Nov. 20, 2023

Muslim Actresses on Screen

When we look into the acting industry, we often look at popular destinations such as Hollywood and actors of American or European ethnic group. The Asian film industry has ascended to prominence having won many awards and charting successes. We look into the underrated selection of Muslim actresses who have been unrecognised in recent years. By: Dylan Low

There are more than 1 billion Muslims in the world including some of the most popular and successful actors, rappers, models, sports heroes, political activists and more. Keep reading to see what these celebrities had to say about being a part of the Islamic faith. 

Not all popular and sensational acting talents are found in Hollywood.  In the worldwide acting industry, there are often many talented actors and actresses who are found in different countries such as India, Pakistan, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and America. Popularity of the filming industries have also skyrocketed such as Bollywood which has garnered more attention in the past years, as seen in their high viewership numbers. In our current age, Muslim actresses in Asian film industry have gained traction with their stunning outlook and captivating performances.

One such stunning actress is Fatima Sana Sheikh. Known as one of India’s most beautiful women, she began her Bollywood film career as a child actor, featured in Chachi 420 in 1997. She continued acting throughout the years in films such as Ludo and Ajeeb Daastaans. 

What led to her rise in popularity was her role of Geeta Phogat in Dangal back in 2016. The film overachieved with high viewership success, becoming the first Indian film to gross $300 million globally. It also became 2016’s top 30 highest-grossing films. Her filming career has translated to high earning success with up to $1.7 million in net worth. 

Another actress that has garnered high popularity in the Asian industry is Sara Ali Khan. She comes from an acting background, with her parents Saif Ali Khan and Amrita Singh being influential actors. Known as one of the popular actresses in India currently, she has accumulated a large fan following in Bollywood with her notable acting film performance in 2018’s Kedarnath.

She has since continued acting, starring in various genres such as action comedies seen in Simmba and romance in Love Aaj Kal. Her notable filming performances in many shows hence propelled her to star status in Bollywood, as she has achieved approximately USD$5 million in earnings.

In China, an actress managed to become a household name in the country’s illustrious film industry. Her name is none other than Dilraba Dilmurat. She is of Uyghur ethnicity, born and raised in Xinjiang, China.

Her first major role was a romance series Diamond Lover in 2014, however it was not until 2017 fantasy drama Eternal Love that led Dilraba to popularity in the local China film scene. The drama achieved international popularity, accumulating up to 20 billion online views, and even earned Dilraba a “Popular TV Actor of the Year” award. Her stock has only gone up after featuring in many notable films, namely Pretty Li Hui Zhen, as well as the main lead in The Flame’s Daughter. Her films have led to her rise in earnings, as seen in her current net worth of $15 million.

She has won many notable accomplishments like the China Golden Eagle Award and the Huading Awards for Best Actress. A household name in China's filming industry, she has garnered worldwide attention amongst both domestic and international viewers as well.

With that, this makes our list for popular Muslim Actresses in Asia. They have certainly garnered the attention of Asian viewers and made their names in the world of filmmaking, impacting renowned film industries like Bollywood and Cinema of China.

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