{{Short description|Pakistani transgender actress}} {{Infobox person | name = Alina Khan | birth_date = | birth_place = Lahore, Pakistan | occupation = Actress | years_active = 2019–present | notable_works = ''Darling'' (2019)<br/>''Joyland'' (2022) | module = {{Infobox pageant titleholder |child=yes |title = Miss Trans Pakistan |competitions = Miss Trans Pakistan 2023 }} }}
'''Alina Khan''' ({{langx|ur|{{nq|علینہ خان}}}}) is a Pakistani actress known for her lead roles in the short film ''Darling'' in 2019 and the feature film ''Joyland'' in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-24 |title=Transgender actor from Pakistan Alina Khan makes red carpet debut at Cannes Film Festival 2022 |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/fashion/transgender-actor-pakistan-alina-khan-red-carpet-debut-cannes-film-festival-2022-7933127/ |access-date=2022-05-24 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> She is the first transgender person to have a lead role in a major Pakistani film. In May 2023, she was crowned Miss Trans Pakistan 2023 in Lahore, Pakistan.
== Early life and career == Khan was born into a Muslim family in Lahore, Pakistan. She has described facing societal discrimination due to being transgender,<ref name="Ghosh 2022">{{cite news |last1=Ghosh |first1=Tanushree |title=Meet Negha S and Alina Khan, two trans actors, from India and Pakistan, who are changing the narrative |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/express-sunday-eye/meet-negha-s-and-alina-khan-two-trans-actors-from-india-and-pakistan-narrative-8101188/ |access-date=25 January 2023 |work=The Indian Express |date=August 21, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Goyal 2022"/><ref name="guard-15nov2022"/> and how after being contacted by an NGO in Pakistan, she auditioned and won a lead role in the film ''Darling'',<ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-05-30|last=Sharma |first=Suparna |title=Alina Khan On Being A Trans Actress And 'Joyland' Winning At Cannes |url=https://rollingstoneindia.com/trans-actor-alina-khan-on-her-journey-and-joyland-going-to-cannes/ |access-date=2022-05-30 |work=Rolling Stone India |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Award-winning short film on transgender girl screened |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/550435-award-winning-short-film-on-transgender-girl-screened |access-date=2022-05-24 |website=The News International |date=4 November 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-25 |title=Cues to take from Alina Khan's fashion game at Cannes! |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/2358302/cues-to-take-from-alina-khans-fashion-game-at-cannes?amp=1 |access-date=2022-05-25 |website=The Express Tribune}}</ref> which won the Orizzonti Award for Best Short Film at the Venice Film Festival<ref name="Raja 2019">{{cite news |last1=Raja |first1=Maryam |title=Pakistan's short 'Darling' wins big at Venice Film Festival |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1552696/amp |access-date=25 January 2023 |work=Arab News |date=September 10, 2019}}</ref> and had global distribution rights sold to Focus Features.<ref name="Variety 2022">{{cite news |title=Cannes' Un Certain Regard Title 'Joyland' Swooped on by Condor in France (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2022/film/global/cannes-joyland-condor-1235263340/ |access-date=25 January 2023 |work=Variety |date=May 11, 2022}}</ref> According to Aiman Rizvi, writing for ''Dawn'' about ''Darling'', "The crux of the story is perhaps best encapsulated in the words of the lead actress, Alina Khan, a trans woman who describes her personal struggle in the industry, 'I've always wanted to act in movies, since I was a child. But then I'd ask myself, how are they going to cast me? As a man, or a woman?'"<ref name="Rizvi 2020">{{cite news |last1=Rizvi |first1=Aiman |title=Short film Darling is a landmark moment for queer cinema in Pakistan |url=https://images.dawn.com/news/1184821 |access-date=25 January 2023 |work=Dawn |date=March 19, 2020}}</ref>
Khan has also appeared in the short film ''Happy Marriage'', as well as commercials, a music video by Ali Sethi, and on the television show ''Good Morning Zindgi''.<ref name="Ghosh 2022"/><ref name="Goyal 2022"/> In 2018, she performed as a dancer at the Naaz Theatre in Lahore.<ref name="Ghosh 2022"/>
==''Joyland''== Khan made her debut at the 75th Cannes Film Festival in the role of Biba in ''Joyland'',<ref>Reviews of ''Joyland'' *{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Anna |date=2022-05-23 |title=Cannes Review: Saim Sadiq's 'Joyland' |url=https://deadline.com/2023/04/joyland-film-review-pakistan-cannes-1235030280/ |access-date=January 25, 2023 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}} *{{Cite web |last=Hunter |first=Allan|date=May 23, 2022 |title='Joyland': Cannes Review |url=https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/joyland-cannes-review/5170239.article |access-date=January 25, 2023 |website=Screen Daily |language=en}} *{{Cite web |last=Gyarkye |first=Lovia |date=2022-05-23 |title='Joyland': Film Review {{!}} Cannes 2022 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/joyland-review-cannes-2022-1235144828/ |access-date=2022-05-24 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}} *{{Cite web|date=May 24, 2022 |last=Franck-Dumas |first=Elisabeth |title=Festival de Cannes: "Joyland", trans de vie |url=https://www.liberation.fr/culture/cinema/festival-de-cannes-joyland-trans-de-vie-20220524_T3XFVQNMKBBGXMKQS7I7KYG57U/ |access-date=2022-05-24 |website=Libération |language=fr}}</ref> the first Pakistani feature film screened at Cannes,<ref name="Variety 2022"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Here's what the international press has to say about Pakistani film Joyland |url=https://images.dawn.com/news/1190152 |access-date=25 January 2023 |work=Dawn |date=May 24, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-24 |title=Cannes 2022: Splendid reception for India's All That Breathes, Pakistan's Joyland |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-others/cannes-2022-splendid-reception-for-indias-all-that-breathes-pakistans-joyland-7933561/ |access-date=2022-05-24 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}</ref> and "the first major Pakistani motion picture to feature a trans actor in a lead role", according to ''The Guardian''.<ref name="guard-15nov2022"/> Khan, the director, and other cast members were present during the Cannes screening where they received a standing ovation that lasted almost ten minutes.<ref>{{cite news |title=Joyland, first Pakistani film selected in Cannes, wins two prizes |url=https://www.arabnews.pk/node/2091311/pakistan |access-date=25 January 2023 |work=Arab News |date=May 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-24 |title='Joyland' gets standing ovation at Cannes |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/2358114/teary-eyed-team-takes-a-bow-as-joyland-gets-standing-ovation-at-cannes |access-date=2022-05-24 |website=The Express Tribune |language=en}}</ref> Siddhant Adlakha writes in a review for ''IndieWire'' that in the film, Khan "has an immediately commanding presence — when she walks into a room, she makes it hers" and "as Biba grows closer to Haider, inadvertently threatening what little footing he has left as a man in society's eyes, a deep vulnerability begins to emerge, which Khan wields with precision."<ref name="Adlakha 2022">{{cite news |last1=Adlakha |first1=Siddhant |title='Joyland' Review: A Daring Queer Pakistani Drama About Desire |url=https://www.indiewire.com/2022/05/joyland-review-cannes-1234727238/ |access-date=25 January 2023 |work=IndieWire |date=May 23, 2022}}</ref>
In November 2022, after the film was approved to be shown, the Pakistan Ministry of Information & Broadcasting banned ''Joyland'' from national distribution, in response to complaints about its subject matter, including from the Jamaat-e-Islami party.<ref name="Ellis-Petersen 2022">{{cite news |last1=Ellis-Petersen |first1=Hannah |title=Joyland: Pakistan bans Oscar contender film about trans love affair |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/14/joyland-pakistan-bans-oscar-contender-film-about-trans-love-affair |access-date=25 January 2023 |work=The Guardian |date=November 14, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Monteil 2022"/> In response to the ban, Khan told ''The Guardian'', "I've been very sad. There's nothing against Islam and I don't understand how Islam can get endangered by mere films."<ref name="guard-15nov2022">{{cite news |last1=Ebrahim |first1=Zofeen |title='It's not against Islam': Pakistani trans actor tells of deep sadness over film ban |url=https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/nov/15/alina-khan-joyland-pakistani-trans-film-ban |access-date=15 November 2022 |work=The Guardian |date=15 November 2022}}</ref><ref name="Monteil 2022">{{Cite web |last=Monteil |first=Abby |title=Trans Star Alina Khan Reacts to Pakistan's Ban of Her Film Joyland |url=https://www.them.us/story/joyland-alina-khan-pakistan-oscars-french-release |access-date=2023-01-22 |website=them. |date=15 November 2022 |language=en-US}}</ref> The ban was reversed on November 16, clearing the way for domestic screenings of the film.<ref name="guardian-16nov2022">{{cite news |title=Film depicting transgender love affair to be screened in Pakistan |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/nov/16/film-depicting-transgender-love-affair-to-be-screened-in-pakistan |access-date=16 November 2022 |work=The Guardian |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=16 November 2022}}</ref>
==Miss Trans Pakistan== On 31 May 2023,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2421264/diverse-events-attract-lahores-citizens | title=Diverse events attract Lahore's citizens | date=12 June 2023 }}</ref> Khan was crowned Miss Trans Pakistan 2023 in a ceremony held in Lahore, Pakistan.<ref name="Express Tribune 2023">{{cite news |title=Joyland's Alina Khan crowned Miss Trans Pakistan 2023 |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2419910/night-to-remember-joylands-alina-khan-crowned-miss-trans-pakistan-2023 |access-date=9 June 2023 |work=The Express Tribune |date=2 June 2023 |language=en}}</ref> Khan commented to the media, "The feeling of being crowned in front of my Trans community is a very great feeling because it gives us a voice through this platform to represent ourselves."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sohaib |first1=Rija |title=Joyland Famed Alina Khan Crowned As Miss Trans 2023 Pakistan |url=https://propakistani.pk/lens/joyland-famed-alina-khan-crowned-as-miss-trans-2023-pakistan/ |access-date=9 June 2023 |work=Lens |date=2 June 2023}}</ref> Sonia Ahmed began the Miss Trans Pakistan pageant in 2021 where Shyraa Roy got the title previously; it is the first pageant for trans women in Pakistan with an opportunity for the winner to represent Pakistan at international pageants.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Haq |first1=Irfan Ul |title=Joyland star Alina Khan crowned Miss Trans Pakistan 2023 |url=https://images.dawn.com/news/1191821 |access-date=9 June 2023 |work=Images |publisher=Dawn |date=1 June 2023 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Alina Khan crowned Miss Trans Pakistan 2023, celebrating representation and pride |url=https://www.samaaenglish.tv/news/40037558 |access-date=9 June 2023 |work=Samaa |date=2 June 2023 |language=en |archive-date=9 June 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609022216/https://www.samaaenglish.tv/news/40037558 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
==Filmography== {| class="wikitable" !Year !Film !Role !Notes !Ref. |- |2019 |''Darling'' |Alina||Orizzonti Award for Best Short Film, 76th Venice Film Festival||<ref name="Raja 2019"/> |- |2022 |''Joyland'' |Biba||Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard category and Queer Palme award, 75th Cannes Film Festival||<ref name="Goyal 2022">{{Cite news |date=2022-06-20|last=Goyal |first=Darshita |title=Joyland's Alina Khan on winning at Cannes Film Festival as a trans Pakistani actor |url=https://www.vogue.in/culture-and-living/content/joylands-alina-khan-on-winning-at-cannes-film-festival-as-a-trans-pakistani-actor |access-date=January 25, 2023 |work=Vogue India |language=en-IN}}</ref> |}
== Love Interests == 1. Samarth Kakarla
== References ==
<references />
==External links== * [https://www.instagram.com/onlyalinakhan/ Alina Khan] on Instagram * {{IMDb name|10739338}}
{{S-start}} {{S-ach}} {{S-bef|before= Shyraa Roy}} {{s-ttl|title=Miss Trans Pakistan |years=2023/2024}} {{s-aft|after= To Be Announced}} {{S-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Alina}} Category:1998 births Category:Living people Category:Actresses from Lahore Category:Pakistani transgender actresses Category:LGBTQ beauty pageant winners Category:21st-century Pakistani LGBTQ people Category:21st-century Pakistani actresses Category:Date of birth missing (living people) Category:Pakistani beauty pageant winners