Farhan Saeed (born 14 September 1984) is a Pakistani singer-songwriter, actor and entrepreneur. Saeed is the former lead vocalist of the Pakistani band Jal and owns the restaurant Cafe Rock in Lahore. He sings in Urdu and Punjabi. He made his acting debut with the drama De Ijazat Jo Tu (2014).

Farhan Saeed
فرحان سعید‬ بٹ
Born (1984-09-14) 14 September 1984 (age 40)[1]
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan
Alma materNational University of Computer and Emerging Sciences
Notable workUdaari (2016)
Suno Chanda (2018–2019)
Mere Humsafar (2021–2022)
Spouse
(m. 2016)
Children1
Musical career
OriginLahore, Pakistan
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • Guitar
Years active2003–present

Saeed had his breakthrough with Udaari, for which he received the Hum Award for Best Supporting Actor nomination. He earned wider recognition with his portrayals in Suno Chanda (2018), Suno Chanda 2 (2019) and Mere Humsafar (2021-22). The former won him Hum Award for Best Actor Popular. Saeed made his film debut with Tich Button (2022).

Early life and career

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Farhan Saeed was born into a Punjabi Kashmiri family. Both his parents are practicing doctors. A music fan from the very start, he used to listen to Vital Signs and Junoon and centred his music around pop, and at times folk. In his teens, he took A-level from the Keynesian Institute of Management and Sciences (KIMS) and then enrolled in Computer Science at the National University of Computer and Emerging Sciences, after which he discovered his future band members Atif Aslam and Goher Mumtaz. The band took off and became famous across Asia.[citation needed]

In 2011, reports broke out that he had parted his ways from Jal, which left his fans stunned. He pursued a solo career and became regular to feature in Bollywood. Saeed opened Cafe Rock restaurant at Hussain Chowk, situated off the M. M. Alam Road, Gulberg, Lahore. His restaurant's theme is in a similar vein to that of the Hard Rock Cafes, providing underground bands and young aspiring artists with a platform to project themselves and perform in front of an audience.[2]

Music career

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Jal the band

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Saeed during Jal band days

Saeed first rose to prominence when he joined the Lahore-based pop rock band Jal, at the age of 17, as a vocalist.[3]

Saeed replaced Atif Aslam in 2003, who quit because of musical differences with Jal's founding member Goher Mumtaz.[4]

Solo music career

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In September 2011, in an exclusive interview with The Express Tribune, Saeed shocked the fans claiming that he had left Jal to pursue a solo career despite Goher Mumtaz offering him to continue his solo career while being a part of Jal.[5] On 8 September 2011, Saeed's departure was confirmed by Jal's guitarist Goher Mumtaz who wished him luck for his solo career. He did a collaboration with Aima Baig, Adnan Qazi and Bilal Saeed for his super hit song "Na cher malangaan nu". His recent song was with Hania Aamir for Asim Jofa that was directed by Qasim Ali Mureed.

He made his Bollywood-singing breakthrough in 2014, by contributing a song to Vikram Bhatt's Creature 3D. The song, Naam-e-Wafa, is a romantic-duet with Indian vocalist Tulsi Kumar as the co-singer and Mithoon as the composer.[6]

Acting career

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Saeed started his acting career by debuting in a leading role in the 2014 Hum TV drama serial De Ijazat Jo Tu alongside Sohai Ali Abro, Saba Hameed and Javaid Sheikh. He then played the lead role as Mohid Shuja in ARY Digital's Mere Ajnabi alongside Urwa Hocane who was the female lead.[7] He has also played the lead role of Arsh in the drama Udaari as a lawyer along with female lead Urwa. Apart from acting in the drama, Saeed has also collaborated with Hadiqa Kiani for the OST that has topped music charts all over Pakistan.[8]

In 2016, he also played the lead role again in ARY Digital's Teri Chah Mein, alongside Maria Wasti and Saboor Ali, and Hum TV's Sila alongside Ainy Jaffri.

In 2018 he grabbed the leading role of Arsal Jamshed Ali (Arsal) in Hum TV's critically and commercially superhit drama serial Suno Chanda, with Iqra Aziz as the leading female role, and due to the critical success of the show, a season 2 was immediately announced by the producers. He reprised his role as Arsal Jamshed Ali in the second installment of Suno Chanda alongside Iqra Aziz in 2019. The season was also a hit and a critical success.

He had the leading role in Karachi Se Lahore 3 with Kubra Khan as co-star, the third installment of Wajahat Rauf's successful series including the box-office hits Karachi Se Lahore and Lahore Se Aagey which would have been his feature film debut, but he had to quit the project because of music tours and concerts he was already committed to.[9]

In early 2019 it was announced that he'll get his first lead role in a movie in Tich Button, a rom-com co-produced by his wife Urwa Hocane under their joint new production company Shooting Star Studio.[10] After some delay, the movie was eventually released in 2022.

Other work

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Director

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He turned to direction with the 2018 music video of O Jaana from the singer-songwriter Hamza Malik, starring actress Iqra Aziz and featuring musicians Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Sahir Ali Bagga.[11][12]

Personal life

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Saeed married Urwa Hocane on 16 December 2016, in Lahore, Pakistan.[13][14][15] On 6 October 2023, Saeed and Hocane announced their pregnancy through social media.[16] On 3 January 2024, the couple had their first child, a daughter, who was named Jahan Aara Saeed.[citation needed]

Discography

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Film songs

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All films are Pakistani except where noted
Year Film Song Music Lyrics Co-singer(s) Note
2012 Dil Tainu Karda Ae Pyar "Kyun Gayee" Jaidev Kumar Kumaar Punjabi film
Qasam Se Qasam Se "Meethi Yaadein" Sayanti-Shailendra Shailendra Kumar Hindi film, as member of Jal
2014 Creature 3D "Naam-e-Wafa" Mithoon Tulsi Kumar Hindi film
Main Aur Mr. Riight "Bhool Na Jaana" Astiva Band
2017 Punjab Nahi Jaungi "Rab Rakha" Ali Mustafa Himself
Half Girlfriend "Thodi Der" Himself Kumaar Shreya Ghoshal Hindi film
2018 Parwaaz Hai Junoon "Musafir" Azaan Sami Khan Shakeel Sohail Zenab Fatimah Sultan
2023 Tich Button "Ehsaan Hai Tumhara" Adrian David Emmanuel Jonita Gandhi

TV series songs

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Year Serial Song Music Lyrics Co-singer(s) Note
2014 De Ijazat Jo Tu "De Ijazat Jo Tu" Sohail Haider
2016 Teri Chah Mein "Teri Chah Mein" Sohail Haider Samina Ejaz
2017 Mere Ajnabi "Mere Ajnabi" Adrian David Emmanuel
2018 Suno Chanda "Suno Chanda" Naveed Nashad Aehsun Talish
Aangan "Haari Haari" Imran Raza Naveed Nashad
2019 Suno Chanda 2 "Suno Chanda" Aehsun Talish Damia Farooq, Rimsha Khan
2020 Prem Gali "Prem Gali" Adrian David Emmanuel Shakeel Sohail, Ahmad Farad Nish Asher
2023 Jhok Sarkar "Meri Matti" Sibtain Khalid

Non-film songs

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Albums

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Year Title Note
2004 Aadat as member of Jal
2007 Boondh

Singles

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Year Song Album/Single Notes
2011 Khuwahishon Single
Ik Arzu Single
2012 Pi Jaon co-singer Momina Mustehsan; Nominated – Lux Style Awards for Best Song of the Year
2013 Tu Thori Dair(Original Punjabi Version) Single
Halka Halka Suroor
2014 Roiyaan Lux Style Awards for Best Song of the Year,

Hum Awards for Best Music Single

2015 Sajna Single
2016 Saathiya Single
Ji Jaun Single
Sajna Ve Sajna Udaari co-singer Hadiqa Kiani
Jab Se Miley Tum co-singer Maryam Fatima
Bol Ke Lab co-singer Hadiqa Kiani
Koi Rokay Na Mujhe Nominated-Hum Award for best music video
2017 Dekh Tera Kya/Latthay Di Chaadar Coke Studio 10
2018 Dil Hua Panchi Single
Maula collaboration with Rishi Rich
2020 Baliyay In The Box by Saad Sultan Single
2021 Pyaar Sufiyana Ft. Hania Amir For "Asim Jofa"
Na Cher Malangaan Nu co-singer Aima Baig
2022 Khush Bichar Ker Kashmir Beats S2
Naukar Shah Da Kashmir Beats S2 co-singer Shuja Haider
Kadi Kadi Single

Music video director

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Year Song Singers Company
2018 O Jaana Rahat Fateh Ali Khan & Hamza Mallik

Zee Music[17]

Filmography

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Films

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2017 Punjab Nahi Jaungi Himself Special appearance in song "Rab Rakha" [18]
2022 Tich Button Kaka Saab [19]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2014 Daay Ijazat Jo Tu Sarmad [20]
2015 Mere Ajnabi Mohid Shuja [21]
2016 Udaari Taimoor Arshad "Arsh" [22][23]
2016-2017 Sila Taimoor Ahsan
Teri Chah Mein Faisal Khan [24]
2018 Suno Chanda Arsalan "Arsal" Jamshed Ali Also playback singer for title song [25][26]
2019 Suno Chanda 2 [27]
2020–2021 Prem Gali Hamza Hatim [28]
2021-2022 Mere Humsafar Hamza Raees Ahmed [29][30]
2022 Badshah Begum Pir Shahzaib [31]
2022-2023 Meri Shehzadi Dr. Hasan Special appearance [32]
2023 Jhok Sarkar Arsalan [33]
2024-present Kaisi Hai Ye Ruswai Baaris [34]
2024 Shamsher TBA

Telefilms

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Year Title Role Ref.
2017 Pyar Ki Love Story Haadi
2018 Iss Dil Ki Essi Ki Tessi Azhar [35]
2020 Luv Di Suan
2021 Love Vaccine Nadeem

Accolades

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Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2013 Lux Style Awards Best Song of the Year "Pi Jaun" Nominated [36]
2014 Hum Awards Best Solo Artist "Kyun Gae" Nominated [37]
2015 Lux Style Awards Best Song of the Year "Roiyaan" Won [38]
Hum Awards Best Music Single Won [39]
2017 Hum Awards Best Supporting Actor Udaari Nominated [40][41]
Best Onscreen Couple (with Urwa Hocane) Won
Best Onscreen Couple Popular (with Urwa Hocane) Nominated
Best Music Single "Koi Ruke Mujhay" Nominated
International Pakistan Prestige Awards Best Supporting Actor Udaari Nominated [42]
Best Onscreen Couple (with Urwa Hocane) Won
2018 Zee Cine Awards Best Music Director Half Girlfriend Nominated [43]
2019 Lux Style Awards Best Original Sound Track Aangan Nominated [44]
Hum Awards Best Actor Suno Chanda Nominated [45][46]
Best Onscreen Couple (with Iqra Aziz) Won
Best Actor Popular Won
Best Onscreen Couple Popular (with Iqra Aziz) Won
International Pakistan Prestige Awards Best Actor – Jury Won [47]
Best Actor – Viewer's choice Nominated
Best Onscreen Couple (with Iqra Aziz) Won
Pakistan International Screen Awards Best Television Actor Nominated [48]
Best Original Soundtrack Nominated
2021 ARY People's Choice Awards Favourite Actor Prem Gali Nominated [49]
Favourite Actor in a role of Damad Nominated
Favourite Jodi (with Sohai Ali Abro) Won
2023 Lux Style Awards Best TV Actor Mere Humsafar Nominated [50]
Best TV Actor – Critics' Choice Nominated
2024 Hum Awards Best Actor Popular Badshah Begum Nominated [51][52]
Jhok Sarkar Nominated
Best Onscreen Couple Popular (with Hiba Bukhari) Nominated

References

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