Wahaj Ali (Urdu: وہاج علی, born 1 December 1988) is a Pakistani actor known for his appearance on Urdu television. After making his television debut with the soap serial Ishq Ibadat in 2015, Ali gained critical praise for playing Bangladeshi freedom fighter Shafi Imam Rumi in Jo Bichar Gaye (2021). He has also appeared in other notable roles. In 2023, Ali earned wider recognition, especially across the South Asian continent, for his portrayal of Murtasim Khan in the romance drama Tere Bin.[2][3]
Wahaj Ali | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 December 1988[1] Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Education | National College of Arts |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 2015–present |
| Spouse |
Sana Farooq (m. 2016) |
| Children | 1 |
Early life and family edit
Ali was born on 1 December 1988 into a Punjabi Muslim family in Lahore, Punjab.[4][1] His father worked in the government, and his mother was a teacher.[5] The only child of his parents, Ali is a business graduate, with a specialization in finance.[6] His parents wanted him to take the Central Superior Services (CSS) exam and join the civil service, but his inclination was towards acting.
Ali then earned his Masters in Multimedia Arts from the National College of Arts.[7] He met his wife, Sana Farooq, during an internship program on Samaa TV and married on 3rd March, 2016. The couple had a daughter in 2017, Amirah Ali.
Career edit
Early work in theater edit
Ali began his career as a theater actor in 2007 before joining a TV channel in the news and programming department.[8] From 2009 to 2011, he worked as an assistant producer at Samaa TV. Since 2011, Ali onwards has been a producer at Geo TV.
TV debut and success (2015–present) edit
Marking his television debut as a leading actor in 2015 with the drama Ishq Ibadat, he went on to play lead in several notable television serials, including Hari Hari Churiyan (2017), Dil Nawaz (2017), Mah-e-Tamaam (2017), Dil-e-Bereham (2019), Bharam (2019) Fitoor (2021), Ishq Jalebi (2021) and central role in a social drama Dil Na Umeed To Nahi in 2021 as well.
Ali characterized the pivotal role of Shariq Habib in the ISPR show Ehd-e-Wafa in 2020. He received critical acclaim and favourable critiques for embodying the character of Bangladeshi freedom fighter Shafi Imam Rumi in the period drama Jo Bichar Gaye in 2021.
Ali’s portrayals as Ahad, a man in challenging situations in Bikhray Moti, the happy-go-lucky Rizwan in Ghisi Piti Mohabbat, the irascible Basim in Ishq Jalebi, an amateur Jimmy in Dil Na Umeed To Nahi.
Ali’s career was propelled further with his intricate personification as gloomy but winsome Saad Hussein in ARY Digital’s romantic drama Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha opposite Hania Aamir and especially due to his portrayal of Murtasim Shahnawaz Khan in Geo Tv’s romance drama serial Tere Bin opposite his previous co-star Yumna Zaidi from Dil Na Umeed To Nahi. Post his sweeping fame, Ali depicted the equivocal anguishes of a layered character in Geo Tv’s mystery-thriller miniseries Jurm where he exhibited the appearance of the charming convict Daniyal.
In June 2023, he made his Lollywood debut with an anthology film Teri Meri Kahaniyaan co-starring Mehwish Hayat directed by Nadeem Baig which was released theatrically on Eid al-Adha, and met with mixed reviews. He is currently personifying the role of a cricket player Junaid in a newly-launched channel Green Entertainment’s social women-empowerment drama series 22 Qadam, opposite Hareem Farooq.
Also seen in ARY Digital's drama titled Mein where he's portraying Zaid Shahwani, which is penned by Zanjabeel Asim Shah, under the direction of Badar Mehmood and production by Big Bang Entertainment, opposite Ayeza Khan.
Media image edit
Ali has established himself as one of the leading Urdu television actor.[9] Dawn noted, "The fact that all his different avatars have been so well-received is testament to his talent."[10] Something Haute noted, "Wahaj Ali's choices and the credibility they have amassed, have played a pivotal role in positioning him right at the top of the artistic food chain."[11] He has been placed in Hello Pakistan's HOT100 list, in the "Trailblazers" category.[12] Ali has received the "Sexiest Heartthrob" title at Hello Magazine Awards in 2023. [13] He serves as an ambassador for a number of brands such as Head & Shoulders and 7 Up.[14]
Filmography edit
Films edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Superstar | Young Salim Malik | Cameo | |
| 2023 | Teri Meri Kahaniyaan | Asad | Segment: “Aik So Taeeswaan” | [15] |
Television edit
| Year | Title | Role | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Ishq Ibadat | Sahil | Hum TV |
| 2016 | Mera Dard Na Janay Koi | Bilal | |
| Wafa | Hashir | Geo Entertainment | |
| Gila | Sanwal/Ramis | Hum TV | |
| Ahsas | Zohaib | Urdu1 | |
| 2017 | Zoya Sawleha | Faris | Geo Entertainment |
| Mere Dil Mere Musafir | Hasan | TV One | |
| Hari Hari Churiyan | Ali | Geo Entertainment | |
| Dil Nawaz | Fawad | A-Plus TV | |
| 2018 | Haiwan | Maan | ARY Digital |
| Mah-e-Tamaam | Taqi Lodhi | Hum TV | |
| 2019 | Dil-e-Bereham | Tabish | A-Plus TV |
| Bharam | Maarif Ali | Hum TV | |
| Ehd-e-Wafa | Shariq Habib | ||
| Haqeeqat | Asif | A-Plus TV | |
| 2020 | Mera Maan Rakhna | Mohid | TV One |
| Bikhray Moti | Ahad | ARY Digital | |
| Ghisi Piti Mohabbat | Rizwan/Riz | ||
| 2021 | Ishq Jalebi | Basim Hussain | Geo Entertainment |
| Fitoor | Hamza Sadiq | ||
| Dil Na Umeed Toh Nahi | Jamshed “Jimmy” | TV One PTV Home | |
| Jo Bichar Gaye | Shafi Imam Rumi | Geo Entertainment | |
| 2022-2023 | Mujhe Pyaar Hua Tha | Saad Hussein | ARY Digital |
| Tere Bin | Murtasim Shahnawaz Khan | Geo Entertainment | |
| 2023 | 22 Qadam | Junaid Malik | Green Entertainment[16] |
| Mein | Zaid Asif Shahwani | ARY Digital |
Web series edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Doodh Patti | Salaar | Released on See Prime |
| 2021 | Digestive Showtime - Yorker | Ammar Saleem | Short Film |
| 2023 | Jurm | Daniyal Mujib | Mini-Series |
| TBA | The Pink Shirt | Umer | Web-series, will be stream on ZEE5 |
Telefilms edit
| Year | Title | Role | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Bitiya Hamaray Zamanay Mein | Fahad | Geo TV |
| 2020 | Love Siyappa | Shahabuddin
“Shobi” |
Special appearances edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Team Muhafiz | Reza (voice over) | Animated Series |
Awards and nominations edit
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 4th Hum Awards | Best Soap Actor | Ishq Ibadat | Nominated | |
| 2019 | ARY Social Media Awards | Best Newcomer Male | Haiwan | Won | [17] |
| 2021 | 1st ARY People's Choice Awards | Favourite Jodi (with Ramsha Khan) | Ghisi Piti Mohabbat | Nominated | [18] |
| 2022 | 21st Lux Style Awards | Best Actor | Ishq Jalebi | Nominated | [19] |
References edit
- ^ a b "Birthday wishes pour in for actor Wahaj Ali". Daily Pakistan. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
- ^ "Check out here how the drama serial 'Tere Bin' is ruling Twitter". MMNews.tv. 3 February 2023. Retrieved 29 March 2023.
- ^ "Murtasim's Fandom Gets Tere Bin Unprecedented Success". Samaa. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ^ "Wahaj Ali, the versatile actor, celebrates his 32nd birthday". Bol News. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- ^ "Wahaj Ali". Social Diary. 23 October 2018.
- ^ "Ehd e Wafa's Wahaj Ali | Part II | A Sensitive Soul | Rewind with Samina Peerzada". YouTube.
- ^ "Profile on LinkedIn". LinkedIn.
- ^ Shabbir, Buraq (31 May 2020). "From theatre to television to films". The News International. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ "The art of staying grounded: How Wahaj Ali has handled fame and success - Exclusive". Galaxy Lollywood. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
- ^ Maliha Rehman. "The Icon Interview - Wahaj Ali: 'Im in no hurry'". Dawn. Retrieved 23 December 2021.
- ^ Aamna Haider Isani (29 March 2023). "The Rising of Wahaj Ali". Something Haute. Retrieved 16 April 2023.
- ^ "Headliners, trailblazers, trendsetters - Celebs who made it to Hello Pakistan's #HOT100 list". Daily Pakistan. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
- ^ "'Tere Bin' star couple Yumna Zaidi and Wahaj Ali set couple goals with their Walima photoshoot". Daily Pakistan. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
- ^ "Wahaj Ali's cross-border fandom, wins hearts in India with 'Tere Bin'". Samaa TV. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
- ^ "Wahaj Ali, Mehwish Hayat come together for 'Teri Meri Kahaniyaan'". Express Tribune. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "'22 Qadam' seems to be a breath of fresh air in Pakistani dramas". Daily Times. 27 April 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
- ^ "ARY Digital Social Media Awards 2018 Complete Winners List". ARY Digital. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ "1st ARY People's Choice Awards Nomination List". ARY Digital. 10 March 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
- ^ https://www.luxstyle.pk/lsa2022/nominees/