PISA announces nominations for third edition
The Pakistan International Screen Awards (PISAs) are set to make a comeback on November 22 at Dubai's Festival Arena, marking the third edition of the event after a four-year break.
The organisers announced nominations in 22 of 24 categories this week, celebrating achievements across film, television, music, fashion, and digital content.
The jury for this year's awards, unveiled on October 9, comprises 'Something Haute' Managing Editor Hassan Choudary, YouTuber Taimoor Salahuddin (Mooroo), and cultural critics Kamran Jawaid, Maliha Rehman, and Sabah Bano Malik. Something Haute's Aamna Isani will serve as jury manager.
In the film category, 'Taxali Gate', 'Nayaab' and 'Umro Ayyar' are competing for Best Film (Popular). The Best Actor nominees include Yasir Hussain for 'Taxali Gate', Samar Jafri for 'Na Baligh Afraad', and Fawad Khan for 'Nayaab'. Among actresses, Yumna Zaidi, Sanam Saeed, and Mehwish Hayat lead the nominations for their performances in 'Nayaab', 'Umro Ayyar', and 'Daghabaaz Dil' respectively.
The television segment sees 'Zard Patton Ka Bunn', 'Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum', 'Khaie', 'Noor Jahan', and 'Dunyapur' vying for Best TV Serial. Bilal Abbas Khan, Feroze Khan, Sheheryar Munawar, Khushhal Khan, and Fahad Mustafa are among the nominees for Best Actor (Popular). Meanwhile, Sajal Aly, Ramsha Khan, Mawra Hocane, Hania Aamir, and Yumna Zaidi dominate the Best Actress (Popular) list.
Categories for Best Actor and Actress (Critics' Choice) feature strong contenders including Faisal Qureshi, Noman Ijaz, Saba Hameed, and Zara Noor Abbas. 'Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum' also stands out in multiple nominations, including Best Onscreen Couple for Fahad Mustafa and Hania Aamir.
Music nominations include hits like 'Jhol' by Maanu x Annural Khalid, 'Tu Hai Kahan' by Aur x Zayn Malik, and 'Sadqay' by Aashir Wajahat. In fashion, designers Faraz Manan, Nomi Ansari, and Kamiar Rokni are among those shortlisted for Bridal Couture Designer of the Year, while Muse and Sania Maskatiya are up for Luxury Pret Brand of the Year.
Digital creators also feature prominently this year, with Jannat Mirza, Kanwal Aftab, Shahveer Jafry, Junaid Akram, and Irfan Junejo among the leading nominees in their respective categories. The PISAs, first launched in 2020, aim to honour excellence in Pakistani entertainment and recognise the growing impact of its creative industries on a global stage.