The Pakistani showbiz industry has its fair share of nepotism. The nepotism debate gathered fire after Sushant Singh Rajput died in India. Bollywood movies were a rage in Pakistan till the last decade, and people used to follow their stars and their trajectories. Sushant’s death started a debate against nepotism in India, and like other political philosophies, this debate also skipped borders and penetrated other territories.
Pakistanis also started noticing the pattern of nepotism and started calling out a new crop of actors who have mostly been the products of nepotism. However, there is a whole crop of artists whose parents have been big names in the industry, but people are not familiar with their familial lineage. This helped these artists establish a place for themselves independent of the shadow of their famous family members.
Here is a list of stars who are nepokids, but people always overlook their parents’ influence due to their own talent and impact:
Adeel Hashmi
Adeel Hashmi is a Pakistani star who is mostly known for his brilliant Ufone ads. He is also a versatile actor, and he can successfully navigate both serious and comic characters. His presentation on the live stage and his way of interviewing are also loved and appreciated. Though Adeel Hashmi is a talented and consistent star, he is a nepokid. His mother, Muneeza Hashmi, is a famous media producer, while his father was a well-known educationist. He is also the grandson of legendary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz and therefore hosts Faiz Mela every year.
Ali Tahir
Ali Tahir is a versatile Pakistani actor. He is known for his ability to perform every character well, be it rural or urban. He has recently impressed everyone with his versatility in shows like Sher and Zard Patton Ka Bann. He has been a part of the industry for two decades now, and people love his strong screen presence. What many people did not know was that he was also a nepokid. His grandfather, Imtiaz Ali Taj, is among the most decorated authors in the history of the country. His father, Naeem Tahir, is a veteran actor and writer, and his mother, Yasmeen Tahir, was a well-known broadcaster in Pakistan.
Momina Duraid
Momina Duraid is one of the biggest producers of Pakistan. She is the name behind some of the classics we have had in the drama world, and she is now directing the country’s first-ever Netflix series, Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo. Her nepotism connections come from her in-laws, as her mother-in-law, Sultana Siddiqui, is among the biggest media moguls. She polished her talent and provided her with a platform to showcase it. Momina went on to become the backbone of many classic projects, and today she is known as a producer and director whose name is connected to quality scripts.
Hina Rizvi
Hina Rizvi is another famous name in the Pakistani drama industry. She has been appearing in shows for years now. She has played all kinds of characters, from comedy to serious roles. Her role as Daadi in Fairy Tale is iconic. She went viral when she tied the knot with her friend from the theatre, where she has also performed. She has worked hard to establish herself in the drama industry, but many people do not know that she comes from a showbiz family. Her parents were involved in filmmaking, while her sisters, Sangeeta and Kavita, are two of the biggest names in Lollywood.
Sana Shahnawaz
Sana Shahnawaz is another star producer of the Pakistani drama industry. She is the sister of Samina Humayun Saeed, and she has received complete support from her sister and brother-in-law, who are like her parents. Sana Shahnawaz does not expose herself a lot on social media, and she has been able to produce some of the best scripts like Man Mayal, Sinf e Aahan, Alif, and Jaan e Jahan. By keeping herself on the sidelines of fame, she has been able to establish her individuality despite being a part of a big legacy.
Ushna Shah
Ushna Shah is a Pakistani actress. She has chosen some great roles over the years, and the audience finds her to be extremely talented. She became a household name after starring in Bashar Momin. Her character in Alif Allah Aur Insaan put her in the category of versatile and talented starlets. She has been able to establish herself individually, and she never really gets the nepotism tag, but her whole family has been in showbiz. Her mother, Ismat Tahira, was a PTV superstar. Her sister Irsa Ghazal is another big name in the drama industry. At the same time, her brother Shah Sharabeel is the man behind theatre revival in Pakistan as well as the man who brought many stars of today into the industry.
Fahad Mustafa
Fahad Mustafa is hands down one of the biggest stars in the country. An actor, host and producer who has given so many hits to the industry is also technically a nepokid. His father, Salahuddin Tunio, is a big name in the Sindhi industry, but Fahad actually worked hard to establish himself in the mainstream media. He became a bigger star than his father, and today his father is known by his name.
Sheheryar Munawar
Sheheryar Munawar is a Pakistani star. After completing his education, he always wanted to work behind the camera, but his good looks brought him in front of it. He is also a huge producer, and he has made films like Ho Man Jahan and Paray Hat Love. He has also stepped into producing dramas with his upcoming show Dar e Nijaat. Sheheryar has carved his own path in the industry, but he comes from a powerful background, and his aunt is none other than media mogul Sultana Siddiqui. Sheheryar managed to establish his own identity, separate from his aunt, through his dedication.
Nida Yasir
Nida Yasir is the morning show queen of Pakistani television. She has also acted, and she is a producer as well. She is generally connected to her husband Yasir Nawaz’s family, but Nida also comes from a showbiz family herself. She is the daughter of Kazim Pasha, who is one of the biggest names on PTV. Her father is the man behind classic Pakistani shows. Her mother, Fehmida Nasreen, was also a writer, director and program producer at PTV. Nida came from a family of artists, but she managed to carve a separate identity for herself.
Bilal Maqsood
Bilal Maqsood is the son of a great Pakistani writer, Anwar Maqsood, but he was never known for it. He was one-half of the iconic band Strings and created a legacy in music that is unmatched. Many fans did not even know that his songs were written by his legendary father. Bilal always received love for his voice and talent, and he was never accused of nepotism by the audience.
These stars have been able to establish unique identities for themselves, and they largely skipped the nepotism allegations. Which other star kids do you think were able to grow out of their family legacy? Share with us!
