Sarmad Khoosat

Sarmad Sultan Khoosat (, born 7 May 1979) is a Pakistani actor, director, producer and screenwriter. Mainly known for his work as a director and actor in both cinema and television, Khoosat has directed the super-hit TV dramas Humsafar and Shehr-e-Zaat.

The son of Irfan Khoosat, he is considered to be one of the best South Asian filmmakers with his 2019 film Zindagi Tamasha being selected as Pakistan's entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards. The film also premiered at the 24th Busan International Film Festival under the section 'A Window on Asian Cinema'. However, the film release in the Pakistani cinemas was delayed multiple times and Khoosat finally released it on the platform of Youtube on his official channel Khoosat Films on 4 August 2023.

He also portrayed the role of Saadat Hasan Manto in his film Manto (2015).

Family
He is the son of veteran TV and film actor, producer and comedian Irfan Khoosat, while his sister Kanwal Khoosat is also a director, screenwriter and actress.

Early life
Academically, he graduated from Government College University (Lahore) and earned a master's degree in Psychology and a gold medal. He also was a member of the Debating Society of GCU.

Career
He rose to prominence in 2001, when he created the sitcom Shashlik which ran for over three years on PTV, not only directing but also writing it as well acting in it.

Sarmad then directed a series of tele-films for Geo TV, Tamasha Ghar, in 2003, the screenwriter Saji Gul basing the work on themes dealing with subconscious desires and fears (inspired by the Freudian school of psychology).

His later directed Piya Naam Ka Diya in 2007, in which he acted opposite filmstar Saima Noor and Erum Akhtar. Sarmad then served as executive director for a soap serial named Mujhe Apna Naam-o-Nishan Milay, directed by his sister Kanwal Khoosat. Khoosat the directed Kalmoohi that was an adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore's Chokher Bali, began airing on PTV in early 2010, also got good reviews. In 2011, he gained significant prominence and acclaim with the TV drama Pani Jaisa Piyar that aired on Hum TV. It won him the best director award for it on LUX Style Awards. He directed Jal Pari, which was aired on Geo TV. He went on to direct Humsafar for Hum TV, which became an overnight success. His serial Shehr-e-Zaat was especially popular with women.

He conducted a workshop at the Lahore University of Management Sciences's annual amateur film festival in June 2011.

Khoosat directed episodes for Faseele Jaan Se Aagay and Ashk. He also directed the remake of the original Pakistani film, Aina, as a telefilm. In 2015, he completed shooting Mein Manto.

In October 2018, he delivered a 24-hour-long live act, No Time To Sleep, enacting the last 24 hours of a death row prisoner's life, a performance which earned him critical appreciation. As of October 2018, he wrote the script for Saqib Malik's upcoming production Ajnabee Sheher Main, while he has two upcoming feature films as director, writing one as well.

His 2019 feature film Zindagi Tamasha won the Kim Jin Seok award at the 24th Busan International Film Festival as well as the Best Film and Best Actor at the Asian World Film Festival 2021. Despite its critical acclaim, the film release was halted in 2020 by the notorious party, TLP, which called for it to be censored. Despite cleared for release by the authorities, Khoosat continued to receive death threats calling for the film to be banned. It was selected as Pakistan's entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, but was not nominated. The film was then eventually released on Youtube on 4 August 2023.

Influence
Khoosat is influenced by Satyajit Ray and Ingmar Bergman in direction.

Awards and recognition

 * Pride of Performance Award in 2017 by the President of Pakistan