Nawal Saeed says choosing a life partner is harder than choosing a career

Actor Nawal Saeed opened up about love, marriage and life in the entertainment industry in a recent interview, offering candid thoughts on choosing a life partner, keeping relationships outside showbiz and navigating the scrutiny that comes with being a public figure.

For Nawal, choosing a life partner is a decision that carries far more weight than choosing a career. While professional paths can change, she said, a marriage does not offer the same room for trial and error.

“Choosing a partner is a much more difficult decision than choosing a career. In a career, you can always learn new things or switch paths, but choosing a life partner isn't that simple; you never know how someone will turn out,” she said.

If she does eventually settle down, Nawal said she would prefer to marry someone outside the entertainment industry. “I would choose somebody who is not in the industry,” she said.

Life on set and onscreen chemistry

Despite the pressures that come with working in television, Nawal described her time on set as largely positive, recalling a collaborative environment with her co-stars.

She also pushed back against the idea that male actors routinely spend hours getting ready for shoots, dismissing the notion as something that has become embedded in public perception.

“I don't see anyone taking two to three hours to get ready. It's just a thought process built up in people's minds. Men don't have that much room on their face to spend hours on makeup anyway,” she said.

Asked about competition among her peers, Nawal took a similarly measured view, saying that strong performances ultimately matter more than rivalry. “Everyone is working hard and doing good work. The audience accepts actors because of their performance,” she said.

She also reflected on the onscreen pairings she has enjoyed watching. Among the projects closest to her heart, she named Sadqay Tumhare, starring Mahira Khan. “Adnan Malik and Mahira were very good together,” she said.

When asked about current onscreen chemistry, she singled out Bilal Abbas Khan and Hania Aamir. “They look really good together onscreen. But generally, when actors perform well, they naturally make a great pair,” she said.

Looking back at a controversy

Nawal also addressed an earlier controversy, acknowledging that she regretted discussing the matter publicly. “I think it was a mistake from my side. I should not have spoken about it publicly,” she said.

The remark appeared to reference comments she made in 2023, when she revealed on a television show that several Pakistani cricketers had been sliding into her Instagram DMs with compliments.

Without naming anyone, Nawal said it was inappropriate for players representing the national team to be sending such messages and told them to “focus on cricket” instead. Her comments went viral at the time and drew widespread reaction online.

Nawal made her television debut in 2017 with a supporting role in Yaqeen Ka Safar and went on to gain wider recognition for her performances in Faryaad (2020), Banno (2021), Dil-e-Veeran (2022) and Jaan-e-Jahan.