Supporting actors have a huge role to play when it comes to making a drama serial successful, wholesome and gripping. And each supporting actor deserves appreciation, especially when they happen to be young child artists setting the talent bar high with their performances. Lately, a lot of young actors have been ruling the small screen and we would like to highlight some of their stellar work in recent drama serials.

Syeda Hurain in Mushk

Hurain certainly teared us up with her riveting performance as the child bride in Mushk. Her naïveté and innocence, through her Nikkah and ultimately her divorce, gripped us and left us seething with discomfort as we absorbed the horrific reality of child brides. It’s a gruesome tradition that is rampant, not just in Pakistan but all over South Asia, despite laws being written prohibiting it. Hurain’s performance as a child bride in Mushk, and also previously in drama serials like Haiwan and Bandish, has proven her to be someone to look out for.

Sami Khan in Mushk

If there’s anyone who has captivated audiences with his range and diversity, it’s young Sami Khan who reappears in Mushk after a sabbatical from his immensely popular comic role of a young family sleuth as ‘DJ’ in Suno Chanda (Season I & II). As ‘Munna’ in Mushk, Sami has a different hairstyle, a completely different tone, a distinguishable rural attire and he’s even introduced a nuanced facial characteristic with the flickering of his eyes that only won our hearts some more.

Arshea Akbar in Ghisi Piti Mohabbat

Also seen in the immensely acclaimed and celebrated TV drama Udaari, Arshea Akbar left a lasting impression as the vociferously ambitious and headstrong teenager, Tashi, in the recently concluded drama, Ghisi Piti Mohabbat. She portrayed an assertive, social media savvy and confident young teenager who has a vivid memory when it comes to remembering the tiniest materialistic detail. Not only was she thrifty with money, karobari (business minded) but she was equally self-sufficient when it came to chores mostly associated with boys. Arshea sunk deep into this young, striking and unforgettable teenager who was ready to bash bad guys on the road with her self-defence skills.

Zuhab Khan in Ghisi Piti Mohabbat

After starring in popular comedy series Bulbulay and Ghar Jamai and with several other drama serials to his credit as a child artist, Zuhab Khan made a noticeable cameo in Fasih Bari’s social satire, Ghisi Piti Mohabbat. He took on the role of Salman, a troubled teenager, who is keen to carve his rags to riches story by pilfering from the streets and he definitely tugged our heartstrings. His dialect, temperament and crude remarks matched his social strata and was very convincing.

Anoosheh Rania Khan in Chalawa

Horror is no easy genre and Anoosheh has been killing it, while simultaneously sending a chill down our spine with her terrific performance in Hum TV’s latest horror series Chalawa. Her character Sawera (who has grown up to be Noor Khan) levitates between her possessed self (owing to her paranormal surroundings) and her usual self as a young, school going kid-around-the-block. It’s one thing to look the part as a child artist, and it’s a whole different ball game to act the part. Anoosheh definitely spooked us as a bewitched young girl and nailed the part with her blooming talent.

Afreen is a theatre and cinema enthusiast with special interest in Urdu literature and pop culture. She can be contacted at afreenu3@gmail.com