Dananeer Mobeen bags Best Actress award at Moscow film festival for ‘Mera Lyari’

Pakistani actress Dananeer Mobeen has won the Diamond Butterfly Award for best actress at the second Open Eurasian Film Awards for her performance in the film “Mera Lyari”.

Mobeen received the award at a ceremony held in Moscow, Russia, on Thursday, marking another international recognition for Pakistan’s film industry.

In “Mera Lyari”, Mobeen plays Afsana, a young girl from Karachi’s Lyari neighbourhood who struggles to pursue her dream of playing football despite societal restrictions and her father’s opposition.

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The film revolves around a disabled football coach, played by Ayesha Omar, who returns to Lyari after leaving an abusive marriage and organises football trials for girls in the area.

As the story unfolds, Afsana and Kashmala, who face family restrictions and the threat of forced marriage respectively, turn to football as a way to pursue their ambitions. The two secretly train in the hope of earning an opportunity to represent the country at the national level.

Following her win, Mobeen expressed her happiness on social media, saying it was an incredible honour to be recognised for a film that highlights women’s strength, courage, resilience and their right to pursue their dreams.

She said women’s stories needed to be told, particularly those of women who challenge societal expectations, overcome barriers, raise their voices and make space for themselves in fields where they have not traditionally been encouraged to participate.

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The actress added that she felt fortunate to be part of a story that carried a purpose beyond entertainment. She said the film would have achieved something meaningful if it encouraged even one girl to believe in her dreams and pursue them.

Film director Ali Sajjad Shah also congratulated Mobeen, describing the achievement as the result of the entire team’s collective efforts. He particularly acknowledged the contributions of producers Waqas Rizvi and Ayesha Omar.

Pakistan wins award for second consecutive year

The Diamond Butterfly Awards were launched in 2025 and are organised by the Eurasian Academy of Cinematographic Arts in collaboration with Russia’s Ministry of Culture.

With Mobeen’s achievement, Pakistan has won an award at both editions of the event. Last year, Pakistani actress Sonya Hussyn received the Best Supporting Actress award for her performance in the film Deemak.

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Award features 5,000 lab-grown diamonds

One of the distinctive features of the Diamond Butterfly Award is a special trophy adorned with 5,000 lab-grown diamonds, presented to the winners.

Recipients also receive a diamond sourced from mines in Russia’s eastern Sakha Republic.

The winner of the Best Film category receives a 10-carat diamond, while winners in other categories are awarded five-carat diamonds.

According to statements issued last year by the organisers and the Russian Embassy in Islamabad, the smaller diamonds alone were valued at more than $250,000.

41 films from 19 countries competed

This year’s awards featured 41 nominated films from 19 countries.

Russian war film August, directed by Nikita Vysotsky and Ilya Lebedev, won the Best Film award.

Other notable winners included Kyrgyz director Kanybek Kalmatov, Iranian screenwriter Alireza Motamedi and Kazakh actor Zhasulan Kupergenov.

Mobeen’s achievement has also brought international attention to Pakistani cinema, particularly its portrayal of women’s ambitions and struggles against social barriers.

From social media’s ‘Pawri Girl’ to award-winning actress

Dananeer Mobeen belongs to a Pashtun family from Peshawar. Her father previously served as a brigadier in the Pakistan Army, and she grew up in a military family before gaining popularity on social media and subsequently entering the entertainment industry.

She rose to fame in February 2021 after sharing a short video on Instagram, recorded with her friends during a trip to Nathia Gali.

Her now-famous line, “Yeh hamari car hai, yeh hum hain aur yeh hamari pawri ho rahi hai” (This is our car, this is us, and this is our party), quickly went viral in Pakistan, India and beyond.

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Indian music producer Yashraj Mukhate later created a musical remix of the clip, turning the phrase into a major social media trend and earning Mobeen the nickname ‘Pawri Girl’.

Following her social media success, Mobeen made her acting debut in the 2021 drama serial “Sinf-e-Aahan”, in which she played Syeda Sidra Batool. Her performance earned her the Best Emerging TV Actress award at the Lux Style Awards.

She gained further recognition for her role as Zubia in the 2023 drama “Mohabbat Gumshuda Meri”. In 2024, she also appeared in Very Filmy and “Meem Se Mohabbat”.

Mobeen made her film debut with “Mera Lyari” in 2026. Her performance has now earned her international recognition, with the Best Actress Diamond Butterfly Award at the second Open Eurasian Film Awards in Russia.