The countdown begins to one of the biggest gala event celebrating Lollywood, music, fashion and social media stars
The one-month countdown has begun to what is likely to be one of the biggest entertainment events of the season – the Pakistani International Screen Awards (PISA) that celebrates TV, Film, Fashion, Music and Social Media stars. With over 40 categories open for voting to the public on www.pisa.com.pk there is a select five categories that will be awarded Critics’ Choice awards as well. And this is where the jury comes in.
Experts from various industries have been drafted in to comprise the jury for PISA. From fashion to film critics to entrepreneurs and ardent promoters of talent, PISA jury members are quite eminent names in their own right. In a secret ballot, which will be revealed on the awards night, the jury will vote for the five Critics’ Choice categories which include the following:
Best Actor in a Leading Role – Critics’ Choice
Best Actress in a Leading Role – Critics’ Choice
Best Actor – Critics’ Choice
Best Actress – Critics’ Choice
The Jury
Frieha Altaf:
The CEO and creative head of Catwalk Events and Productions, Frieha has executed more than 3000 events, ranging from intimate to enormous, over a span of 30 years. Her forte extends to directing, producing shows, celebrity and model management. Recently, she has ventured back into acting as well. With a degree in arts from The William Smith College, US and a diploma in fashion design from International Academy of Design, Canada, Frieha has conceptualised mega events such as Lux Style Awards, Engro Excellence Awards, Veet Supermodel and has also been at the forefront to fashion weeks and Pakistan Film Festival. Besides an illustrious career for which she has received several awards, Frieha’s proud accomplishment is the ‘Woman Of The Year’ award presented to her by the Governor of Sindh for her work on child sexual abuse.
Javed Sheikh:
Javed Sheikh first made his debut in 1974 with Dhamaka and over the last three decades he has acted in more than 100 films and TV serials in Pakistan and India. As an actor and director, Javed Sheikh has won numerous awards and accolades and is hugely respected versatile star on both sides of the sub-continent border. In 2018, Sheikh directed and acted in the film Wujood and appeared as a ghost named Dwarka Prasad in successful comedy film Saat Din Mohabbat In. Most recently, Javed’s latest film, action-comedy, Teefa In Trouble, has been a box office hit.
Saher Shaikh
Saher founder and director of ‘The Adopt-a-Camp’ foundation, NGO Consultant, former investment banker, cordon bleu chef and mother of four, Saher Shaikh is a famed pillar of the Pakistani community. Saher’s drumroll of accomplishments include being awarded by Dubai Government for services to the community, being profiled by CNN Heroes, BBC World and Al-Jazeera; and named Most Inspirational Woman in the GCC, Dubai’s Personality of the Year by Hello magazine’s ‘Top 40 Women Changing the World’ alongside Queen Rania and Malala Yousufzai.
Faraz Hamidi
An adman by day and a poet by night, Faraz is the former creative chief of IAL/Saatchi & Saatchi and co-founder and chief creative officer of The D’Hamidi Partnership. Hamidi’s passion for advertising and the communication arts has seen him as a front-runner in Pakistan’s advertising industry for almost 30 years. A global citizen, Faraz has attended a number of creative institutions including TASIS, Royal Academy of Music, Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Sorbonne, and Boston University’s College of Communication from where he graduated with BSC in Mass Communication and Advertising in 1991.
Senator Faisal Javed Khan
He is a Pakistani politician who has been a Member of the Senate of Pakistan, since March 2018. Khan began his political career in 1996 with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He has hosted more than 500 PTI political rallies across Pakistan and was named as the ‘Voice of PTI’. Since February 2018, he has been serving as a member of the core and central executive committees of the PTI and its central additional secretary information.
Suhail Abdullatif Ibrahim Galadari
Suhail is the eldest son of late AbdullLatif Ibrahim Galadari and is the director and executive committee member of Galadari Brothers & Co since 2006. Being in a leadership position, Suhail Galadari has successfully led teams of thousands in the multi-industries from media to automotive to hospitality to F&B. Galadari Brothers, based in the UAE for over 50 years, the company has become an expert in introducing global businesses to the UAE including JCB, Mazda, Baskin Robbins, Komatsu, Khaleej Times among others.
Maria Faisal
Owner of Mesmerise Promotions and co-founder of PISA. Maria grew up watching her father play a critical role in the establishment of Pakistan Television Network. Maria’s innate passion for art and culture prompted her to establish the Pakistan International Screen Awards 2020 with an objective to highlight the talented artists of the country on an international level.
Omair Alavi
A senior journalist with over 20 years’ experience in writing about films, TV dramas and theatre, Omar’s known for his in-depth interview style with celebrities. From interviewing global stars such as Chris Hemsworth, Tom Holland to regional stalwarts like Nadeem Baig, Subhash Ghai among others, Omar’s knowledge of films is unmatched.
