Bushra Ansari (Urdu: بشریٰ انصاری is a Pakistani television presenter, singer, actress, playwright, and author who started as a child performer in the 1960s and has remained a major TV personality for over four decades.
Early life, education and family
Born in Karachi, Bushra Ansari is the daughter of journalist and writer Ahmad Bashir. Following studies with Lahore‘s Lady Griffin School, she completed intermediate education at Lahore College for Women University and received a B.A. from Rawalpindi‘s Viqar un Nisa College for Women in 1977.[1][2]
Career
Acting
As a nine year old Ansari became a regular singer/performer on the PTV children’s music show Kaliyon Kee Maala. Upon moving with her parents to Islamabad, she was selected by puppeteer Farooq Qaiser for his children’s programme Kaliyaan, which featured the characters Uncle Sargam, Haiga, and Maasee Museebtay. Bushra voiced “Sharmeeli”, the show’s small lamb character, as well as providing singing voices for a number of the programme’s other characters. Her first dramatic acting role was in one of Iqbal Ansari’s productions and, in subsequent years, has appeared on PTV’s shows, including Angan Terha, Show Time, Show Sha, Rang Tarang, Emergency Ward and the Saturday Night Live-styled sketch comedy TV series Fifty Fifty.
Modeling
During the 1980s, Bushra appeared in an advertising campaign with her daughter for Pampers diapers and, in 2009, she was seen in singer Amanat Ali‘s music video from his album Kohram.
Writing and performing
Ansari has written drama serials and plays including Neeli Dhoop (her first script), Makaan and Kucch Dil nay Kaha. Her 2010 serial, Dil hai Chhota sa, produced by Geo TV under Iqbal Ansari’s supervision, was the highest rated serial drama of that period, controversially dramatising the Islamic marriage custom Nikah Halala.[3]
Filmography
Television
| Year | Serial | Role | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980-1980 | Aangan Terha | Jehan Ara Begum | PTV |
| 1980-1980 | Fifty Fifty | Shehnaz | PTV |
| 1981-1981 | Show Time | Host | ATV |
| 1981-1981 | Rang Tarang | Habiba | PTV |
| 1983-1983 | Loose Talk | Host | ATV |
| 1983-1983 | Saturday Night Live | Safia | PTV |
| 2009-2009 | Azar Ki Ayegi Baraat | Saima Chaudry | Geo TV |
| 2010-2010 | Dolly Ki Ayegi Baraat | Saima Chaudry | Geo TV |
| 2011-2011 | Takkay Ki Ayegi Baraat | Saima Chaudry | Geo TV |
| 2011-2011 | Mera Naseeb | Sabah | Hum TV |
| 2012-2012 | Bilqees Kaur | Bilqees Kaur | Hum TV |
| 2012-2012 | Annie Ki Ayegi Baraat | Saima Chaudry | Geo TV |
| 2012-2012 | Meray Dard Ko Jo Zuban Miley | Zakia | Hum TV |
2013 || bushra bara boor || bushra || Hum TV Geo Project on Geo Kahani
Awards and achievements
Ansari has won numerous awards, including the Pride of Performance Award in 1989 as well as presidential award from Pervez Musharraf and a Women’s Achievement Award from Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. She has hosted the Geo TV Sunday television show Brunch with Bushra, which featured in depth personal conversations with personalities from sports, show business, and politics, with particularly wide publicity generated by her interview with political leadership figure Altaf Hussain. She has also won PTV Awards for Best Actress.[4] Bushra Ansari is also an accomplished actress and has won accolades at nearly every year’s Lux Style Award. [5]
Inspiring Karachi 