Jump to content

Sultana Siddiqui

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sultana Siddiqui
Born
Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan
Other namesSultana Apa
Occupations
  • TV director
  • producer
  • businessperson
Known forPresident and Founder of Hum Network Limited
Notable work3
RelativesJahangir Siddiqui (brother)
Momina Duraid (daughter-in-law)
Ali Jehangir Siddiqui (nephew)
Sheheryar Munawar (nephew)

Sultana Siddiqui also known as Sultana Apa (Sindhi: سلطانا آپي) is a Pakistani media mogul, television director, and producer who is the founder of Hum Network Limited.[1][2][3]

Siddiqui is an active director of Hum Network Limited and the president of Hum Network Limited. By virtue of that she became the first woman in Pakistan to establish a TV station.[2][4]

Early life

[edit]

Sultana was born in Hyderabad, Sindh, into a Sindhi qazis (Muslim judges) family living there, Sultana being the seventh of ten children.[1] She received her early education from government schools in Hyderabad.[5]

"Siddiqui was a tomboy. She would climb trees, challenge bullies and at times play truant. People who know her from those heady days say that she was the undisputed leader of kids in the neighbourhood".[1]

She aimed to do her Master's in comparative religion but stopped due to her marriage in 1966, which would end in a divorce after 7 years, and she would return to her family home with her three sons.[1][6]

Career

[edit]

1970s-1980s: Early work as actress and director-producer

[edit]

Sultana started her career from PTV as a producer in Karachi in 1974.[6] Following a brief acting career, she concentrated on direction and production in both Sindhi and Urdu, her first Urdu-language production being Rung Barung (1981), a musical show for kids.[1]

1990s: Mainstream success

[edit]

Sultana reached popular success with Marvi (1993) and since then has directed or produced many appreciated television serials.[1][6] Siddiqui has also produced children's television, musical performances, television films, serials and documentaries.[6]

2000s-now: Hum Network and return to direction

[edit]

In 2004 she founded Eye Television Network, now known as under which her own four cable channels are working, including "Hum TV". Under her direction Hum TV has received Pakistan's Lux Style Awards four years in a row.[2] She is the only woman in Asia who started or owned a TV channel.[7]

As a director, she remained inactive for ten years before her latest drama serial Zindagi Gulzar Hai (2012-2013), which is a romantic drama focusing on women, portraying equality of the girl child and importance of a career for women.[8] a critically acclaimed[9] serial that has been praised for "breaking the ice across the borders of Pakistan and India in current times"[10] featuring Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed.[6][10]

In 2025, Sultana Siddiqui resides in North Nazimabad Town in Karachi, Pakistan.[1] She is now reportedly in her late 70s. She launched Hum TV in 2005. Sultana Siddiqui's TV shows tend to portray progressive and women-empowering point of view.[11]

Awards and recognition

[edit]

Sultana has won numerous awards, including the Best Producer of a Drama Serial, Best Producer of a Music Production, the Hazrat Khadijat ul Kubra Award, Women of Vision Award, Nigar Award, the Gold Medal Award, Sindh Graduates Association Award,

Her work is well known for its attention to social issues and its focus on female empowerment. Siddiqui has represented Pakistan in numerous international workshops and seminars.[13]

  • Lifetime Achievement awarded in 2023 from Organization of Pakistani Enterpreneurs of North America . In 2023, Sultana Siddiqui was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs of Silicon Valley Chapter for her contributions to women's entrepreneurship, the establishment of one of Pakistan’s leading media companies, and her role as a mentor to women internationally.[14]
  • In August 2025, Sultana Siddiqui was conferred an honorary doctorate by Buckinghamshire New University (UK) in recognition of her contributions to media, women’s empowerment, and public service. The degree was presented during a ceremony in UK, where university and diplomatic representatives praised her pioneering leadership as a media entrepreneur and her impact on cultural representation and female mentorship.[16]

Other work

[edit]

Public speaking

[edit]

As a public speaker, Sultana has spoken on many local and international platforms, including the 2013 US Islamic World Forum[2] held in Doha, Qatar and the 2014 Women Leadership Forum held in Silicon Valley, California.[17]

Karachi Film Society

[edit]

Siddiqui founded the Karachi Film Society (KFS) in 2017. The nonprofit society hosts seminars, workshops, and festivals to promote film and drive the Pakistani film industry in new and creative ways. KFS is also the parent body of the Pakistan International Film Festival (PIFF).[18]

Fashion

[edit]

In 2018, Sultana Siddiqui collaborated with Zac Chaudhri from the University of The Arts London to produce the first set of books on Pakistani Fashion to be held in a major western Arts university library. The books are titled Fashion Uncovered and are an introduction to Pakistani Fashion.[19]

New talent discoveries on television

[edit]

Sultana Siddiqui is credited for first discovering:

Selected television serials

[edit]
Year Title Director Producer Network
1992 Zara Si Aurat Yes PTV
1993 Marvi[6] Yes
1997 Yeh Zindagi[6] Yes
1999 Doosri Dunya[6] Yes
2000 Aur Zindagi Badalti Hai Yes
2001 Wafa Kay Mausam Yes
2002 Jannat Yes
2003 Shayad Kay Bahar Aaye Yes
2004 Anjaane Raaste Yes
2012 Zindagi Gulzar Hai (Life Is A Beautiful Garden)[1][6][11] Yes Hum TV
2016 Udaari (on child sexual abuse)[6][11] Yes Hum TV
2024 Mann Jogi (with 9 episodes)[11] Yes
Nadaan (with 8 episodes)[11] Yes
Tan Man Neel o Neel (with 11 episodes)[11][20] Yes

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Asif Noorani (24 June 2013), "No challenge is too great: Sultana Siddiqi". Dawn newspaper. Archived from the original on 30 December 2024. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "2013 U.S.-Islamic World Forum Speakers". The Brookings Institution. Archived from the original on 5 December 2013. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  3. ^ کراچی, شمائلہ خان بی بی سی اردو ڈاٹ کام، (20 January 2016). "'چینلز آ گئے لیکن تکنیکی عملہ نہیں'". BBC Urdu.
  4. ^ "The returning back of a famous director and head of Hum TV". The Express Tribune. 24 September 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  5. ^ a b c d e Arshad, Aisha (7 March 2017). "Pakistan's Only Powerful Women In Business". Pakistan Today newspaper. Archived from the original on 20 January 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Deneb Sumbul (March 2017). "Sultana Siddiqui: Woman on a Mission". Newsline magazine. Archived from the original on 19 May 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  7. ^ "Advisory council of DGF-Pakistan". Dawood Global Foundation. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  8. ^ "Sultana returns with the direction of Zindagi Gulzar Hai". Dawn newspaper. 25 November 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2012.
  9. ^ Shetty Bali, Rashma (18 July 2014). "Zindagi Gulzar Hai: 5 reasons we will miss Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed's show!". Bollywood Life. Retrieved 21 March 2015.
  10. ^ a b "India uses cinema to tell its stories, we use TV, says Kashaf of Zindagi Gulzar Hai". The Indian Express newspaper. 14 July 2014. Archived from the original on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 30 July 2025.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Abdullah Zahid (26 July 2025). "Sultana Siddiqui: The Pakistani TV veteran making shows with cross-border appeal". Scroll.in website. Archived from the original on 29 July 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  12. ^ "List of Civil Awards 2021 (Announced on 14 August 2020) (scroll down to see Sultana Siddiqui's award)" (PDF). Cabinet Division, Government of Pakistan website. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Board of Directors". FI Foundation. Retrieved 10 February 2013.
  14. ^ "Sultana Siddiqui receives Lifetime Achievement Award at OPEN SV 2023". YouTube. OPEN Silicon Valley. 16 November 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  15. ^ ""Women Who Lead: Sultana Siddiqui & Dr. Humeraa Qamar Inspire at APPNA 2025 Dallas"". YouTube. APPNA 2025. July 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
  16. ^ "UK university confers honorary doctorate on Sultana Siddiqui". Hum News English. 1 August 2025.
  17. ^ "Women Leadership Forum 2014". Open Silicon Valley. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
  18. ^ "Karachi Film Society delegation meets with Federal Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage, Marriyum Aurangzeb (delegation led by Sultana Siddiqui)". Karachi Film Society website. 23 January 2018. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  19. ^ Fashion uncovered: Lifting the veil on Pakistani fashion. Book 1. Zac Chaudhri. 2019.
  20. ^ "Shuja Asad to play Sehar Khan's leading man in upcoming drama". Daily Times newspaper. 11 November 2024. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sultana_Siddiqui&oldid=1305104130"