4 min readBengaluruMay 17, 2026 11:53 AM IST
Pakistani actor Sanam Saeed made her debut at the Cannes Film Festival on Saturday, walking the red carpet for the premiere of Sheep In The Box.
For the occasion, Sanam did not choose a Western gown but opted to showcase a stunning traditional peacock-inspired ensemble. She accessorised the look with a gajra in her hair and a maang teeka. Her outfit was designed by Hussain Rehar.
Sharing the look, the designer shared via Instagram, “Sanam Saeed debuts at the 79th Cannes Film Festival 2026 in a custom-made Hussain Rehar outfit. Designed for Cannes, the ensemble unveils a white peacock-inspired masterpiece shimmering with Mukesh, Zardozi, and radiant mirror work. Fifty artisans devoted 2,354 hours to sculpting the whole look.”
Paying tribute to Shamim Ara
Before hitting the red carpet, Sanam Saeed said she will honour the legacy of late Pakistani actor-director Shamim Ara at Cannes 2026.
In a video, Sanam said, “There is a lineage of women in Pakistani cinema. And it starts with her, Begum Shamim Ara, an actor, a producer, and a director. Her life doesn’t follow the usual arc of rise, fall and fade. It is something rarer. Rise. Dominance. Reinvention. Legacy. In the 1960s, Begum Shamim Ara starred in hit films like Saheli and Naila. She quietly broke the biggest boundaries, opening doors for women behind the camera. Her influence wasn’t loud; it was foundational. In a male-dominated industry, Begum Shamim Ara quietly broke the biggest boundaries, opening doors for women behind the camera.”
She added, “This Cannes, I’ll walk thinking of her. Of her audacity. She proved a woman can stand in front of a camera, sit in a producer’s seat, and call action from a director’s chair. She never got an invitation to Cannes, but her work made mine possible. This is for every woman who came before us. This is for every woman who will come after. This is for Begum Shamim Ara.”
As Sanam Saeed | @sanammodysaeed steps onto the world stage at Cannes Film Festival, she carries the legacy of Shamim Ara Pakistan’s legendary cinema pioneer whose groundbreaking career opened doors for generations of South Asian actresses. A powerful moment celebrating women’s… pic.twitter.com/LsNI1gLwS6
— The Expat Story (@theexpatstory) May 16, 2026
More than just the red carpet look
At Cannes 2026, Sanam Saeed did not just rub shoulders with global elites and pose for pictures. She was officially named the inaugural honoree of the South Asian Women Excellence in Cinema & Arts initiative, which spotlights and celebrates female talent across the South Asian entertainment industry.
Who is Sanam Saeed?
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Sanam Saeed is best known for portraying Kashaf Murtaza in the blockbuster series Zindagi Gulzar Hai. Her other notable shows include Mata-e-Jaan Hai Tu (2013), Talkhiyaan (2013), Zindagi Gulzar Hai (2013), Kadoorat (2013), Kahin Chand Na Sharma Jaye (2013), Firaaq (2014), Diyar-e-Dil (2015) and (2018). Sanam’s popularity in India stems primarily from the broadcast of Pakistani television shows on the Zindagi TV channel.
