed theatre director, and the stepsister of Irsa Ghazal, also an actress.
Career
She began her career with character roles, including the serial Bashar Momin in 2014, the drama serialDuaa in which she played the title character, and Alif Allah Aur Insaan 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 also appeared as a guest in the film Punjab Nahi Jaungi. She has been the brand ambassador for the fashion labelNickie Nina, and has done campaigns for various lawn brands such as Jahanara. In June 2017 she wrote on Facebook criticising what she said was the trend of various talk shows using Ramadan to cash in on television rating points.
