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Resham

Resham (born Saima; 2 October 1968) is a Pakistani actress, model, and philanthropist recognized for her prolific career in , the Pakistani film industry, where she starred as a leading actress in over 200 and films primarily during the and early 2000s. Debuting with the film Jeeva in 1995, she gained prominence through roles in commercially successful movies such as Ghunghat (1996), (1997), and Dupatta Jal Raha Hai (1998), often portraying strong female characters amid the industry's transition from its golden era. Her performance in Sangam earned her the Nigar Award for , one of several accolades highlighting her contributions to Pakistani before its decline due to competition from television and Bollywood. Resham has also appeared in television dramas like Aashti (2009) and made a return to films with supporting roles in later works such as (2022), while engaging in charitable activities focused on education and health in .

Biography

Early Life and Entry into Industry

Resham was born on September 10, 1969, in Lyallpur, (now known as ). She hailed from a Punjabi-speaking and grew up in modest circumstances. Her died when she was seven years old, after which she was raised primarily by family members in a challenging environment. She pursued her early education in , completing studies up to the matriculation (10th grade) level. Details on her formal schooling beyond this are limited, but her background emphasized self-reliance amid familial hardships. Prior to films, Resham gained initial exposure through television dramas and modeling assignments. These early endeavors provided her entry point into the entertainment field, building on local performance experiences. Resham entered the Pakistani film industry, known as , with her debut in the Punjabi-language film Jeeva in 1995, directed by . The role marked her transition from supporting media work to leading cinematic appearances, launching a career in and films.

Personal Life and Relationships

Resham's father died before her birth, and her mother passed away when she was seven and a half years old, leaving her orphaned at a young age. She was subsequently raised by her elder sister, Shamim, in amid these early hardships. Resham has remained unmarried as of 2025, with no publicly confirmed romantic relationships or children. She has repeatedly dispelled rumors of impending marriages, including denials in 2013, 2019, and 2022, attributing persistent speculation to unfounded elements rather than personal announcements. In a 2024 interview, Resham explained her single status by citing observations of short-lived marriages among friends and peers in the industry, stating she did not wish to risk personal turmoil through matrimony. Earlier, in 2023, she expressed a desire to marry and settle down, indicating ongoing but cautious contemplation of the prospect.

Professional Career

Film Career and Key Roles

Resham made her debut in the Pakistani film industry with the 1995 release of Jeeva, directed by , where she portrayed the female lead opposite in a romantic drama that highlighted her glamorous screen presence. The film marked her transition from modeling and minor television roles to stardom, establishing her as an emerging talent amid the industry's commercial focus on song-and-dance sequences. Her performance in Jeeva drew notice for its bold aesthetic, setting a template for her early career roles that emphasized visual appeal over narrative depth in many productions. Throughout the late 1990s, Resham solidified her position as a leading actress in Lollywood, starring in over a dozen notable films including Ghunghat (1996), Sangam (1997), Dupatta Jal Raha Hai (1998), Inteha (1999), and Jannat Ki Talash (1999). In Sangam, she earned the National Award for Best Actress for her central role in the family-oriented drama, a rare critical accolade in an era dominated by formulaic blockbusters. Similarly, her work in Jannat Ki Talash garnered a Nigar Award, recognizing her contributions to commercial successes that often paired her with actors like Shaan and Nadeem. These roles typically cast her as the romantic interest in action-romance hybrids, reflecting the industry's reliance on escapist entertainment amid declining box-office viability due to video piracy and competition from Indian cinema. As Lollywood's output waned in the 2000s, Resham's film appearances diminished, with sporadic roles in films like Pal Do Pal (1999) and Toofan (2002) before a longer hiatus. She reemerged in supporting capacities, including Saheb Biwi Aur Gangster (2011), Swaarangi (2015), and a cameo in the blockbuster The Legend of Maula Jatt (2022), which became one of Pakistan's highest-grossing films. Her later film work shifted toward character-driven parts, contrasting her earlier typecasting, though the medium's revival post-2010s has not seen her return to lead status.

Television Appearances and Shifts

Resham's initial forays into acting included minor roles in Pakistani television dramas before her transition to leading parts in films starting with Jeeva in 1995. A prominent early television credit was the 2009 Hum TV serial Aashti, produced by Mehroz Karim Films, in which she played the lead role of a resilient girl employed as a in a wealthy , highlighting themes of disparity and perseverance. Following a lull in her film work amid the Pakistani cinema industry's struggles in the early , Resham returned to television with more substantial roles, marking a pivot toward serialized dramas that offered sustained visibility during cinema's downturn. In , she took the central antagonistic role of Noor Bibi in the series Noor Bibi, portraying a manipulative mother-in-law who uses to control her daughter-in-law; the show aired weekly from November 30, , to April 2019, spanning 39 episodes and blending elements with family intrigue. Her television engagements continued into the 2020s with Tehra Aangan on in 2021, where she portrayed Rakhsekamar in a 30-episode exploring domestic conflicts and relational , broadcast Mondays at 8:00 PM from February to October 2021. This phase represented a strategic shift for Resham, leveraging television's growing popularity in —driven by private channels' expansion since the early 2000s—to sustain her career, often in mature, authoritative maternal or villainous characters that contrasted her earlier romantic film personas.

Recognition and Public Reception

Awards and Honors

Resham was conferred the award, one of Pakistan's highest civilian honors, by President on March 23, 2021, in recognition of her contributions to the film and television industries. The award, announced on August 14, 2020, acknowledges individuals for meritorious service in their fields, and Resham received it alongside other artists such as and . Earlier in her career, Resham earned the National Award for for her performance in the 1997 film , directed by . She also received , including for in Jannat Ki Talash, highlighting her prominence in Pakistani cinema during the 1990s. These accolades reflect her leading roles in commercially successful films that contributed to the revival of at the time.

Criticisms of Professional Achievements

Veteran director has criticized Resham's professional trajectory, labeling her an "unlucky actress" who undermined her own success by selecting low-budget productions and roles ill-suited to her image, resulting in no major box-office successes after their joint projects in the . He noted that post-collaboration films featuring Resham failed to achieve commercial viability, attributing this to her persistence in "bold roles" that did not align with audience expectations for her persona. Senior actress and director voiced strong opposition to Resham's 2021 Pride of Performance award, asserting that it was undeserved alongside similar honors for others like , thereby questioning the validity of Resham's recognition for contributions to Pakistani and . This backlash highlighted perceptions that Resham's career, marked by a peak in the mid-1990s followed by fewer prominent roles, did not merit national acclaim for sustained excellence.

Philanthropy and Social Contributions

Charity Initiatives and Long-Term Efforts

Resham has maintained a commitment to for over two decades, with a primary focus on providing food assistance to impoverished communities in . She personally oversees the preparation and distribution of langar, traditional communal meals offered to the needy, conducting these efforts independently without reliance on organized NGOs. This practice, which she has sustained since the early 2000s, involves regular distributions beyond religious events like , funded through her earnings from occasional modeling and television appearances. In response to natural disasters, Resham has initiated targeted relief efforts, such as distributing ration packages to flood-affected families in on September 15, 2025, where she collaborated with local volunteers to deliver essentials directly to victims. Earlier philanthropic actions included financial support for widows of deceased actors in 2011, reflecting her attention to vulnerabilities within Pakistan's film industry. Looking toward sustained impact, Resham has articulated plans to establish a permanent langar khana, or free community kitchen, by accumulating personal savings to purchase and equip a dedicated facility for ongoing food provision. This long-term vision builds on her hands-on approach, which extends to involving members, such as instructing her nieces in the mechanics of charitable distribution to foster intergenerational continuity.

Backlash and Defenses in Philanthropy

Resham's charitable activities, including langar distribution during and flood relief efforts, have encountered significant online criticism in . In July 2024, videos of her serving langar drew accusations that the funds originated from illegitimate earnings tied to her film career, prompting trolls to question her motives despite her stated humanitarian intent. Resham defended her actions in interviews, urging critics to leave judgment to and emphasizing that her efforts persisted amid personal attacks, while expressing frustration that even faced scrutiny. A notable incident occurred on September 11, 2022, during flood relief in , where a video captured Resham discarding packets into a swollen to feed , resulting in widespread condemnation for polluting an already flood-affected . users highlighted the environmental harm, contrasting it with the relief's purpose, and the backlash intensified due to her history of public relief distributions. In response, Resham posted an apology video on September 13, 2022, attributing the lapse to lingering "brain fog" from , which she claimed impaired her judgment, though the explanation drew further ridicule for its perceived inadequacy. In July 2025, podcaster Dr. Omer Adil publicly derided Resham's on a , mocking her unmarried status and dismissing her langar initiatives as insincere, which reignited debates over charity authenticity. This prompted counter-backlash against Adil from and public figures, who condemned his remarks as and derogatory rather than substantive critique, thereby indirectly bolstering defenses of Resham's ongoing social contributions. Resham has consistently maintained that such opposition does not deter her, framing her work as a moral duty independent of public validation.

Controversies and Disputes

Professional Feuds and Industry Conflicts

Resham has publicly accused veteran filmmaker of sabotaging her career in the Pakistani . In an August 12, 2024, , she claimed that Noor insulted her on the set of a project, labeling her an "unlucky " and questioning her viability for future roles, allegedly due to his favoritism toward actress Saima, whom he frequently cast in leading parts. Resham asserted that these actions contributed to a decline in her opportunities during the 1990s and early 2000s, when was already facing broader challenges from video piracy and the rise of . Noor responded on August 17, 2024, dismissing the allegations by stating that Resham's career issues stemmed from her own choices and market shifts rather than his influence, emphasizing his role in promoting multiple actresses without bias. In early 2025, Resham engaged in a verbal dispute with Khalil-ur-Rehman , stemming from an incident at a public event. During a February 27, 2025, appearance on a , she recounted greeting Qamar courteously, only to receive a rude dismissal, which she described as emblematic of his "loud and arrogant" demeanor. Resham further criticized Qamar's professional output, accusing him of plagiarizing dialogues from and diminishing the originality of Pakistani scripting, a claim she reiterated in a March 4, 2025, amid broader industry discussions on creative integrity. has not issued a direct public to these specific remarks, though his history of contentious interactions with female colleagues has drawn separate scrutiny in Pakistani media for patterns of abrasive conduct. These exchanges highlight tensions within over casting preferences, creative credit, and interpersonal dynamics, often exacerbated by the industry's contraction post-2000s. Resham's criticisms align with her broader narratives of facing professional marginalization, though independent verification of interpersonal incidents remains limited to her accounts and responses from the parties.

Recent Public Incidents and Statements

In October 2025, filmmaker responded to Resham's earlier accusations that he had deliberately damaged her career through on-set insults and favoritism toward actress Saima, stating that he did not cast her in further roles because she was not suitable for them and questioning her inability to maintain stardom independently. Resham had claimed in 2024 that Noor ruined her professional trajectory by publicly doubting her future casting prospects during a film shoot. On 22, 2025, Resham publicly condemned theatre actor Anum's ageist podcast remarks disparaging veteran actress 's relevance and apologized to Ansari on Anum's behalf, emphasizing respect for senior artists' enduring contributions to Pakistani . In 2025, podcaster Dr. Omer faced widespread backlash for derogatory comments mocking Resham's unmarried status and dismissing her as insincere publicity-seeking, prompting public criticism for personal attacks over substantive critique. issued an apology to Resham in early 2025, framing the exchange as a misunderstanding while facing ongoing scrutiny for his pattern of inflammatory rhetoric toward celebrities. In February 2025, Resham recounted a prior clash with writer at a social event hosted by actor , describing his arrogant and rude demeanor, including misbehavior toward her greeting, and criticizing his scripts as unoriginal copies of Bollywood dialogues with forgettable content. She stated she no longer respects his work or persona, attributing his behavior to overinflated ego.

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