Yumna Zaidi (born 30 July 1989 Urdu: یمنیٰ زیدی) is a Pakistani actress who works in Urdu-television industry and is known for her portrayals in social to romantic dramas. Zaidi is the recipient of several accolades including five Lux Style Awards and a Hum Award out of eight nominations.
Zaidi first appeared as a supporting character in ARY Digital domestic-drama Thakan (2012) and then played lead roles in several television series, including the family drama Meri Dulari and the revenge Ullu Baraye Farokht Nahi (both 2013), the later of which earned her a nomination of Hum Award for Best Supporting Actress. She gained popularity and Hum Award for Best Actress and Best Actress Popular nominations by portraying a troubled wife in Farooq Rind's tragic-romance Rishtay Kuch Adhooray Se (2014), and received praise for portraying diverse characters in jealous-drama Mausam (2014), the comedy drama Jugnoo (2015) (both earned Hum Awards nominations), the romance Zara Yaad Kar (2016) and the romantic comedy Yeh Raha Dil (2017), the later earned her further nomination.
Zaidi gained critical praise and established herself by starring in Dar Si Jaati Hai Sila (2017), Inkaar (2019), Pyar Ke Sadqay (2020), Dil Na Umeed To Nahi (2021) and Bakhtawar (2022) the second, third and last of these earned her Lux Style Award for Best Television Actress.
Zaidi was born on 30 July 1989 in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.
Her first screen debut was a supporting role in the ARY Digital's 2012 domestic drama Thakan, and followed it with a leading role in the melodrama Khushi Ek Roag. She then appeared in Urdu 1's Teri Raah Main Rul Gai opposite Samiya Mumtaz and Sami Khan where she played the character of Maryam.[2]
Zaidi received praise for portraying emotionally intense characters in the dramas, Geo TV's Meri Dulari (2013) and Hum TV's Ullu Baraye Farokht Nahi (2013), the later of which garnered her a Best Supporting Actress nomination at Hum Awards. Her acclaimed role of a troubled wife in the tragic romance Rishtay Kuch Adhooray Se (2013), established her as a leading actress of Pakistan and earned her the Hum Award for Best Actress and Best Actress Popular nominations. Zaidi subsequently did a special appearance in 2013 series Sannata and played supporting role in Kashif Nisar's directorial Kis Se Kahoon alongside Sajal Ali and Agha Ali. She gained wider recognition for portraying a range of characters in the dramas Mausam (2014), Madawa (2015), Guzaarish (2015), and Jugnoo (2015), Kaanch Ki Guriya (2015), Paras (2015) and Aap ki Kaneez (2015), some of which garnered her several Best Actress nominations.[3]
In 2016 she appeared in Momina Duraid's Zara Yaad Kar where she played the lead character of Uzma Ikhtiar opposite Zahid Ahmed and Sana Javed.[4]She then appeared in Hum TV's Yeh Raha Dil in 2017 opposite Ahmed Ali. Zaidi played the character of Hayat whose mother has died and father deserted her at a young age. Her on-screen chemistry with Ali was praised by viewers and earned her nomination of Best on-screen couple at Hum Awards.[5] Later she signed Kashif Nisar's directorial Pinjra.[6] In the same year she appeared as Sila, a victim of sexual harassment in Bee Gul's directed Dar Si Jaati Hai Sila opposite Noman Ijaz and Saman Ansari. A critic from The News International praised her saying, "With fewer dialogues and a tough subject at hand, Yumna pulled off her role effortlessly, making it believable from beginning till the end".[7]
As of 2018–19, she appeared in Pukaar as Samra, widow of the feudal lord[8] and appeared in 7th Sky Entertainment's Project Dil Kiya Karey, directed by Mehreen Jabbar.[9][10] She played a role of Hajra in social drama Inkaar opposite Imran Ashraf and Sami Khan and made special appearance in Angeline Malik's anthology series Choti Choti Batain.[11][12] She further appeared in an extended cameo in Ishq Zahe Naseeb[13] and as Raina in telefilm Shaadi Impossible.[14]
She made her film debut with the titular role of an aspiring cricketer in Umair Nasir Ali's directed Nayab (2024).[15] Writing for Tribune, Shafiq Siddiqui [dislike] the film and wrote, "It does not offer any dialogue that bear recall value, the film grapples with its excessively long runtime, leading to a loss of impact at various junctures". Also zaidi's performance is not well received, opined, "Despite playing the titular character, she [struggles] for proper projection and lines that would make her character memorable."[16] The film eventually became a box-office bomb.
In 2016 the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority served a show-cause notice toUdaari, she spoke out, stating:
It is based on a social cause and we should create awareness in our society through such drama serials.[17]
She walked the ramp for designer Aisha Farid's collection Crystalline on Hum TV's Bridal Couture Week.[18] She also appeared in celebrity comedy talkshow Mazaaq Raat in 2017.[19]