Sarwat Gillani, Bilal Abbas, Ali Zafar among Top 50 Asian Celebrities of 2020

Pakistani celebrities including Sarwat Gilani, Bilal Abbas Khan, Ali Zafar and Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy have made it to Eastern Eye's Top 50 Asian Celebrities of the World in 2020.

Whereas newcomer Iman Vellani, who will play Ms Marvel in Marvel's upcoming superhero series has also made it to the list.

The list features a countdown of global Asian stars that broke through glass ceilings to make positive change in the society and it seems these celebrities have been doing just that.

According to the UK publication, Chinoy is the only director in the list who has been given the honour of being on it because of the way she utilises her platform. Making it to number 49, Chinoy "used her platform to raise awareness about social issues, nurture new talent and gain international attention for her work. A big highlight was stunning animated short Sitara: Let Girls Dream, which premiered earlier this year. The Oscar winner was also signed up to direct superhero series Ms Marvel."

Trumping the likes of Vikrant Massey and Anushka Sharma among others was Vellani, the up and coming Ms Marvel on number 44. "Born in Canada to immigrant parents from Pakistan, the 18-year-old generated global headlines after being cast as Kamala Khan in hotly anticipated series Ms Marvel," noted the publication. "The game-changing casting of her as a Muslim teenage superhero was met with an incredible response globally and has already made her the one to watch in 2021.

Making it to number 39, Zafar was listed for 'saving' the Pakistani cricket league this year by "giving them a better anthem than they had." According to the publication, he also "promoted new talent with his record label. More meaningful was the immense humanitarian work the singer did for those who were suffering during Covid-19. His actions inspired others and consolidated his star credentials."

But the Ek Jhooti Love Story actor topped them all after making it to number 28 for being the "fastest rising star in Pakistan." The outlet pointed out how Abbas, was the 'unstoppable actor' who started the year with Pyar Ke Sadqay and ended it with a ZEE5 sleeper hit. "With some more high-profile projects on the way, Khan looks like the future of Pakistani film and television," claimed the publication.

And of course, surpassing the likes of Pankaj Tripathi, Salman Khan and all the Pakistani celebrities who made it to the list was Asim Abbasi's Churail. On number 21, Gillani headed the cast list of the best new South Asian serial of the year, Churails, "which exploded onto the scene and destroyed all existing rulebooks," claimed the outlet. "With the electrifying drama, she opened the door for a new era of TV content in Pakistan box and consolidated her position as a feminist icon," it concluded.

Congratulations to everyone who made it to the list!

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