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{{short description|English-language writer from India (Born:1978)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2025}}

'''Annie Zaidi''' (born 1978) is an English-language writer from [[India]]. Her novel, ''Prelude To A Riot'', won the Tata Literature Live! Awards for Book of the Year 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-11-22|title=Tata Literature Live: The fest announces its annual awards|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/books-and-literature/tata-literature-live-the-fest-announces-its-annual-awards-7061602/|access-date=2021-03-29|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> In 2019, she won [[Thinking outside the box#The Nine Dots Prize|The Nine Dots Prize]] for her work ''Bread, Cement, Cactus''<ref name="thehindu 2018-09-03">{{Cite news|title=Annie Zaidi wins The Hindu Playwright Award 2018|newspaper=The Hindu|date=10 August 2018|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/theatre/annie-zaidi-wins-the-hindu-playwright-award-2018/article24659776.ece|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180810201927/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/theatre/annie-zaidi-wins-the-hindu-playwright-award-2018/article24659776.ece|archive-date=10 August 2018|access-date=3 September 2018}}</ref><ref name="Hindu Nine Dots">{{cite news|date=29 May 2019|title=Indian writer Annie Zaidi wins $100,000 global book prize|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/books-authors/indian-writer-annie-zaidi-wins-100000-global-book-prize/article27282739.ece|accessdate=30 May 2019}}</ref> and in 2018 she won The Hindu Playwright Award for her play, ''Untitled-1.''<ref>{{Cite news|date=2018-08-10|title=Annie Zaidi wins The Hindu Playwright Award 2018|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/theatre/annie-zaidi-wins-the-hindu-playwright-award-2018/article24659776.ece|access-date=2021-03-29|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> Her non-fiction debut, a collection of essays, ''Known Turf: Bantering with Bandits and Other True Tales'', was short-listed for the [[Vodafone Crossword Book Award]] in 2010.<ref>[http://www.outlookindia.com/news/article/ruskin-upamanyu-in-crossword-awards-shortlist/729300 "Ruskin, Upamanyu in Crossword Awards Shortlist"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140923181903/http://www.outlookindia.com/news/article/Ruskin-Upamanyu-in-Crossword-Awards-Shortlist/729300 |date=23 September 2014 }}, ''Outlook'' (New Delhi), 28 July 2011.</ref>

She also writes poetry (''Crush'', 2007), short stories (''The Good Indian Girl'', 2011 and Love Story # 1 To 14, 2012), plays (''Jam'', ''Jaal'' etcetera) and has written a novella (''Gulab, 2014'').

== Early life and education ==
Zaidi was born in [[Allahabad]] and raised in [[Rajasthan]].<ref name="Ghadiali 2020">{{cite news |last1=Ghadiali |first1=Ashish |title=Bread, Cement, Cactus by Annie Zaidi review – indignation and injustice |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jun/14/bread-cement-cactus-by-annie-zaidi-review-indignation-and-injustice |access-date=13 July 2021 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=June 14, 2020}}</ref><ref name="Kokra 2015"/> She and her older brother were raised by their mother.<ref name="Kokra 2015"/> Her maternal grandfather is [[Padma Shri]] laureate Urdu writer [[Ali Jawad Zaidi|Syed Ali Jawad Zaidi]].<ref name="Kokra 2015">{{cite news |last1=Kokra |first1=Sonali |title=Annie Zaidi: Flunking Science, Acing Poetry |url=https://www.ozy.com/the-new-and-the-next/annie-zaidi-flunking-science-acing-poetry/37412/ |access-date=12 July 2021 |work=OZY |date=January 26, 2015}}</ref>

Zaidi obtained her B.A. degree from Sophia College in [[Ajmer]].<ref name="Kokra 2015"/> After graduation, she joined the journalism course at Xavier Institute of Communications in [[Mumbai]]. In 2025, she completed her PhD in Creative Writing at [[Durham University]], under the supervision of [[Naomi Booth]] and Dr. Maryam Mirza.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Creative Writing PhD and MLitt - Durham University|url=https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/english-studies/postgraduate-study/creative-writing-phd-and-mlitt/|website=www.durham.ac.uk|access-date=2026-01-31|language=en-gb|first=|last=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260131112258/https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/english-studies/postgraduate-study/creative-writing-phd-and-mlitt/|archive-date=2026-01-31|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Journalism career ==
After college, Zaidi began her career as a journalist.<ref name="Kokra 2015" /> She first worked for a website, then as a reporter for ''[[Mid-Day]]''.<ref name="Kokra 2015" /> She went to work for ''[[Frontline (magazine)|Frontline]]'' in 2005.<ref name="Kokra 2015" /> While working at ''Frontline'', she began a blog titled ''Known Turf'', which became the basis for a published essay collection.<ref name="Kokra 2015" />

In January 2008, ''Rouge'', a supplement of the ''Times of India'', named Zaidi on a list of Women (under 30) to Watch Out For. In 2013, she wrote "An Open Letter to Honey Singh," criticizing the abusive and objectifying content of [[Yo Yo Honey Singh]]'s lyrics and videos.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zaidi |first1=Annie |title=An Open Letter to Honey Singh |url=https://www.sundayguardianlive.com/music/748-open-letter-honey-singh |access-date=13 July 2021 |work=Sunday Guardian |date=January 5, 2013 |quote=updated February 13, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Singh 2017">{{cite news |last1=Singh |first1=Manpriya |title=Some words, a lot of meaning |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/lifestyle/some-words-a-lot-of-meaning-494610 |access-date=13 July 2021 |work=[[The Tribune (Chandigarh)|The Tribune]] |date=November 9, 2017}}</ref>

She has written for publications including ''Caravan'', ''[[OPEN (Indian magazine)|Open]]'', ''[[The Hindu]]'', ''Elle'', ''[[Forbes India]]'', ''Femina'', ''Marie Claire'', ''[[Tehelka]]'' and the ''[[Deccan Herald]]''. She also wrote a weekly column for ''[[DNA (newspaper)|DNA]]'' (''Daily News and Analysis'') between 2011 and 2013. Zaidi writes a column for ''[[The Hindu]]'' and teaches journalism at the [[OP Jindal Global University]], [[Sonipat district|Sonipat]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://jgu.edu.in/jsjc/faculty/annie-zaidi/ |title=Prof. Annie Zaidi |website=gu.edu.in |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505135235/https://jgu.edu.in/jsjc/faculty/annie-zaidi/ |archive-date=5 May 2021}}</ref>

== Literary career ==
Annie Zaidi's first collection of essays, ''Known Turf: Bantering with Bandits and Other True Tales'', was short-listed for the [[Vodafone Crossword Book Award]] in 2010. Journalist [[P. Sainath]] said of the book: "The stories on dalits in the Punjab easily rank amongst the best done on the subject" and "Above all, it is the quality of the story-telling that grips you. A beautifully written book".<ref>{{Cite web
| url = https://www.amazon.com/Known-Turf-ebook/dp/B00872DR9E
| title = Editorial Reviews
| website = Amazon
| access-date = 3 September 2018
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130717103612/http://www.amazon.com/Known-Turf-ebook/dp/B00872DR9E
| archive-date = 17 July 2013
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

A collection of short stories, ''The Bad Boy's Guide to the Good Indian Girl'', was co-authored along with Smriti Ravindra and published by [[Zubaan Books]] in 2011.<ref name="Subramanian 2011">{{cite news |last1=Subramanian |first1=Aishwarya |title=Book Review - Likeable in some ways |url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/dj1bAml4fRT7CVM28exzwO/Book-Review--Likeable-in-some-ways.html |access-date=13 July 2021 |work=LiveMint |date=September 16, 2011}}</ref> ''Crush'', a series of 50 illustrated poems (in collaboration with illustrator Gynelle Alves) was published in 2007.

Her essays, poems and short stories have appeared in several anthologies, including ''Dharavi: The City Within'' (Harper Collins India), ''Mumbai Noir'' (Akshic/Harper Collins India), ''Women Changing India'' (Zubaan); ''Journeys Through Rajasthan'' (Rupa), ''First Proof: 2'' (Penguin India), ''21 Under 40'' (Zubaan), ''India Shining, India Changing'' (Tranquebar). More of her work has appeared in literary journals such as ''The Little Magazine'', ''Desilit'', ''Pratilipi'', ''The Raleigh Review'', ''Mint Lounge'', ''Indian Literature'' (Sahitya Akademi) and ''Asian Cha''.

In June 2012, ''[[Elle (India)|Elle]]'' magazine named Zaidi one of the emerging South Asian writers "whose writing we believe will enrich South Asian literature".<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://deepanjana.wordpress.com/2012/06/09/from-elle-the-storytellers/
| title = From ELLE: The Storytellers
| work = Deepanjana Pal
| date = 9 June 2012
| access-date = 18 May 2013
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130321045117/http://deepanjana.wordpress.com/2012/06/09/from-elle-the-storytellers/
| archive-date = 21 March 2013
| url-status = live
}}</ref> In 2015, Zaidi published an anthology called ''Unbound: 2,000 Years of Indian Women's Writing''.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/books/book-review-unbound-2000-years-of-indian-womens-writing/
| title = Book Review – Unbound: 2,000 Years of Indian Women's Writing
| author = Trisha Gupta
| work = The Indian Express
| date = 20 June 2015
| access-date = 3 September 2018
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180118121511/http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/books/book-review-unbound-2000-years-of-indian-womens-writing/
| archive-date = 18 January 2018
| url-status = live
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/what-women-wrote/article7282077.ece
| title = What women wrote
| work = The Hindu
| date = 4 June 2015
| last1 = Ray
| first1 = Kunal
}}</ref>

In 2019, she won the Nine Dots Prize, with a $100,000 cash award to develop her essay ''Bread, Cement, Cactus'' into a book.<ref name="Hindu Nine Dots"/><ref name="Dastidar 2019">{{cite news |last1=Dastidar |first1=Riddhi |title=Interview: Annie Zaidi on the Nine Dots Prize and Chasing 'The Call of Blood' |url=https://thewire.in/culture/annie-zaidi-nine-dots-prize |access-date=12 July 2021 |work=The Wire |date=May 30, 2019}}</ref> Ashish Ghadiali of ''[[The Guardian]]'' said the essay was a "haunting evocation of belonging and dislocation in contemporary India" that has delivered her "on to an international platform for the first time in her decade-long career."<ref name="Ghadiali 2020" />

In 2019, she published her novel, ''Prelude to a Riot'',<ref>{{cite news |title=Annie Zaidi's new book is about communal violence |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/books/features/annie-zaidis-new-book-is-about-communal-violence/articleshow/70977004.cms |access-date=13 July 2021 |work=Times of India |date=September 4, 2019}}</ref> which was short-listed for the [[JCB Prize|JCB Prize for Literature]].<ref name="Modi 2020">{{cite news |last1=Modi |first1=Chintan Girish |title=Interview: Annie Zaidi, Author, Prelude to a Riot |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/interview-annie-zaidi-author-prelude-to-a-riot/story-piGkLvjrI9V90bd16HVRmO.html |access-date=13 July 2021 |work=Hindustan Times |date=November 6, 2020}}</ref>

''Bread, Cement, Cactus'' was published as a book by Cambridge University Press in May 2020<ref>{{cite book | title=Bread, Cement, Cactus | date=2020 | publisher=Cambridge University Press | isbn=978-1-108-84064-4 | url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/bread-cement-cactus/bread-cement-cactus/FB3E76293FE9FDAF980A003F94210967 }}</ref>. A novel, ''City of Incident'' was published shortly after, in January 2022<ref>{{cite web | title=Annie Zaidi's new novel captures the lives of 12 people living on the edges of Mumbai city | date=5 January 2022 | url=https://scroll.in/article/1014259/annie-zaidis-new-novel-captures-the-lives-of-12-people-living-on-the-edges-of-mumbai-city }}</ref>.

In early 2025, her novel ''The Comeback'' was published, and was long-listed for the Mumbai LitFest book award<ref>{{cite web | title=Mumbai LitFest book awards 2025 announces longlists in fiction, nonfiction, and business categories | date=24 October 2025 | url=https://scroll.in/article/1087968/mumbai-litfest-book-awards-2025-announces-longlists-in-fiction-nonfiction-and-business-categories }}</ref> as well as the Chandigarh Literature Festival's Literati Awards<ref>{{cite web | title=Chandigarh Literary Society announces longlist for inaugural CLF Literati Awards | date=8 November 2025 | url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/chandigarh-literary-society-announces-longlist-for-inaugural-clf-literati-awards-10354121/ }}</ref>.

== Plays and films ==
Annie's play "Untitled-1" won The Hindu Playwright Award 2018.<ref name="thehindu 2018-09-03"/> Her play ''Jaal''<ref>[http://www.timeoutmumbai.net/theatre/features/stage-three TimeOut (January 2012)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130930045907/http://www.timeoutmumbai.net/theatre/features/stage-three |date=30 September 2013 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.timeoutmumbai.net/theatre/reviews/jaal Jaal, TimeOut (March 2012)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112071703/http://www.timeoutmumbai.net/theatre/reviews/jaal |date=12 November 2013 }}</ref> opened at [[Prithvi Theatre]] in January 2012 as part of Writers Bloc:3,<ref>
{{cite web
|url = http://www.britishcouncil.in/writers-bloc
|title = Writer's Bloc
|work = britishcouncil.in
|access-date = 31 August 2014
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140903080338/http://www.britishcouncil.in/writers-bloc
|archive-date = 3 September 2014
|url-status = dead
}}
</ref> a drama festival in Mumbai.<ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.thehindu.com/features/magazine/off-the-bloc-take-three/article2783095.ece
| title = Off the bloc: Take three
| author = JANHAVI ACHAREKAR
| work = The Hindu
| date = 7 January 2012
}}</ref> Another play, ''So Many Socks'' (English), opened at the Prithvi Theatre in September 2012. It was nominated in several categories, including best script, for the META awards.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://metawards.com/v1/so-many-socks/
| title = SO MANY SOCKS
| work = Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards
| access-date = 31 August 2014
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140904105827/http://metawards.com/v1/so-many-socks/
| archive-date = 4 September 2014
| url-status = live
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.mid-day.com/articles/qtps-so-many-socks-nominated-for-the-meta-awards-2013/203454
| title = QTP's 'So Many Socks' nominated for the META awards 2013
| date = 8 March 2013
| work = mid-day
| access-date = 31 August 2014
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140903113248/http://www.mid-day.com/articles/qtps-so-many-socks-nominated-for-the-meta-awards-2013/203454
| archive-date = 3 September 2014
| url-status = live
}}</ref> The play was directed by [[Quasar Padamsee]].

Her first full-length script, ''Name, Place, Animal, Thing'', was shortlisted for The Hindu Metroplus Playwright Award, 2009.<ref>[http://blogs.thehindu.com/delhi/?p=11924 The Hindu-Blogs "PLAYWRIGHT AWARD 2009"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903125400/http://blogs.thehindu.com/delhi/?p=11924 |date=3 September 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/prakash-koechlin-win-metroplus-playwright-award/article352169.ece
| title = Prakash, Koechlin win MetroPlus Playwright Award
| work = The Hindu
| date = 10 February 2009
}}</ref><ref>{{cite book
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=wxX0_n-qvRUC&q=name+place+animal+thing+play+the+hindu+metroplus+award&pg=PA180
| title = Three Plays
| isbn = 9780143415589
| last1 = Majumdar
| first1 = Abhishek
| last2 = Koechlin
| first2 = Kalki
| year = 2010
| publisher = Penguin Books India
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| url = http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/asking-tough-questions/article655794.ece
| title = Asking tough questions
| work = The Hindu
| date = 21 January 2009
}}</ref>

A radio play, ''Jam'', was the regional (South Asia) winner for the BBC's International Playwriting Competition 2011.<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/2011/08/110812_international_playwriting_competition_2011_winners.shtml
| title = BBC World Service – Arts & Culture – International Playwriting Competition 2011: Meet the winners
| publisher = BBC
| access-date = 18 May 2013
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111012004533/http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/2011/08/110812_international_playwriting_competition_2011_winners.shtml
| archive-date = 12 October 2011
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

In 2016, she directed the short film ''Decibel'' that was part of ''Shor Se Shuruaat'', an omnibus of seven short films. She was mentored by filmmaker [[Sriram Raghavan]].<ref>{{cite web
| url = http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/writer-director-annie-zaidi-s-short-film-depicts-a-mumbai-without-noise/story-0JPL3OQXSVnz2W2RPU0JZI.html
| title = Annie Zaidi's short film depicts a Mumbai without noise
| work = Hindustan Times
| date = 22 December 2016
| access-date = 3 September 2018
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170801163725/http://www.hindustantimes.com/bollywood/writer-director-annie-zaidi-s-short-film-depicts-a-mumbai-without-noise/story-0JPL3OQXSVnz2W2RPU0JZI.html
| archive-date = 1 August 2017
| url-status = live
}}</ref>

==Awards and honours==
* 2010, short-listed, Vodafone Crossword Book Award<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.afternoondc.in/book-review/vodafone-crossword-book-award-2010/article_31284 |title=Vodafone Crossword Book Award 2010 |website=Afternoon Despatch |date=August 1, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161004224807/http://www.afternoondc.in/book-review/vodafone-crossword-book-award-2010/article_31284 |archive-date=4 October 2016 }}</ref>
* 2018, winner, The Hindu Playwright Award
* 2019, winner, [[Nine dots puzzle | The Nine Dots Prize]]
* 2020, winner, Tata Literature Live Book of the Year<ref>{{Cite web|title=TATA Literature Live! Book Of The Year Award - Fiction -|url=https://tatalitlive.in/awards/tata-literature-live-book-of-the-year-award-fiction|access-date=2021-03-29|website=Tata Literature Live!|language=en-US}}</ref>
* 2020, short-listed, [[JCB Prize|JCB Prize for Literature]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zaidi, Annie}}
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian women essayists]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian poets]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian essayists]]
[[Category:People from Ajmer]]
[[Category:Writers from Rajasthan]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian writers]]
[[Category:Women writers from Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Indian women novelists]]
[[Category:Indian dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Indian women dramatists and playwrights]]
[[Category:Indian film directors]]
[[Category:Indian women film directors]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian journalists]]
[[Category:Indian women journalists]]
[[Category:Indian columnists]]
[[Category:English-language Indian writers]]
[[Category:Twelvers]]
[[Category:Indian Shia Muslims]]
[[Category:Alumni of Durham University]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women poets]]

Annie Zaidi (writer) - Revision history

Kamdhenupaints: created some page initial version.