Round up: Actors who ruled screens in 2018

It’s hard to give a good performance in a drama serial; especially when it involves some location without any modern facilities and the long scheduled shoot hours, but it may be even harder to get all this hard work noticed on the television screens. Much great acting takes place in drama serials that actually aren’t all that good, in terms of budget I mean. Over the period of time Pakistan entertainment industry has realised that it’s not the star power that brings the good rating and fame to any serial but the substantial content and characters.This year, some relatively new faces swayed us, along with established names. Unfortunately, some of the roles were either dark or disturbing but nevertheless it’s about showing some love for the scads of performances that you’ll be sorry to have had missed, if you have. Here’s a selection of the very best.Iqra Aziz in Suno ChandaThe 20-year-old had a very successful year with hit television dramas, including Khaamoshi (2018), Tabeer (2018) and the massively popular Suno Chanda (2018), all on HUM TV. She already has six years of experience and 15 television dramas under her belt. But, Iqra Aziz became a household name in 2018 after her performance as a chirpy and happy-go-lucky Jiya in Suno Chanda. Designers are making a beeline for featuring her in their fashion shoots and it’s easy to see why! No?Feroze Khan in KhaaniSometimes you’re stereotyped with certain sort of characters. Many actors are heedful to the concept and try in every real sense to defy such titles. But, Feroze Khan understands his charm way too well, that all those fierce eyes and expressions are ‘it’ and they sell big time. Although he has played such intense characters before, like in Gul-e-Rana (2015), on premier entertainment channel HUM TV, but his spell as Mir Hadi in Khaani (2018), on entertainment channel Geo, has to be the best till date. So before the year ends, watch Khaani.Imran Ashraf in Alif Allah Aur Insaan2018 has been a year of new talent taking over the television screens, and Imran Ashraf is one such individual who made us realise his acting prowess with the character of Shabbo in Alif Allah Aur Insaan (2018), on HUM TV, where he played the role of a transgender. Where many actors, even established actors, would not have taken the risk with such a challenging role, Imran outdid it with perfection. From body language, to expressions and intonations in the voice – non parallel detailing and observation! Sajal Aly in Yaqeen Ka SafarThis year has proved to be quite a memorable one for Sajal Aly; She appeared in two much-discussed drama serials: Yaqeen Ka Safar and O Rangreza, both on premier entertainment channel HUM TV, and won two nominations at the prestigious Lux Style Awards 2018 for Best Actress category and bagged three Best Female Actress Awards at HUM Awards. Her role in Yaqeen Ka Safar although was a simple character of a girl that ends up finding peace with nursing profession at a hospital in the suburbs of northern areas of Pakistan, but the transformation of the rebellious and a minx girl caught up the attention of the viewers and critiques alike. Ahad Raza Mir in Yaqeen Ka SafarAhad is a very fine addition to the entertainment fraternity. We’ve seen him put his acting skills well to use and make audiences sway with him as he performed the emotional father-son duo scenes in Yaqeen Ka Safar. His good look gushed the viewers to fall in love with the serial and the on-screen couple: Sajal and Ahad. When you’re acting opposite to an experienced actor like Sajal, you might get a little intimidated. Was Ahad intimidated? Doesn’t seem like it! Affan Waheed in BeydardiAlthough he has been in the industry and on television screens since a decade now, but, 2018 was a lucky year for him. You know how? He recently starred opposite to Aiman Khan and Iqra Aziz in Beydardi (2018), on entertainment channel ARY Digital, and premier entertainment channel HUM TV’s Khamoshi (2018), respectively. And the serials released just simultaneously, one after another. Beydardi was a tragic love story, hit by the Aids, but the portrayal of the characters was raw. The aim of the serial was to create awareness against the disease and with all those high-rise ratings, it definitely did.