Hamza Ali Abbasi

Hamza Ali Abbasi
Born	(1986-06-23) June 23, 1986 Multan, Pakistan
Occupation(s)	Actor, filmmaker
Years active	2006–present
Known for	Pyarey Afzal, Mann Mayal, The Legend of Maula Jatt
Notable work	My Discovery of Islam, God & Judgement Day (book)

Hamza Ali Abbasi (born 23 June 1986) is a prominent Pakistani actor and filmmaker. He is widely recognized for his performances as Afzal in Pyarey Afzal (2013) and Salahuddin in Mann Mayal (2016).

In 2013, Abbasi featured in two major films, Main Hoon Shahid Afridi and Waar, which earned him the Best Star Debut Male and Best Supporting Actor honors at the inaugural ARY Film Awards.

His portrayal of the antagonist Noori Natt in the 2022 film The Legend of Maula Jatt contributed to it becoming the highest-grossing movie in both Pakistani and Punjabi cinema history.

Early life and education

Born on 23 June 1986 in Multan, Abbasi comes from a Punjabi family with a background in civil service. His father, Major (Retd) Mazhar Ali Abbasi, served in the army, while his mother, Begum Nasim Akhtar Chaudhry, has held positions as a judge and politician associated with the Pakistan Peoples Party. His sister, Dr. Fazeela Abbasi, practices dermatology, and his maternal cousin, Areej Chaudhary, is an actress.

Abbasi completed his Bachelor's degree in International Relations in the United States and earned a Master's degree from Quaid-e-Azam University. During his time abroad, he also pursued studies in film-making. After successfully passing the CSS examination, he served as a civil service officer within the police cadre before resigning to dedicate himself fully to acting and filmmaking.

Theatre

Abbasi initiated his performing arts journey in 2006 with the play Dally in the Dark. Subsequently, he took part in theatrical productions including Bombay Dreams, Phantom of the Opera, and Home is Where Your Clothes Are.

Television

His television debut came in 2012 through a supporting role in Meray Dard Ko Jo Zuban Miley. He later rose to prominence with leading roles in dramas such as Pyarey Afzal (2013) and Mann Mayal (2016).

Cinema

Abbasi's significant breakthrough occurred with the film Waar (2013), where he transitioned from working as an assistant director to taking on an acting role—a move he regards as crucial for his professional growth.

Voice acting

In the animated series Burka Avenger (2013), produced by Unicorn Black, he provided the voices for the primary villains Baba Bandook and Vadero Pajero.

Direction

Abbasi made his directorial debut with the feature film Mud House and the Golden Doll (2011), which focused on simple narratives centered around everyday individuals. He also directed Kambakht, a project that had not been released as of July 2024.

Writing

In December 2020, Abbasi announced a forthcoming book on religious themes, eventually publishing it in August 2024 under the title My Discovery of Islam, God & Judgement Day. The book details his journey back to Islam after a period of atheism.

Relationships

In 2019, Abbasi married Naimal Khawar, who is both a painter and an actress.

Religion

Originally born into a Muslim family, Abbasi experienced a phase of atheism before returning to the Muslim faith. He adheres to the Farahi school of thought and has studied under Javed Ahmad Ghamidi in Dallas. His 2024 publication, My Discovery of Islam, God & Judgement Day, elaborates on his spiritual and philosophical perspectives.

Politics

Abbasi was an active supporter of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, serving as cultural secretary from January 2018 until his resignation in April that year, citing concerns that his films did not authentically represent Pakistani culture. In 2018, he revealed portions of journalist Reham Khan's book manuscript prior to its release; she accused him of issuing threats, which he denied, attributing her allegations to attempts at undermining his reputation due to his association with Imran Khan.

Film

Key

†	Films currently screening in theaters
Template:Pending	Films awaiting release

Year	Title	Role	Director	Note(s)	Ref(s]
2011	The Glorious Resolve	Tariq		Documentary film
	Mudhouse And The Golden Doll	Malang	Template:Ya	Directorial debut feature
2013	Main Hoon Shahid Afridi	Maulvi Majeed		ARY Film Award for Best Star Debut Male winner
	Waar	SP Ehtesham Khattak		Recipient of ARY Film Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination
2015	Jawani Phir Nahi Ani	Saif Ahmed
2016	Ho Mann Jahaan	Malang Baba		Cameo role appearances
2017	Shaan-e-Ishq	Mehwish's brother
2018	Parwaaz Hay Junoon	Sq/Ldr Hamza Ali Haider		Lead character role
	Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2	Saif Ahmed		Special appearance portraying Imran Khan
2022	The Legend of Maula Jatt	Noori Natt		Principal antagonist role
2024	Umro Ayyar - A New Beginning	Umro Ayyar		Special guest appearance

Television

Year	Title	Role	Network	Note(s)
2012	Meray Dard Ko Jo Zuban Miley Salaar/Azam Hum TV TV debut
2013–2015	Burka Avenger Baba Bandook Geo Tez/Nickelodeon Voice acting role
2013	Pyaray Afzal Afzal Subhanullah rowspan="3" |ARY Digital Drama serial
	Ek Tha Raja aur Ek Thi Rani Farhan rowspan="2" |Telefilm
	Gullo Weds Gulli Gullo
2016	Mann Mayal Salahuddin Hum TV rowspan="5" | Drama series
2019	Alif	Qalb-e-Momin	Geo Entertainment
2023	Jaan-e-Jahan	Shahram	ARY Digital
2024	Faraar	Batish	Green Entertainment
2025	Ishq Mein Khuda Mil Gaya	TBA

Hosting and judging

Year	Program	Position	Network	Remarks
2014	1st ARY Film Awards	Co-host	ARY Digital
2015	3rd Hum Awards		Hum TV
2018	Debate Headquarters	Presenter	BOL Network
2019	Pakistan Star	Panel Judge

Publication

• My Discovery of God, Islam & Judgement Day, Ghamidi Center of Islamic Learning, 2024.

Honors and nominations

ARY Film Awards
2014	Waar	Best Supporting Actor	Template:Won
	Main Hoon Shahid Afridi	Best Male Star Debut	Template:Won
2016	Jawani Phir Nahi Ani	Best Supporting Actor	Template:Won
Lux Style Awards
2015	Pyarey Afzal	Best Television Actor	Template:Won
2021	Alif	Viewers' Choice: Best TV Actor	rowspan="2" Template:Nom
		Critics' Choice: Best TV Actor
Hum TV Awards
2017	Mann Mayal	Popular Best Actor	Template:Won
2017	Mann Mayal	Best Onscreen Couple	Template:Won
International Pakistan Prestige Awards
2017	Male Style Icon of the Year		Template:Won