Sajal Aly is a Pakistani actress and model who is known for playing very challenging and extraordinary roles in a range of serials and films. Her popular television projects include Mere Qatil Mere Dildar, Nanhi, Gohar-e-Nayab, Sannata, Gul-e-Rana, Yaqeen Ka Safar, and O Rangreza.
Wiki/Biography
Sajal Aly was born on Monday, 17 January 1994 (age 28 years; as of 2022) in Lahore, Pakistan. Her zodiac sign is Capricorn.
Sajal Aly’s childhood picture with her mother
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 5″
Weight (approx.): 55 Kg
Figure Measurements (approx.): 34-26-35
Eye Colour: Brown
Hair Colour: Brown
Family
Sajal was born to a Muslim family in Lahore, Pakistan.
Parents & Siblings
Sajal Aly’s father’s name is Syed Ali, who is a businessman. Her mother’s name is Rahat, and she was a homemaker. According to Sajal, she did not share a good bond with her father for the longest time after he got married to another woman when she and her siblings were very young. Her father’s second marriage, Sajal went through severe emotional and financial instabilities, and Sajal being the youngest kid started earning at a very young age. During an interview, Sajal Aly recalls the situation as,
My mother had a difficult time when my father left. I worked hard and became financially stable and told him we didn’t need his money. I was angry ‘kaisay doosri shaadi kar li!’ After my mother’s death, I eventually learned to let go. My father speaks regularly with us now and is very proud of me.”
Sajal Aly’s parents
Sajal also has two younger siblings in her family. Her sister, Saboor Aly, is also an Urdu film and television actor, and her brother, Ali Syed, is an engineer.
Sajal Aly with her sister
Sajal Aly with her brother
Husband
Sajal Aly is married to the popular Pakistani television and film actor, music producer, and singer, Ahad Raza Mir. Ahad is the elder son of Asif Raza Mir, a veteran actor and producer of the Pakistani film and television industry. The couple got engaged on 10 June 2019, and Sajal made a very simple announcement on Instagram by posting a picture captioned,
Here’s to new beginnings. Today we are happy to announce that with the blessings of our families we are officially engaged. Our special day will be even more special with the love and prayers of our family, friends, and fans. — Ahad & Sajal.”
The wedding ceremony of Sajal Aly and Ahad Raza Mir took place on 14 March 2020 ad was held in Abu Dhabi in the presence of some close family and friends. Fans of Sajal and Ahad got a glimpse of their wedding through their social media handles. The couple updated their wedding news by posting their wedding picture on different social media platforms. Talking about her the choice of keeping their personal life private, Sajal Aly said,
Ahad and I both feel that our private life is not for public consumption. Additionally, this year when we got married, the situation around the world wasn’t too favourable. Because of the virus, people have suffered losses of life and health. Amidst all this, I don’t think it would be wise to flash all those pictures of excursions and celebrations. My prayers are for all those who are suffering in these times.”
Sajal Aly’s wedding picture
In January 2022, Sajal Aly and Ahad Raza Mir were rumoured to be getting separated only after a year of their marriage. The rumours started coming after Ahad was not seen attending Sajal Aly’s sister, Saboor Aly’s wedding festivities, instead he attended some other wedding in Dubai with his parents. But Sajal shut the rumours by posting a romantic picture of herself with her husband on Instagram story.
Religion
Sajal Aly religious follows Islam. She has also performed the umrah with her whole family and shared pictures of the same on her social media account. The Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca and muslims from all across the world aspires to perform Umrah according to the Islamic lunar calendar.
Sajal Aly with her family at the holy place of Mecca
Career
Television
Sajal Aly made her acting debut in 2009 with Geo TV’s comedy sitcom ‘Nadaaniyaan,’ directed by Yasir Nawaz. Sajal played the role of Sumbul opposite Danish Nawaz, Yasir Nawaz, Nida Yasir, Mirza Shahi, and Mohib Mirza. Next, she played the character named Afreen in Nain Maniar directed ARY Digital drama serial ‘Mehmoodabad Ki Malkain.’ In the same year, Sajal Aly appeared in multiple daily soaps including ‘Mastana Mahi,’ ‘Meri Ladli,’ ‘Chandni,’ and ‘Ahmed Habib Ki Betiyan.’ But Sajal Aly first came into the limelight after appearing in Hum TV’s romantic drama serial ‘Meray Qatil Meray Dildar,’ where she played the character named Shifa and received huge appreciation for it. She also received the nomination for Hum Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the drama serial.
Sajal Aly’s still from the drama serial ‘Mehmoodabad Ki Malkain’
In 2012, Sajal Aly appeared onscreen in the role of Neeli, a high school girl who lives in her fantasy world and tries to break out of the struggles of a low-income family, for Hum TV’s drama series ‘Mohabbat Jaye Bhar Mein.’ Later, she became part of many other commercially successful dramas like Hum TV’s ‘Sitamgar,’ Geo Entertainment’s ‘Mere Khuwabon Ka Diya,’ ARY Digital’s ‘Quddusi Sahab Ki Bewah,’ Geo Entertainment’s ‘Nanhi,’ A-Plus TV’s ‘Gohar-e-Nayab,’ and many more. Sajal Aly’s performance in the ‘Nanhi’ brought her immense popularity among the audience in Pakistan and she received two nominations for the same including Lux Style Awards for Best Television Actress – Satellite and Pakistan Media Awards for Best Drama Actress. She also earned another nomination for Pakistan Media Awards Best Drama Actress for the drama series ‘Gohar-e-Nayab.’ Post her award winning ceremony, when media asked her about how she manages to deliver such fine roles, she narrated,
I am not sure if there’s a specific secret but since the early days of my career I have developed this habit of deep diving into the lifestyle of the characters I play during the shooting stage of a film or drama. I take this exercise so seriously that I often ask my team to call me by the character’s name that I am playing. I often dress and talk in the same manner even when I am at home to keep the momentum building and to prevent any gaps or breaks for the character that I am playing during the filming process.”
Sajal Aly, in 2015, featured as Zoya in “Chupkay Se Bahar Aa Jaye,” a Sabiha Sumar directed drama serial. Later the year, she became part of a number of commercially successful films including Kis Se Kahoon, Tum Mere Kya Ho, and Gul-e-Rana. Her phenomenal performances in the television serials Sannata and Khuda Dekh Raha Hai brought her immense popularity and she also earned nominations for the Lux Style Awards in Best Television Actress category for both the serials. Aly won her first Best Actress award in 2017 for the drama serial ‘Gul-e-Rana’ for portraying the role of Gul-e-Rana, a girl who is struggling for the rights of women after being abused by poor mentality people of the society, in the Hasti Ke Ahang, novel based drama. The serial featured Sajal Aly and Feroze Khan along with the supporting cast of Mehmood Akhtar, Rubina Ashraf and Jinaan Hussain. She was honoured with Lux Style Awards for Best Actress for delivery such a fine performance. 2018 proved to be a glorifying year for Sajal Aly. She did some award winning serial in the year and gained huge popularity among the Pakistani audience. The year started with her extraordinary performance in the television serial “Yaqeen Ka Safar.” She played the character of Dr. Zubiya Khalil aka Asfandyar Ali Khan, a protagonists who grow in her life after going through hardships and struggles. The lead characters of the drama were played by Ahad Raza Mir as Dr. Asfandyar, Shaz Khan as Daniyal and Hira Salman as Gaiti. Sajal Aly won the Hum Awards for Best Actress Popular and Best Onscreen Couple Popular with Ahad Raza Mir. She also received nominations for Lux Style Awards in Best Television Actress category for the same drama. Next, her appearance in “O Rangreza” left audience mesmerised with her acting skills. She played the role of Sassi, a stubborn girl who considers her father as an ideal in her life and follow his foot-steps to achieve success in life. She won two Hum Awards, Best Onscreen Couple Popular with Bilal Abbas Khan and Best Actor Popular. and also earned nomination for Lux Style Awards for Best Television Actress.
Sajal Aly, in 2019, featured in romantic thriller television series “Yeh Dil Mera” as Noor-ul-Ain Zaman that was telecasted on Hum TV. The series was produced under the banner of MD Productions. Ahad Raza Mir, Sajal Aly, and Adnan Siddiqui were featured as the lead cast for the drama serial. The same year, she also became part of “Aangan” period aged drama that picturized the stories from British India era and was narrated by Aaliya, an ambitious girl who tells stories of relations affected at the time of partition of the Indian Subcontinent. The Mohammed Ehteshamuddin directed drama gained huge limelights and Sajal Aly received Lux Style Awards for Best Television Actress Critics, Lux Style Awards Best Television Actress Viewers, and PISA 2020 Best Television Actress.
Lollywood (Pakistani Films)
After establishing herself as a lead actress in the Pakistani television industry, Sajal Aly stepped into films. She made her film debut in 2016 with Anjum Shahzad directed Pakistani romantic drama film ‘Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay.’ The film was a remake of the 1979 American film ‘Kramer vs. Kramer’ and showcases the story of a young romantic couple and the challenges they face while raising their child together. The lead cast of the film included Feroze Khan, Nabeel Zuberi, Adil Fayaz, Shafqat Cheema, and many more. Sajal Aly played the role of Mahira Khan in the film and received huge appreciation for it. Sajal Aly several nominations for her acting skills in the film including the Lux Style Awards for Best Film Actress, Galaxy Lollywood Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role Female, Galaxy Lollywood Awards for Best Female Debut, and Nigar Awards for Best Actress.
In 2021, Sajal appeared on the silver screen as Zara in Urdu-language drama film ‘Khel Khel Mein’ opposite Bilal Abbas Khan, Javed Sheikh, Marina Khan, and Manzar Sehbai. The film was written and directed by Fizza Ali Meerza and the film tells the story of ever growing myths, mystery and mistrust after the Surrender of Pakistan.
Bollywood
Sajal Aly made her Bollywood debut opposite veteran Indian actress Sridevi in the crime thriller film ‘Mom’ released on 7 July 2017. The film was released in four different languages and the music for the film was composed and produced by A. R. Rahman. Sajal portrayed the character of Sridevi’s step daughter i the film.The film received huge critical acclaims for the story and performances of the actors and proved to be a huge commercial success globally. During a media interaction, Sajal Aly revealed that she never aimed to work in Bollywood but the script of Mom impressed her and was also an opportunity to work with her ideal Sridevi, she said,
Bollywood was never my dream, in all honesty. I was happy working here and that was not something I was working towards but this story moved me. I always knew that if I worked in Bollywood, I have certain limitations and boundaries that I would not want to cross and this movie was about a sensitive topic, everything was handled so tastefully.”
Sajal Aly on the poster of Bollywood movie ‘Mom’
While shooting for the film, Sajal Aly developed a great bond with her co-stars especially with Sridevi. Talking about her experience while working with her favourite actress, she said,
Of course, she was such a great actress. I feel blessed that I got the opportunity to work with her and learn from her. I was always her fan and it was a dream come true for me to act alongside her. She was just like my mom, she took such good care of me, especially when we were shooting in Georgia and I used to feel cold. She used to fuss over me, and worry about my jackets and blankets. She gave me a lot of strength and courage when my mother was hospitalized. Un kay saath dil ka rishta bun gaya that. I learnt a lot from her, because she was such a fantastic actor and human being.”
Hollywood
Sajal Aly has already completed her shooting for her Hollywood debut film “What’s Love Got to Do With It?.” The British romantic comedy film is directed by Shekhar Kapur, an Indian film director and features Lily James, Emma Thompson, Sajal Ali, Shazad Latif, Rob Brydon, Shabana Azmi, and Asim Chaudhry in lead roles. Sajal Aly is announced to be playing the character named Zoya in the film. Aly was rumoured to get her role in the Hollywood film “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” because of her father-in-law Asif Raza Mir’s connections. Clearing all the doubts, she said,
No, I have a manager who lines up potential international projects for me. My husband, actor Ahad Raza Mir, filmed my audition and, once it was emailed to the movie’s team, it got approved.”
Sajal Aly when asked about opting to work in Hollywood films after becoming a well established actor in the Pakistani television and film industry, she said,
I have the strength and energy to do all this work right now and I may not be able to do so one day. There are new people coming in and I can’t get complacent and miss out on the opportunity to work with so many great teams and directors.”
Awards
- 2017: Hum Award for Best Actress for the television serial ‘Gul-e-Rana’
- 2018: Hum Award for Best Actress Popular for the television serial ‘Yaqeen Ka Safar’
- 2018: Hum Award for Best Onscreen Couple Popular for the television serial ‘Yaqeen Ka Safar’
- 2018: Hum Award for Best Onscreen Couple Popular for the television serial ‘O Rangreza’
- 2018: Hum Award for Best Actor Popular for the television serial ‘O Rangreza’
Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards (DIAFA)
Sajal Aly has been honoured with the Distinctive International Arab Festivals Award for her contribution to Pakistan film and television industry. On receiving the award, she proudly said,
Assalamualaikum everyone, first of all I want to say that I am really honoured to be here with such amazing actors and amazing people. I’m really honoured to be here. Honoured to be here with such amazing actors and amazing people. I’m extremely thankful to all my fans for believing in me. Thank you DIAFA for this honour.”
Sajal Aly holding the Distinctive International Arab Festivals Award
Sajal shared the news with her fans through social media platform. She posted a picture of her holding the award on her Instagram account and captioned it as,
This award is special to me not just as an artist, but as a proud Pakistani. Thank you #DIAFA and thank you Dubai for honouring artists from around the world.”
Favourites
- Actor(s): Shah Rukh Khan, Shaan Shahid, Imran Abbas, Fawad Khan, Nauman Ijaz
- Actress(s): Sania Saeed, Nadia Jamil, Sanam Saeed, Yumna Zaidi
- Musician(s): Kishore Kumar, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shreya Ghoshal
- Film: Interstellar (2014)
- Travel Destination: Turkey
Facts/Trivia
- Sajal Aly has gained experience working in Lollywood, Bollywood, and also Hollywood. During the media interaction, when asked about the major difference she witnessed while working in different industries she said,
There is really no difference except that, in Pakistan, we are working with smaller budgets. This means that we may have to make an extra effort and, sometimes, I may have to extend favours by working a few extra hours. That’s the only difference.”
- Aly opts to work under the conditions where she does not have to film even a single bold shot. She, in one of her interviews, revealed that she was offered a major lead role in a Hollywood movie, but she rejected the film only because she had to enact bold scenes for the film for which she was not at all comfortable. Referring to the situation, she said,
I was also offered the title role in another Hollywood movie and the story was very exciting. However, there was a single, very bold scene in the movie that I knew I couldn’t do. Even if I managed to do so, the people of my country would have connected that scene with me. I wouldn’t want to disillusion them like that.”
- Sajal, in one of her interviews revealed that she never sees her dramas or films herself as she fears of not delivering the best of her performance in it. Talking about the secret she said,
I never see myself on screen because it disturbs me and I find too many flaws but, some days ago, I decided to watch my drama O Rangreza. I have been working so hard and so consistently that I needed to take a break and remind myself of the reason why I love acting. The drama came as such a surprise to me. I kept remarking to my sister Saboor that that was me on screen!”
- Sajal Aly has experience working in both films and television so when asked about her choice of workspace she prefers more, she replied,
I think cinema allows the actor to move into more of a fantasy world while TV is closer to reality. I am attached to TV more at this point, and I think that our cinema needs to improve. I also think that professionals who know the craft need to start focusing on Pakistan’s film industry rather than people who are just dabbling with it for fun.”
She further added,
I have been in the industry for almost a decade now and being on sets really is like a second home to me. I enjoy every single part and detail of my profession; hence I don’t take it as a demanding work schedule, but I see it instead as a routine and a very important part of my life.”
- Sajal Aly often expresses her desire to work in Bollywood. In an interview, she talked about working with the late Bollywood actress Sridevi and termed her as her mother. Sajal said,
I was very close to Sridevi ji. She left us very soon unfortunately. I have never really talked about her and my relationship. But I have to say that it is really unfortunate that we as artists get stuck in the tensions between both the countries. Humara kaam suffer karta hai. When I worked in Bollywood, I got a lot of love and respect, which is close to my heart till date.”
Sajal Aly with Sridevi
Sajal Aly and Sridevi worked together in the Bollywood film Mom (2017).
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
