Within days of each other in January 2026, two things happened to Durefishan Saleem. She turned 30 and thanked the fans who, as Jang reported, had made her the leading actress of the country. And her drama Sanwal Yaar Piya became the first Pakistani drama of 2026 to cross one billion YouTube views, her third show to reach that mark.
Six years earlier she was a law graduate from Lahore who had just moved to Karachi to try acting. This is how she went from a supporting role in Dil Ruba to headlining Dar-e-Nijaat.
Who Is Durefishan Saleem?
Durefishan Saleem is a Pakistani actress who works in Urdu television. She is best known for three dramas that each crossed one billion YouTube views: Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi (2022), Ishq Murshid (2023) and Sanwal Yaar Piya (2025). She has also been a brand ambassador for vivo, alongside her Ishq Murshid co-star Bilal Abbas Khan.
How Old Is Durefishan Saleem and Where Is She From?
Durefishan Saleem is 30. She was born in January 1996 in Lahore, and Jang covered her 30th birthday in January 2026. Her father, Saleem-ul-Hassan, worked as a director and producer for PTV in the 2000s. She earned a law degree (LLB) from University College London and moved to Karachi in 2019 to build an acting career, a move Dawn Images wrote about in 2020.
Career: From Dil Ruba to Dar-e-Nijaat
Early roles (2020 to 2021)
Her first role was Erum Jameel in Hum TV’s Dil Ruba (2020), opposite Hania Aamir and Mohib Mirza, which earned her a Lux Style Awards nomination for emerging talent. The same year she got her first lead, Zoya in ARY Digital’s Bharaas, and won New Emerging Talent at the ARY People’s Choice Awards for it. Pardes, Juda Huay Kuch Is Tarha and the telefilm Hangor S-131 followed in 2021.
Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi (2022)
Playing Mehak opposite Danish Taimoor in Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi made her a household name and gave her a first drama in the billion-views club. The show also drew criticism for romanticising an obsessive hero, and she later told Dawn Images she would not watch or do a drama like it again.
Ishq Murshid (2023 to 2024)
After Jurm, Siyaah and Jaisay Aapki Marzi in 2023, she played Shibra opposite Bilal Abbas Khan in Hum TV’s Ishq Murshid, which aired from October 2023 to May 2024. The light-hearted romance became her biggest hit and won the pair Best Onscreen Couple at the 2025 Hum Awards.
Khaie and Sanwal Yaar Piya (2024 to 2026)
In Geo’s revenge thriller Khaie (2024) she played Zamda, a Pashtun woman, opposite Faysal Quraishi, a role nominated at the 2026 Pakistan International Screen Awards. In Sanwal Yaar Piya she played Piya, a college student caught between Ahmed Ali Akbar’s Sanwal and Feroze Khan’s Aaliyaar, her first project with both actors. Siasat reported on 12 January 2026 that it reached one billion views in just 33 episodes.
Durefishan Saleem Dramas: Full List
| Year | Drama | Role | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Dil Ruba | Erum Jameel | Hum TV |
| 2020 to 2021 | Bharaas | Zoya | ARY Digital |
| 2021 | Pardes | Aimen | ARY Digital |
| 2021 | Juda Huay Kuch Is Tarha | Maha | Hum TV |
| 2021 | Hangor S-131 (telefilm) | Sameera | ARY Digital |
| 2022 | Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi | Mehak | ARY Digital |
| 2023 | Jurm (miniseries) | Ayla Nadeem | Geo Entertainment |
| 2023 | Jaisay Aapki Marzi | Aleezay | ARY Digital |
| 2023 to 2024 | Ishq Murshid | Shibra | Hum TV |
| 2024 | Khaie | Zamda Khan | Geo Entertainment |
| 2025 to 2026 | Sanwal Yaar Piya | Piya | Geo Entertainment |
| 2026 | Dar-e-Nijaat | Zaryab | ARY Digital |
Which Durefishan Saleem Dramas Crossed 1 Billion Views?
Three: Ishq Murshid, Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi and Sanwal Yaar Piya. In Siasat’s January 2026 list of Pakistani dramas in the billion-views club, Ishq Murshid stood at 1.89 billion and Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi at 1.86 billion, with Sanwal Yaar Piya the newest entry. Siasat later reported that Ishq Murshid had passed three billion cumulative views.
What Is Durefishan Saleem Doing in 2026?
She is starring as Zaryab in ARY Digital’s Dar-e-Nijaat, opposite Sheheryar Munawar Siddiqui and Nameer Khan. The character has split viewers, and she has publicly defended Zaryab’s journey, telling the Express Tribune which ending she would have wanted for her.
Off screen, ARY News reported in late May 2026 that she performed Hajj and shared pictures and a long note on Instagram. In February, Jang reported that she used her Instagram to post an urgent appeal for a blood donor.
Awards and Recognition
| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ARY People’s Choice Awards | New Emerging Talent (Female) | Bharaas | Won |
| 2021 | Lux Style Awards | Emerging Talent of the Year | Dil Ruba | Nominated |
| 2025 | Hum Awards | Best Onscreen Couple (with Bilal Abbas Khan) | Ishq Murshid | Won |
| 2025 | Lux Style Awards | Best Actor of the Year, Female (Viewers’ Choice) | Ishq Murshid | Nominated |
| 2026 | Pakistan International Screen Awards | Best TV Actress (Critics) | Khaie | Nominated |
Is Durefishan Saleem Married?
No. She has not announced a marriage or engagement and keeps her personal life private.
Belloria’s View
Three billion-view dramas in four years would be a strong run for anyone, but what stands out is how different they are: a dark obsession story, a comic romance and a campus love triangle, with a revenge thriller in between. She has also been willing to question her own work, stepping back from Kaisi Teri Khudgarzi’s politics and standing by a divisive character in Dar-e-Nijaat. That mix of range and candour is why her name now sells a drama on its own.
Social Media
| Platform | Profile |
|---|---|
| @durefishans | |
| IMDb | Durefishan Saleem |
Durefishan Saleem FAQs
Where did Durefishan Saleem study?
She holds an LLB (law degree) from University College London.
Who is Durefishan Saleem’s father?
Saleem-ul-Hassan, who worked as a director and producer for PTV in the 2000s.
Who played opposite Durefishan Saleem in Ishq Murshid?
Bilal Abbas Khan, who played Shahmeer. The pair won Best Onscreen Couple at the 2025 Hum Awards.
What is Durefishan Saleem’s role in Sanwal Yaar Piya?
She plays Piya, opposite Ahmed Ali Akbar as Sanwal and Feroze Khan as Aaliyaar, on Geo Entertainment.
Is Durefishan Saleem in Meri Zindagi Hai Tu?
No. Meri Zindagi Hai Tu stars Hania Aamir and Bilal Abbas Khan. Durefishan’s 2026 billion-view drama is Sanwal Yaar Piya.
Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.