Tell us how you got involved in the field of acting. Was this something you wanted to do when young? Tell us about your first big break. The whole field has always appealed to me; in fact I graduated in Film Production from Boston. After my return from the US I started my career as a model which then led me to landing my first role as an actress in a telefilm ‘Baarish May Deewar’ which was aired in 2008. Tell us about some of the initial challenges and struggles you had to face when establishing yourself as an actress. As is likely the case entering any new industry, it takes time to understand the industry dynamics; I think it is also takes experience to understand what one is comfortable with as an actor and what kind of roles one really want to take – you learn from trial and error largely; it’s about being patient and ambitious both, and also taking all the hurdles that come your way in ones stride and learning and growing from it all. Therefore I view any struggles I’ve had as positive for my growth. How difficult is it for a woman to make her mark in a male-dominated industry? I think there is a lot of room for women in the industry to thrive and I believe that irrespective of gender it is also largely about the choices one makes as an actor in terms of what roles one wants to play. Yes however, I do feel there could be a much larger number or scripts and screenplays that show women for the multi faceted beings that they are instead of in more one dimensional roles. “I view any struggles I’ve had as positive for my growth” How supportive has your family been ever since the time you decided you wanted to be an actress up until now? I am very fortunate to have a family that has been extremely supportive of my career and all of my choices as an actor. How is working for the big screen different from TV? Are there added challenges or is it more fun? TV and film are two different canvases. Your character in a story that is running on TV takes a longer time to develop, hence you have the leverage to grow along with the story. While when it comes to film you are usually portraying a character whose developments happens in a much shorter period of time. What according to you has been your biggest achievement so far? How much do u think your achievements have changed you, professionally and personally? It’s hard to quantify my achievements as such. As a human being, I think that having a wonderful family, husband and daughter while also being able to thrive at my work is a huge win for me. Any achievements, whether it is mastering the challenge of a role, giving birth to my baby Meissa or winning an award, has all added to my growth as a person. How exciting must it be to attend prestigious international fests like the New York Film Festival, the SAARC Film fest and also the Silent River Film Fest and to win awards there too! Please share your experience with us being there. That I had the fortune of representing Pakistani film at these international platforms was wonderful – it was even more thrilling to be the best actor, female, award at the New York Film Festival for my work with ‘Seedlings’. What is your vision for Pakistan what does it mean to be Pakistani for you? My vision for Pakistan is to be a country that celebrates its legacy of diversity and its rich heritage. The strength of our country lies in our people. For me being a Pakistani is everything that I am today, Pakistan has provided us with an identity and the opportunity to be who I want to be. What are the three ingredients that make a successful woman? Passion, confidence and motivation. We, at Daily Times, consider you one of our national heroes. Who are some of yours? Thank you! There are far too many Pakistanis that I admire amongst them are poets, actors, singers and sportsmen. The one person I admire the most is Abdul Sattar Edhi who dedicated his life to helping those lesser fortunate. Achievements A Multi-talented Star Aamina Sheikh is not just a renowned TV and film actress, but has also been one of our country’s top super models. Whatever she does, she does it with heart and hard work. Raking In the Awards Aamina Sheikh has won numerous national and international awards for her acting, which include four Lux Style Awards, a New York Film Festival Award, the prestigious SAARC Film Festival Award, a Tarang Houseful Award, a Veet Celebration of Beauty Award, a Pakistan Media Award, the coveted Silent Film Festival Award as well as a Galaxy Film Festival Award. Wow, that’s a lot! The Face of International Brands Sheikh has been the face of many international brands and has endorsed myriads of leading products. She garnered international recognition as a spokesperson for the French beauty brand L’Oreal. Ruling Our TV Sets Sheikh has delivered a string of hit drama serials in which she has starred. Some of them are ‘Dil-e-Naadaan’, ‘Daam’, ‘Hum Tum’, ‘Ishq Gumshuda’, ‘Uraan’, ‘Mera Saaen’, ‘Main Abdul Qadir Hu’, ‘Maat’, ‘Miratul Uroos’, ‘Jackson Heights’, ‘Agar Tum Na Hotay’, ‘Umm-e-Kalsoom’ and ‘Kuch Is Tarah’. Series of Consecutive Box-Office Hits Sheikh’s performances in some of the biggest hit box office films cannot be forgotten, especially her roles in films like ‘Seedlings’, ‘Armaan’ and ‘Josh – Independence Through Unity’. A Recognised Artist In 2015, Sheikh served as one of the committee member of the Pakistani Academy Selection Committee.