Pakistani actress Hania Aamir and filmmaker Saman Kamraan have been featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list in the entertainment category. The list is published by Forbes and highlights 30 young individuals who have made a strong impact in their fields. This year marks its 11th edition, and it continues to spotlight rising talent from across Asia, including Pakistan.
Hania Aamir stands out as one of Pakistan’s most followed personalities on Instagram. She recently crossed 20 million followers. She earned recognition for her acting career, which spans around 10 years. During this time, she has appeared in several popular dramas, including Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum and Meri Zindagi Hai Tu.
She is also attached to Pakistan’s first Netflix original series, Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo. In addition, she has taken on a social role and was named UN Women’s National Goodwill Ambassador in October.
Saman Kamraan has built her reputation as a filmmaker who explores sensitive and often avoided topics in Pakistani society. Her short film The Bed She Made was the only Pakistani entry at the Busan International Short Film Festival this year. The film connects climate change with fertility issues in a Pakistani setting.
The film received attention for its symbolic storytelling. Festival programmer Professor Sébastien Simon described it as a work that blends grace and violence. He noted that it moves between choreographed sequences and raw depictions of domestic oppression. The film also highlights how personal suffering reflects wider social issues faced by women in patriarchal systems.
Before this project, Saman Kamraan worked as an assistant director on Umro Ayyar, one of Pakistan’s rare science fiction feature films. Pakistani talent did not appear in the 2025 edition of the list. However, the country has previously been represented. Javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem featured in an earlier year. In 2024, filmmaker Bushra Sultan also made it to the list.
Other past honorees include Rastah founder Zain Ahmed in 2022, music producer Abdullah Siddiqui and artist Misha Japanwala in 2021, and singer Momina Mustehsan in 2018.
