https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Shama_ZaidiShama Zaidi - Revision history2026-08-21T04:45:14ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shama_Zaidi&diff=103469&oldid=prevHembram Bakhul: Created page with "{{Short description|Indian screenwriter}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox person | image = | name = Shama Zehra Zai..."2021-07-06T00:44:08Z<p>Created page with "{{Short description|Indian screenwriter}} {{EngvarB|date=August 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox person | image = | name = Shama Zehra Zai..."</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Indian screenwriter}}<br />
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| image = <br />
| name = Shama Zehra Zaidi<br />
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1938|09|25}}<br />
| birth_place= [[Rampur, Uttar Pradesh|Rampur]], [[Rampur State]], [[British India]]<br />
|occupation= {{hlist|Screenwriter|costume designer}}<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Shama Zaidi''' (born 25 September 1938) is an Indian screenplay writer, costume designer, art director, theatre person, art critic, and documentary film maker.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110520132248/http://movies.nytimes.com/person/206480/Shama-Zaidi Shama Zaidi filmography] ''[[New York Times]]''.</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Music in her lines |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/theatre/music-in-her-lines/article2503835.ece |newspaper=The Hindu |date=1 October 2011|accessdate=6 June 2013}}</ref> She is married to director [[M. S. Sathyu]].<br />
<br />
==Background==<br />
Shama Zaidi is the daughter of [[Bashir Hussain Zaidi]], a politician and educationist, and his wife Qudsia Zaidi. Her mother Qudsia was an associate of [[Habib Tanvir]], the [[communist]] ideologue and theatre personality. Shama was the only daughter of the couple and she has two brothers. Both her parents were closely associated with the "progressive" communist movement in India, and Shama grew up in a strongly [[left-wing]] environment. She was educated at [[Woodstock School]], [[Mussoorie]], and then at [[Miranda House]], [[New Delhi]]. She has a bachelor's degree in English from [[Delhi University]], and a diploma in stage design from the [[Slade School of Art]], [[London]].<br />
<br />
==Career==<br />
<br />
===Journalism===<br />
* Art critic for ''[[The Statesman (India)|The Statesman]]'', ''[[The Patriot (Indian newspaper)|The Patriot]]'' and ''[[Shankar's Weekly]]'', New Delhi.<br />
* Written numerous articles on film, theatre, and television for ''Cinema Vision'', ''Cinema in India'', etc., and other journals and newspapers.<br />
<br />
===Theatre===<br />
Zaidi became interested in costume design while in school at Woodstock, Mussoorie, which had extensive theatre activities. Also due to the influence of her mother Qudsia Zaidi, who started the Hindustani Theatre in the late 1950s with Habib Tanvir and other friends. In her college days at [[Miranda House]] she started helping out with the stage productions there, apart from taking an active interest in Hindustani Theatre.<br />
<br />
After her B.A., Shama went to [[Slade School of Art]], London, for a one-year course in stage and costume design. She then worked in Germany at the Frankfurt Municipal Theatre as an apprentice and for some time as an observer in the [[Berliner Ensemble]]. (Apprentice in stage, film and TV design to Herr Hein Heckroth, [[Frankfurt]] am Main, [[West Germany]]. Herr Heckroth was the designer of Red Shoes Hoffman's Tales, etc.)<br />
<br />
She returned to Delhi in 1961 and designed costumes for Hindustani Theatre before shifting to Bombay in 1965 where she worked as Writer, Designer, Performer and Director for [[Indian People's Theatre Association]] (IPTA), Mumbai. Since 1980 she has designed more for films and television than theatre.<br />
<br />
She worked as a writer, director, costume designer or art director for the following stage productions –<br />
<br />
====Stage productions====<br />
* ''Chou En-lai'', a historical costume pageant at Lodi Gardens, New Delhi<br />
<br />
====Hindustani Theatre====<br />
* Shakuntala (1958) – Costume Design<br />
* Mitti ki Gaadi (1958)- Costume Design & Artiste<br />
* Khalid Ki Khala (1958)- Costume Design & Artiste<br />
* Mudrarakshas (1962) – Direction & Costume Design<br />
* Sufaid Kundali (1963) – Costume Design & Artiste<br />
* Mera Naam Trufaldeen (1964)- Adaptation & Costume Design<br />
<br />
====Indian People's Theatre Association, Mumbai====<br />
<!-- do not type all in caps<br />
* BHAGAT SINGH (1969) Co director & Costume Design;<br />
* AAKHRI SHAMA (1969) Costume Design;<br />
* AZAR KA KHWAB (1970) Costume Design & Artiste;<br />
* GUDIYA GHAR (1972) Costume Design & Artiste;<br />
* BHOOKE BHAJAN NA HOYE GOPALA (1973) Artiste;<br />
* KHALID KI KHALA (1974) Costume Design & Artiste;<br />
* SAMBHOG SE SANYAS TAK (1975) Costume Design;<br />
* DEVYANI KA KEHNA HAI (1975) Direction & Costume Design;<br />
* MITTI KI GAADI (1975) Costume Design;<br />
* MAHANIRVAAN (1976) Direction & Costume Design;<br />
* EK CHADAR MAILI SI (1966) Direction & Costume Design;<br />
* GHODA (1991) Costume Design;<br />
* SHRIMAN BALE UIRE (1992) Adaptation;<br />
--><br />
She had been associated with the IPTA's Inter collegiate Drama Competition since 1972 as a jury member.<br />
<br />
* Translated/adapted over a dozen plays into Hindustani from various languages.<br />
<br />
===Cinema===<br />
She has written scripts/dialogues for documentaries and feature films with [[Satyajit Ray]], [[Shyam Benegal]], [[M. S. Sathyu]] and others. She has also worked as Costume Designer and Art Director.<br />
<br />
====Filmography====<br />
* ''[[Charandas Chor]]'' (1975) (The Thief Charandas)<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Screenplay Shama Zaidi<br />
Based on [[Habib Tanvir]]'s retelling of a famous Rajasthani folk tale. Songs were by [[Habib Tanvir]] and most of the dialogues were improvised by the folk artistes.<br />
<br />
* ''[[Garam Hawa]]'' (Hot Winds) ''1974 / Colour / 136min / Urdu'' Direction [[M S Sathyu]]; Screenplay Shama Zaidi & [[Kaifi Azmi]]; Costume Design Shama Zaidi<br />
Based on a short story by [[Ismat Chugtai]], which she expanded into a film treatment. [[Filmfare Award for Best Screenplay]] (shared with Kaifi Azmi).<ref>{{cite web |title=Best Screenplay Award|url=http://recipeguide.indiatimes.com/awards2001/ex_screenplay.htm|date= |publisher=Filmfare Award Official Listings, [[Indiatimes]] |accessdate=28 April 2014}}</ref><br />
<br />
* ''[[Manthan]]'' (The Churning) ''1976 / Colour / 134min / Hindi''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Art direction Shama Zaidi<br />
<br />
* ''[[Shatranj Ke Khilari (film)|Shatranj Ke Khilari]]'' शतरंज के खिलाड़ी (Chess Players) ''1977 / Hindi''<br />
Direction [[Satyajit Ray]]; Costume Design Shama Zaidi<br />
Also assisted Ray with research on the background material and translated dialogues with Javed Siddiqi for the Indian characters in Urdu.<br />
<br />
* ''[[Kanneshwara Rama]]'' (The Legendary Outlaw) ''1977 / Colour / 137min / Kannada & Hindi''<br />
Direction [[M S Sathyu]]; Script Shama Zaidi<br />
Based on the exploits of a legendary dacoit of the Malnad region in Karnataka.<br />
<br />
* ''[[Bhumika (film)|Bhumika]]'' (The Role) ''1977 / Colour / 142min / Hindi''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Art direction Shama Zaidi<br />
Based on the biography of [[Hansa Wadkar]], a star of the Marathi folk theatre and cinema of the 1940s.<br />
<br />
* ''[[Umrao Jaan (1981 film)|Umrao Jaan]]'' (The Courtesan) ''Colour / Hindi''<br />
Direction [[Muzaffar Ali]]; Script Shama Zaidi & [[Javed Siddiqi]]<br />
Based on a 19th-century Urdu novel.<br />
<br />
* ''[[Chakra (1981 film)|Chakra]]'' (The Wheel) ''1980 / Colour / 140min / Hindi''<br />
Direction Robin (Rabindra) Dharmraja; Script & Dialogues Shama Zaidi & [[Javed Siddiqi]]<br />
Based on the novel by [[Jaywant Dalvi]].<br />
<br />
* ''Bara/[[Sookha]]'' (Famine) ''1981 / Colour / 140min / Kannada & Hindi''<br />
Direction [[M S Sathyu]]; Screenplay & Dialogues Shama Zaidi & [[Javed Siddiqi]]<br />
Based on a short novel by [[U R Ananthamurthy]].<br />
<br />
* ''[[Aarohan]]'' (The Ascent) ''1982''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Script Shama Zaidi<br />
Based on a famous land dispute case.<br />
<br />
* ''[[Mandi (film)|Mandi]]'' (The Marketplace) ''1983 / Colour / 160min / Hindi''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Script & Screenplay Shama Zaidi, [[Shyam Benegal]] & [[Satyadev Dubey]]<br />
<br />
* ''[[Kahan Kahan Se Guzar Gaya]]'' (The Paths I Have Trod) ''1985 / Colour / Hindi''<br />
Direction [[M S Sathyu]]; Original Screenplay Shama Zaidi<br />
<br />
* ''[[Susman (film)|Susman]]'' (The Essence) ''1986 / Colour / 140min / Hindi''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Screenplay Shama Zaidi<br />
Original screenplay on the Ikat [[handloom weaver]]s of Andhra.<br />
<br />
* ''[[Trikaal]]'' (Past, Present, Future) ''1986''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Screenplay Shama Zaidi & [[Shyam Benegal]]<br />
Based on an idea by Shyam Benegal.<br />
<br />
* ''[[Antarnaad]]'' (The Inner Voice) ''1993''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Screenplay Shama Zaidi & [[Sunil Shanbag]]<br />
An original screenplay based on the [[Swadhyay Movement|Swadhyaya socio-religious movement]] founded by [[Pandurang Shastri Athavale]].<br />
<br />
* ''[[Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda]]'' (The Seventh Horse of the Sun) ''1994''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Screenplay Shama Zaidi<br />
A puzzle screenplay based on the novel by [[Dharamvir Bharati]].<br />
<br />
* ''[[Mammo]]'' ''1995''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Screenplay Shama Zaidi & [[Khalid Mohamed]]<br />
<br />
* ''[[The Making of the Mahatma]]'' ''1996''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Script Shama Zaidi, [[Shyam Benegal]] & [[Fatima Meer]]<br />
An Indo-South African co production on Mahatma Gandhi's life in South Africa.<br />
<br />
* ''[[Sardari Begum]]'' ''1997 / Colour / 123min / Urdu''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Screenplay Shama Zaidi & [[Khalid Mohamed]]<br />
<br />
* ''[[Nishant (film)|Nishant]]''<br />
Art direction Shama Zaidi<br />
<br />
* ''[[Mrigtrishna]]''<br />
Costume Design Shama Zaidi<br />
<br />
* ''[[Haribhari]]'' ''2000 / Colour / Hindi''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Script & Dialogues Shama Zaidi<br />
A film on women's empowerment made for the Ministry of Family Welfare.<br />
<br />
* ''[[Zubeidaa]]'' ''2001/ Colour / Hindi''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Additional screenplay and dialogues Shama Zaidi<br />
<br />
* ''[[Netaji (film)|Netaji]]'' ''2002-04/ Colour/Hindi-English''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Script and Dialogues Shama Zaidi & [[Atul Tiwari]]<br />
A film on the last years of [[Subhas Chandra Bose]] for [[Sahara Entertainment]]<br />
<br />
* ''[[Chamki Chameli]]'' ''2005-2006/ Colour/ Hindi''<br />
Direction [[Shyam Benegal]]; Screenplay and dialogues Shama Zaidi & [[Atul Tiwari]]<br />
A film inspired by the 19th-century novella "[[Carmen (novella)|Carmen]]" by [[Prosper Mérimée]]<br />
<br />
====Short films====<br />
<!-- do not type in all caps, including for film titles<br />
* ''GHALIB'' ''1969 / B&W / 22min''<br />
Direction M.S.Sathyu; Research & Script Shama Zaidi.<br />
A documentary film on the life of [[Mirza Ghalib]] through his own words taken from his letters, poetry, writings, etc.<br />
<br />
* ''ISLAM IN INDIA'' ''1982 / B&W / 120 min''<br />
Direction Shama Zaidi.<br />
A feature-length documentary on the socio-cultural heritage of Islam in India. Made for the Hijri Celebration Committee, Govt. of India., celebrating the beginning of the 15th century of the Islamic Era.<br />
<br />
* ''LUPIN'' ''1992''<br />
Direction Benaifer Mallik; Script Shama Zaidi.<br />
A short film on village adoption programme by the pharmaceutical company Lupin.<br />
<br />
* ''LAMP IN THE NICHE'' ''1994''<br />
Direction Girish Karnad; Script Shama Zaidi.<br />
A short film on the Sufi heritage in India.<br />
<br />
Have also scripted a number of documentaries on developmental projects for Shyam Benegal and other directors.<br />
<br />
===Television===<br />
Have either worked on scripts, screenplays, dialogues, costume design or art direction for the following television productions –<br />
<br />
* ''BHARAT EK KHOJ'' ([[The Discovery of India]]) a TV series – Shyam Benegal (1989–90) based on [[Jawaharlal Nehru]]'s version of India's past and fictionalised into a 52 part television series. Principal writer cum editor (with Sunil Shanbag), Costume design and Art direction.<br />
* '''KAYAR'' (Coir) a TV series – [[M. S. Sathyu|M S Sathyu]] (1992)<br />
Based on a part of the novel by Thakazi Shivshankara Pillai and turned into a TV serial by Babu Bhaskar and Shama Zaidi.<br />
<br />
* ''YATRA'' (The Journey) a TV series – Shyam Benegal (1988)<br />
A television series based on two film journeys across the length and breadth of India. Written by Sunil Shanbag and Shama Zaidi.<br />
<br />
* ''ANTIM RAJA'' (The Last Raja of Coorg) a TV series – M S Sathyu (1986)<br />
Based on a novel by Masti Venkatesh Iyengar and written for television by Shama Zaidi.<br />
* ''SWARAJNAMA'' A TV Series – [[Girish Karnad]]. (1998)<br />
* ''SANKRANTI'' A TV Series – Shyam Benegal (1998)<br />
Assisted the ETV Television Network set up an Urdu channel ETV-Urdu and worked as a part-time Artistic Advisor for the same from October 1999– August 2002<br />
--><br />
<br />
==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
==External links==<br />
* {{IMDb name|0952067}}<br />
* [http://www.upperstall.com/films/garamhawa.html Garam Hawa]<br />
{{FilmfareAwardBestScreenplay}}<br />
<br />
{{Authority control}}<br />
<br />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zaidi, Shama}}<br />
[[Category:1938 births]]<br />
[[Category:Living people]]<br />
[[Category:Indian Muslims]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women screenwriters]]<br />
[[Category:Indian art directors]]<br />
[[Category:Indian costume designers]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian women artists]]<br />
[[Category:People from Rampur, Uttar Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Filmfare Awards winners]]<br />
[[Category:University of Delhi alumni]]<br />
[[Category:Alumni of the Slade School of Fine Art]]<br />
[[Category:Indian People's Theatre Association people]]<br />
[[Category:Indian scenic designers]]<br />
[[Category:Women artists from Uttar Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women journalists]]<br />
[[Category:Indian women designers]]<br />
[[Category:20th-century Indian designers]]<br />
[[Category:Hindi screenwriters]]<br />
[[Category:21st-century Indian designers]]<br />
[[Category:21st-century Indian women artists]]<br />
[[Category:Screenwriters from Uttar Pradesh]]<br />
[[Category:Women graphic designers]]</div>Hembram Bakhul