{{Short description|Pakistani actress (born 1966)}} {{about|the Pakistani actress|the Malayalam actress|Meera (Malayalam actress)}} {{Use Pakistani English|date=June 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}} {{Infobox person | native_name = میرا | native_name_lang = ur | image = Pakistani actress Meera's photo shoot.jpg | alt = | caption = Meera in 2013 | birth_name = Irtiza Rubab | birth_date = | monuments = | other_names = | education = | alma_mater = | occupation = Actress | years_active = 1995–present | employer = | organization = | known_for = | style = | television = | spouse = {{Plainlist| * {{marriage| Sheikh Attiqueur Rahman|2007||reason=divorced}} * {{marriage|Naveed Pervaiz|2013|}} }} | children = | parents = | relatives = | awards = {{Plainlist| * Pakistan Media Award * Nigar Awards * Pride of Performance Award from the Government of Pakistan }} }}
'''Irtiza Rubab''' ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|ارتضی رباب}}}}),<ref name="Tribune India">{{cite news|last=S.D. Sharma|title=Meera wants liberal visa regime|url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/2005/20050818/cth2.htm#6|access-date=28 March 2013|newspaper=The Tribune|year=2005}}</ref> better known by her stage name '''Meera''' ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|میرا}}|links=no}}),<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42007640|title=Meera: The actress in a legal row to prove she is not married|work=BBC News|date=22 November 2017}}</ref> is a Pakistani film actress and television presenter. She has appeared in Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi movies.<ref name="Tribune Express">{{cite news |last=Qamar |first=Saadia |date=11 February 2012 |title=Meera: 'I am leaving Lollywood' |newspaper=Tribune Express |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/335032/meera-i-am-leaving-lollywood/ |access-date=28 March 2013}}</ref>
==Career== In 2004, she played a lead role in the Lollywood film ''Salakhain.'' <ref name="The Indian">{{cite news|title=Premiere of Pakistani celluloid revenge saga 'Salakhain' held in Mumbai|url=http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/premiere-of-pakistani-celluloid-revenge-saga-salakhain-held-in-mumbai_10039509.html|access-date=28 March 2013|newspaper=The Indian|date=18 April 2008<!-- 2:22:48 AM-->|archive-date=24 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224111526/http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/premiere-of-pakistani-celluloid-revenge-saga-salakhain-held-in-mumbai_10039509.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2005, she acted in a joint Indo-Pakistani film, ''Nazar'' with which she debuted in Bollywood.<ref name=Dailytimes>{{cite news|title=No ban on Meera, other actors: PM|url=http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_28-2-2005_pg7_3|access-date=28 March 2013|newspaper=Daily Times|location=Pakistan|date=28 February 2005}}</ref> Her kissing scenes with co-star Ashmit Patel, an Indian Hindu actor, led to much outrage and denunciation among conservative Muslim clerics of Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Masood |first=Salman |date=27 March 2005 |title=Kiss a Hindu? Just Imagine. Islamists did, with outrage. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/27/world/asia/kiss-a-hindu-just-imagine-islamists-did-with-outrage.html |access-date=25 September 2024 |website=The New York Times}}</ref> Patel's visa application was rejected by Pakistani government,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ashmit Patel reveals the Pakistan government rejected his visa application due to his intimate scene with Meera: "It was clearly a message that DON'T kiss our lady" |url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/mobile/news/bollywood/19-years-nazar-exclusive-ashmit-patel-reveals-paksitan-government-rejected-visa-application-due-intimate-scene-meera-dont-know-whether-india-vs-p/ |access-date=2024-09-24 |website=Bollywood Hungama}}</ref> while Meera was threatened with bombing of her press conference and ban from films. She later called it a "baseless controversy", defending herself citing freedom of expression.<ref>{{Cite web |date=25 April 2005 |title="Personally, I don't like too much boldness" |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/personally-i-don-t-like-too-much-boldness/cid/1272878 |access-date=25 September 2024 |website=Telegraph India}}</ref>
In 2010, she played the titular role of Husan Ara in TV One's ''Husan Ara Kaun'', followed by another role in A-Plus TV's drama ''Bichday Toh Ahsaas Hua'' in next year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/58407/meera-proclaims-herself-a-champion-of-womens-rights?|title=Meera proclaims herself a champion of women's rights|website=Express Tribune|date=4 October 2010|access-date=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fashioncentral.pk/celebrity_stories/meera-to-appear-in-drama/|title = Meera to Appear in Drama "Bichray Tau Ehsas Hua"}}</ref> In 2014, she was honoured with Best Actress Award at 3rd Delhi International Film Festival, for her <nowiki>''out of the box''</nowiki> performance in psychological thriller film ''Hotal''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hipinpakistan.com/news/1146634|title=Meera bags 'Best Actress' award for Hotal|date=30 December 2014|work=HIP|access-date=19 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1155503|title=Meera's film 'Hotal' set for nationwide release in March 2015|last=Desk|first=Entertainment|date=8 January 2015|work=Dawn|location=Pakistan|access-date=19 May 2018}}</ref> In 2016, she announced her first project as a director, which was titled ''Oscar''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1056589/meera-turns-director-with-oscar/|title=Meera turns director with 'Oscar' – The Express Tribune|date=29 February 2016|work=The Express Tribune|access-date=19 May 2018}}</ref> The same year she played a role of ''Naseem Dilruba'' for TV One in the drama Mein Sitara,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1074372/mein-sitara-serial-on-lollywoods-golden-era-a-dark-horse-among-pakistani-dramas/|title=Mein Sitara: Serial on Lollywood's golden era a dark horse among Pakistani dramas|date=April 2016}}</ref> which was nominated for Lux Style Awards.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/magazine/instep-today/192658-Lux-Style-Awards-2017-nominations-revealed|title = Lux Style Awards 2017 nominations revealed}}</ref> In addition, she played a character in the television series ''Naagin''. She appeared as a film star in the 2019 drama film ''Baaji'', which proved to be a box office success.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1926171/4-meera-stuns-first-look-upcoming-film-baaji/|title=Meera stuns in first look of upcoming film 'Baaji'|date=9 March 2019|website=The Express Tribune}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/pakistani-cinema/meeras-baaji-is-a-box-office-success-1.65641371|title=Meera's 'Baaji' is a box office success|website=gulfnews.com|date=5 August 2019 |language=en|access-date=2020-03-22}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/magazine/instep-today/497689-baaji-continues-to-shine-at-the-local-box-office|title=Baaji continues to shine at the local box office|website=www.thenews.com.pk|language=en|access-date=2020-03-22}}</ref>
She has announced to enter politics and that she will join Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), the party in power in Pakistan.<ref>{{Cite web|title='Heartbroken' Meera announces to join PTI|url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/361269-heartbroken-meera-announces-to-join-pti|access-date=2021-07-23|website=www.geo.tv|language=en}}</ref>
=== Bollywood career === Meera did her first movie in India, named ''Nazar''<ref>{{cite news |last=Nijher |first=Jaspreet |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Ill-welcome-Meera-with-open-arms-Mahesh-Bhatt/articleshow/9661462.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527105555/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-20/news-interviews/29905709_1_meera-mahesh-bhatt-award |url-status=live |archive-date=27 May 2013 |title=I'll welcome Meera with open arms: Mahesh Bhatt |date=20 August 2011 |work=The Times of India |access-date=7 March 2013}}</ref> which had her as the first Pakistani actress to be seen in India like Begum Para, as well as it was the beginning of the India Pakistan peace talks. ''Nazar'' was a film directed by Soni Razdan and it was the first Indo-Pakistani joint movie venture in 50 years. Her second movie was ''Kasak''<ref>{{cite web |last=Shukla |first=Pankaj |url=http://ww.smashits.com/meera-s-charisma-lucky-s-musical-notes-fail/movie-review-4885.html |title=Meera's charisma & Lucky's musical notes fail |publisher=SmasHits.com |access-date=7 March 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130707082250/http://ww.smashits.com/meera-s-charisma-lucky-s-musical-notes-fail/movie-review-4885.html |archive-date=7 July 2013 }}</ref> starring Lucky Ali. Although ''Kasak'' failed critically and commercially, Meera still kept working in Bollywood. Her third film ''Paanch Ghantey Mien Paanch Crore'' was an average grosser at the box office. The film was not screened for press and critics as the director Faisal Saif wanted to show the film directly to the audience. The film managed a decent opening of 50% with its limited cinema release. However, ''The Times of India'' listed the film in Bollywood's Top 10 Bold Films category of 2012.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/Top-10-Bollywood%27s-hottest-scenes-of-2012/videols/17648739.cms |title=Top 10 Bollywood's hottest scenes of 2012 |work=The Times of India |date=18 December 2012 |access-date=7 March 2013}}</ref>
==Personal life== In 2009, a Faisalabad-based businessman Sheikh Attiq-ur-Rehman claimed that he and Meera were married in 2007. Meera denied that marriage and filed a case against him for making a false claim. But in 2018, a Lahore family court declared Meera to be the wife of Attiq-ur-Rehman by validating the marriage certificate and honeymoon pictures.<ref>{{cite web |title=Meera married to Attiqueur Rehman, judge rules |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1721047/meera-married-attiqueur-rehman-judge-rules |website=The Express Tribune |date=28 May 2018 |access-date=24 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Meera: The actress in a legal row to prove she's unmarried |work=BBC News |date=22 November 2017 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-42007640 |access-date=24 October 2021}}</ref><ref name="dawn">{{cite web |title=A Lahore court just declared that Meera has been married all along |url=https://images.dawn.com/news/1180160 |website=Dawn |date=28 May 2018 |access-date=24 October 2021}}</ref>
In 2011, Meera accused Bollywood director Mahesh Bhatt of physically abusing her while she was filming ''Nazar'' in 2005, and also claimed that she had been in a romantic relationship with him. Bhatt and his wife Soni Razdan denied the allegations, threatening her with legal action on charges of defamation.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-05-12 |title=Meera calls Bhatt her lover |url=https://gulfnews.com/entertainment/meera-calls-bhatt-her-lover-1.806832 |access-date=2024-09-24 |website=Gulf News |language=en}}</ref>
==Filmography==
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Film ! Language |- | 1996 || ''Chief Sahib'' || rowspan="12" | Urdu |- | rowspan="4" | 1999 || ''Guns and Roses'' |- | ''Inteha'' |- | ''Mujhay Jeenay do'' |- |''Pal Do Pal'' |- | rowspan="2" |2000 || ''Ghar Kab Aao Gay'' |- | ''Billi'' |- | 2001 || ''Khoey Ho Tum Kahan'' |- | rowspan="2" | 2002 || ''Chalo Ishq Larain'' |- | ''Fire'' |- | 2003 || ''Pyar Hi Pyar Mein'' |- | 2004 || ''Salakhain'' |- | 2005 || ''Nazar''|| rowspan="2" | Hindi |- | 2005 || ''Kasak'' |- | 2007 || ''Godfather''|| rowspan="2" | Urdu |- | 2008 || ''Khulay Aasman Ke Neechay'' |- | rowspan="3" | 2011 || ''Son of Pakistan''|| Punjabi |- | ''Bhai Log''|| rowspan="2" | Urdu |- |''Love Mein Ghum'' |- | 2012 || ''Paanch Ghantey Mien Paanch Crore'' || Hindi |- | rowspan="2" | 2013 || ''Ishq Khuda'' ||Punjabi |- | ''Bhadaas''<ref name="Meera (actress)">{{cite news|last1=Actress|first1=Meera|title=Meera's Film Bhadaas|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/previews/Bhadaas/articleshow/20135291.cms|work=The Times of India|access-date=25 March 2015}}</ref> || rowspan="2" | Hindi |- | rowspan="2" |2015 |''Bumper Draw'' |- |''Dunno Y2... Life Is a Moment'' |Hindi/Norwegian |- | rowspan="3" |2016 |''Salute'' | rowspan="3" |Urdu |- | ''Hotal'' |- | ''Jab Tak Hain Hum''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/1078647/riding-the-wave-of-revival/|title=Riding the wave of revival – The Express Tribune|date=4 April 2016|access-date=8 December 2016}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" |2017 |''Islamic Exorcist''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/260187/islamic-exorcist-review-new-perspective-exorcism-films/|title=Islamic Exorcist Review: A New Perspective on Exorcism Films|date=2017-11-13|website=Dread Central|language=en-US|access-date=2020-04-28}}</ref> |English |- |''Sheitaan''<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/raaz-e-sheitaan/|title=Raaz-E-Sheitaan - Latest News, Videos, Photos - Bollywood Hungama|newspaper=Bollywood Hungama|date=28 July 2017|access-date=28 July 2017}}</ref> |Hindi |- | rowspan="4" |2018 |''Aks''<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://gulfnews.com/life-style/celebrity/desi-news/meera-s-look-from-aks-finally-revealed-1.2138669|title=Meera's look from 'Aks' finally revealed|last=tabloid!|first=Usman Ghafoor, Special to|date=11 December 2017|work=Gulf News|access-date=29 December 2017}}</ref> | rowspan="8" |Urdu |- |''Wujood'' |- |''Shor Sharaba''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/1164666/shor-sharaba-enters-post-production/|title='Shor Sharaba' enters post-production – The Express Tribune|date=17 August 2016|access-date=8 December 2016}}</ref> |- |''Jackpot'' |- | rowspan="2" |2019 |''Baaji''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://images.dawn.com/news/1180947|title=Meera says she's playing the lead role in Saqib Malik's Baaji|last=Haq|first=Irfan Ul|date=27 September 2018|work=Images|access-date=18 October 2018}}</ref> |- |''Parey Hut Love'' |- |2023 |''Allahyar and the 100 Flowers of God'' |- |TBA |''Chaa Jaa Re'' |- |TBA |''Oscar''<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1056589/meera-turns-director-with-oscar/|title=Meera turns director with 'Oscar' – The Express Tribune|date=29 February 2016|work=The Express Tribune|access-date=19 May 2018}}</ref> |Urdu/English |- |}
==Television== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Tiltle ! Network |- |2016||''Mein Sitara''||TV One |- |2017||''Naagin''||Geo Kahani |- |}
==Awards and recognition== {| class="wikitable style" ! Ceremony ! Category ! Film ! Result |- | 1st Lux Style Awards | Best Film Actress | N/A | {{Nom}} |- | 2nd Lux Style Awards | Best Film Actress | ''Raqqasa'' | {{Nom}} |- | 3rd Lux Style Awards | Best Film Actress | ''Commando'' | {{Nom}} |- | 19th Lux Style Awards | Best Film Actress | ''Baaji'' | {{Nom}} |- | 1st Pakistan Media Awards | Best Film Heroine | N/A | {{won}} |- | 2nd Pakistan Media Awards | Best TV Actress | ''Husan Ara Koun'' | {{Nom}} |- | Government of Pakistan | Pride of Performance | N/A | {{Won}} |}
==See also== * List of Pakistani actresses * Veena Malik * Mathira * Rabi Pirzada
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|0576195|Meera}}
{{Pride of Performance for Arts}} {{NigarAwardBestActress}} {{SpecialAwardfromNigarAwards}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meera}} Category:Living people Category:1977 births Category:Actresses from Lahore Category:Actresses in Urdu cinema Category:Actresses in Punjabi cinema Category:Actresses in Hindi cinema Category:Kinnaird College for Women University alumni Category:Nigar Award winners Category:Pakistani film actresses Category:Pakistani television actresses Category:Pakistani expatriate actresses in India Category:Recipients of the Pride of Performance Category:20th-century Pakistani actresses Category:21st-century Pakistani actresses