Shama Zaidi
Encyclopedia
Shama Zaidi is an Indian screenwriter
, costume designer, art director, theatre person, art critic, and documentary film
maker.
(an administrator, businessman and politician) and Begum Qudsia Zaidi (a writer, social worker and theatre person, who established Hindustani theatre group in Delhi with Habib Tanvir
, which made its debut with the production of an Hindi-Urdu version of Kalidas's Shakuntala and later produced Shudraka's Mrichakatika as Mitti Ki Gadi.
She was educated at Woodstock School
, Mussoorie
, Uttar Pradesh, India. and at Miranda House, New Delhi, India. She has a B A Hons in English from Delhi University. She specialized in stage design, gaining a Diploma from the Slade School of Art, London
, United Kingdom
.
She is married to M S Sathyu
(Filmmaker/ Designer/ Theatre person/ Art Director).
she started helping out with the stage productions there, apart from taking active interest in Hindustani Theatre.
After B A Shama went to Slade School of Art, London
, for a one year course in stage design and costume design. 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.)
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.
Worked as Writer, Director, Costume Designer, Art Director or Artiste for the following stage productions -
Associated with the IPTA's Inter collegiate Drama Competition since 1972 as a jury member.
, Shyam Benegal
, M. S. Sathyu
and others. Also done Costume Design and Art Direction.
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Screenplay Shama Zaidi
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.
Based on a short story by Ismat Chugtai, which she expanded into a film treatment. Filmfare award for best screenplay.
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Art direction Shama Zaidi
Direction Satyajit Ray
; Costume Design Shama Zaidi
Also assisted Ray with research on the background material and translated dialogues with Javed Siddiqi for the Indian characters in Urdu.
Direction M S Sathyu; Script Shama Zaidi
Based on the exploits of a legendary dacoit of the Malnad region in Karnataka.
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Art direction Shama Zaidi
Based on the biography of Hansa Wadkar, a star of the Marathi folk theatre and cinema of the 40s.
Direction Muzaffar Ali
; Script Shama Zaidi & Javed Siddiqi
Based on a 19th century Urdu novel.
Direction Robin (Rabindra) Dharmraja; Script & Dialogues Shama Zaidi & Javed Siddiqi
Based on the novel by Jaywant Dalvi
.
Direction M S Sathyu; Screenplay & Dialogues Shama Zaidi & Javed Siddiqi
Based on a short novel by U R Ananthamurthy.
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Script Shama Zaidi
Based on a famous land dispute case.
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Script & Screenplay Shama Zaidi, Shyam Benegal
& Satyadev Dubey
Direction M S Sathyu; Original Screenplay Shama Zaidi
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Screenplay Shama Zaidi
Original screenplay on the Ikat handloom weavers of Andhra.
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Screenplay Shama Zaidi & Shyam Benegal
Based on an idea by Shyam Benegal.
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Screenplay Shama Zaidi & Sunil Shanbag
An original screenplay based on the Swadhyaya socio-religious movement
founded by Pandurang Shastri Athavale
.
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Screenplay Shama Zaidi
A puzzle screenplay based on the novel by Dharamveer Bharati.
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Screenplay Shama Zaidi & Khalid Mohammad
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Script Shama Zaidi, Shyam Benegal
& Fatima Meer
An Indo-South African co production on Mahatma Gandhi’s life in South Africa.
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Screenplay Shama Zaidi & Khalid Mohammad
Art direction Shama Zaidi
Costume Design Shama Zaidi
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Script & Dialogues Shama Zaidi
A film on women’s empowerment made for the Ministry of Family Welfare.
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Additional screenplay and dialogues Shama Zaidi
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Script and Dialogues Shama Zaidi & Atul Tiwari
A film on the last years of Subhas Chandra Bose for Sahara Entertainment
Direction Shyam Benegal
; Screenplay and dialogues Shama Zaidi & Atul Tiwari
A film inspired by the 19th-century novella “Carmen
” by Prosper Mérimée
Direction M.S.Sathyu; Research & Script Shama Zaidi.
A documentary film on the life of Mirza Ghalib
through his own words taken from his letters, poetry, writings, etc.
Direction Shama Zaidi.
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.
Direction Benaifer Mallik; Script Shama Zaidi.
A short film on village adoption programme by the pharmaceutical company Lupin.
Direction Girish Karnad; Script Shama Zaidi.
A short film on the Sufi heritage in India.
Have also scripted a number of documentaries on developmental projects for Shyam Benegal and other directors.
Based on a part of the novel by Thakazi Shivshankara Pillai and turned into a TV serial by Babu Bhaskar and Shama Zaidi.
A television series based on two film journeys across the length and breadth of India. Written by Sunil Shanbag and Shama Zaidi.
Based on a novel by Masti Venkatesh Iyengar and written for television by Shama Zaidi.
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
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
, costume designer, art director, theatre person, art critic, and documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
maker.
Biography
Shama Zaidi is the daughter of Col Bashir Hussain ZaidiBashir Hussain Zaidi
Colonel Bashir Hussain Zaidi was a member of the first Lok Sabha and Vice Chancellor of AMU.He also served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India from United Province . He was awarded Padma Vibhushan, the second highest civilian honour, by Government of India in 1976.- References :...
(an administrator, businessman and politician) and Begum Qudsia Zaidi (a writer, social worker and theatre person, who established Hindustani theatre group in Delhi with Habib Tanvir
Habib Tanvir
Habib Tanvir was one of the most popular Indian Urdu, Hindi playwrights, a theatre director, poet and actor. He is the writer of plays such as, Agra Bazar and Charandas Chor...
, which made its debut with the production of an Hindi-Urdu version of Kalidas's Shakuntala and later produced Shudraka's Mrichakatika as Mitti Ki Gadi.
She was educated at Woodstock School
Woodstock School
Woodstock School is a Christian, international, co-educational, residential school located in Landour, a small hill station contiguous with the town of Mussoorie, Uttarakhand, India....
, Mussoorie
Mussoorie
Mussoorie is a city and a municipal board in the Dehradun District of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand. It is located about 35 km from the state capital of Dehradun and 290 km north from the national capital of New Delhi...
, Uttar Pradesh, India. and at Miranda House, New Delhi, India. She has a B A Hons in English from Delhi University. She specialized in stage design, gaining a Diploma from the Slade School of Art, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
She is married to M S Sathyu
M. S. Sathyu
Mysore Shrinivas Sathyu is a leading film director, stage designer and art director from India. His film Garam Hawa is a film on the partition of India. He is a recipient of the Padma Shri in 1975.-Early life:Sathyu conducted his schooling and higher education at Mysore and Bangalore...
(Filmmaker/ Designer/ Theatre person/ Art Director).
Journalism
- Art critic for The Statesman, Patriot and Shankar's Weekly, New Delhi.
- Written numerous articles on film, theatre and television for Cinema Vision, Cinema in India, etc., and other journals and newspapers.
Theatre
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 50s with Habib Tanvir and other friends. In her college days at Miranda HouseMiranda House
Miranda House , is a highly renowned and distinguished constituent college for women at the University of Delhi in India. It is widely regarded as a Premier Women's Institution of Delhi University offering degrees in the Sciences and Liberal Arts . Miranda House has demonstrated academic...
she started helping out with the stage productions there, apart from taking active interest in Hindustani Theatre.
After B A Shama went to Slade School of Art, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, for a one year course in stage design and costume design. Then worked in Germany at the Frankfurt Municipal Theatre as an apprentice and for some time as an observer in the Berliner Ensemble
Berliner Ensemble
The Berliner Ensemble is a German theatre company established by playwright Bertolt Brecht and his wife, Helene Weigel in January 1949 in East Berlin...
. (Apprentice in stage, film and TV design to Herr Hein Heckroth, Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
am Main, West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
. Herr Heckroth was the designer of Red Shoes Hoffman’s Tales, etc.)
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
Indian People's Theatre Association
Indian People’s Theatre Association was an association of leftist theatre-artists and others mostly based in Kolkata, West Bengal, Mumbai and Assam, India. Its goal was to bring cultural awakening among the people of India. It was the cultural wing of the Communist Party of India...
(IPTA
Ipta
IPTA can refer to:* Indian People's Theatre Association* International Pulsar Timing Array...
), Mumbai. Since 1980 she has designed more for films and television than theatre.
Worked as Writer, Director, Costume Designer, Art Director or Artiste for the following stage productions -
Stage Productions
- CHOU-EN-LAI, a historical costume pageant for at Lodi Gardens, New Delhi
Hindustani Theatre
- Shakuntala (1958) - Costume Design
- Mitti ki Gaadi (1958)- Costume Design & Artiste
- Khalid Ki Khala (1958)- Costume Design & Artiste
- Mudrarakshas (1962) - Direction & Costume Design
- Sufaid Kundali (1963) - Costume Design & Artiste
- Mera Naam Trufaldeen (1964)- Adaptation & Costume Design
Indian People's Theatre Association, Mumbai
- BHAGAT SINGH (1969) Co director & Costume Design;
- AAKHRI SHAMA (1969) Costume Design;
- AZAR KA KHWAB (1970) Costume Design & Artiste;
- GUDIYA GHAR (1972) Costume Design & Artiste;
- BHOOKE BHAJAN NA HOYE GOPALA (1973) Artiste;
- KHALID KI KHALA (1974) Costume Design & Artiste;
- SAMBHOG SE SANYAS TAK (1975) Costume Design;
- DEVYANI KA KEHNA HAI (1975) Direction & Costume Design;
- MITTI KI GAADI (1975) Costume Design;
- MAHANIRVAAN (1976) Direction & Costume Design;
- EK CHADAR MAILI SI (1966) Direction & Costume Design;
- GHODA (1991) Costume Design;
- SHRIMAN BALE UIRE (1992) Adaptation;
Associated with the IPTA's Inter collegiate Drama Competition since 1972 as a jury member.
- Translated / adapted over a dozen plays into Hindustani from various languages.
Cinema
Written scripts/dialogues for documentaries and feature films with Satyajit RaySatyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
, Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
, M. S. Sathyu
M. S. Sathyu
Mysore Shrinivas Sathyu is a leading film director, stage designer and art director from India. His film Garam Hawa is a film on the partition of India. He is a recipient of the Padma Shri in 1975.-Early life:Sathyu conducted his schooling and higher education at Mysore and Bangalore...
and others. Also done Costume Design and Art Direction.
Filmography
- Charandas ChorCharandas ChorCharandas Chor is 1975 children's film made by noted director Shyam Benegal, based on the famous play by Habib Tanvir, which itself was an adaptation of a classical Rajasthani folktale by Vijaydan Detha...
(1975) (The Thief Charandas)
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Screenplay Shama Zaidi
Based on Habib Tanvir
Habib Tanvir
Habib Tanvir was one of the most popular Indian Urdu, Hindi playwrights, a theatre director, poet and actor. He is the writer of plays such as, Agra Bazar and Charandas Chor...
's retelling of a famous Rajasthani folk tale. Songs were by Habib Tanvir
Habib Tanvir
Habib Tanvir was one of the most popular Indian Urdu, Hindi playwrights, a theatre director, poet and actor. He is the writer of plays such as, Agra Bazar and Charandas Chor...
and most of the dialogues were improvised by the folk artistes.
- Garam HawaGaram HawaGarm Hava is a 1973 Urdu film directed by M. S. Sathyu, based on an unpublished Urdu short story by Ismat Chughtai and adapted for screen by Kaifi Azmi, who also wrote its lyrics....
(Hot Winds) 1974 / Colour / 136min / Urdu Direction M S Sathyu; Screenplay Shama Zaidi & Kaifi AzmiKaifi AzmiKaifi Azmi was an Indian Urdu poet. He is considered to be one the greatest Urdu poets of 20th century. Together with Pirzada Qasim, Jon Eliya and many others he participated in many memorable mushairas of 20th century.-Early life:...
; Costume Design Shama Zaidi
Based on a short story by Ismat Chugtai, which she expanded into a film treatment. Filmfare award for best screenplay.
- ManthanManthanManthan was a 1976 Hindi film made by Shyam Benegal, based on a story written jointly by Verghese Kurien and director Shyam Benegal...
(The Churning) 1976 / Colour / 134min / Hindi
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Art direction Shama Zaidi
- Shatranj Ke KhiladiShatranj Ke KhiladiThe Chess Players is a genre painting of 1876 by American artist Thomas Eakins . It is a small oil on wood panel depicting Eakins' father Benjamin observing a chess match. The two players are Bertrand Gardel , an elderly French teacher, and the somewhat younger George Holmes, a painter...
शतरंज के खिलाड़ी (Chess Players) 1977 / Hindi
Direction Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray
Satyajit Ray was an Indian Bengali filmmaker. He is regarded as one of the greatest auteurs of 20th century cinema. Ray was born in the city of Kolkata into a Bengali family prominent in the world of arts and literature...
; Costume Design Shama Zaidi
Also assisted Ray with research on the background material and translated dialogues with Javed Siddiqi for the Indian characters in Urdu.
- Kanneshwara Rama (The Legendary Outlaw) 1977 / Colour / 137min / Kannada & Hindi
Direction M S Sathyu; Script Shama Zaidi
Based on the exploits of a legendary dacoit of the Malnad region in Karnataka.
- BhumikaBhumikaBhumika is a 1977 Indian film directed by Shyam Benegal. The movie stars Smita Patil, Amol Palekar, Anant Nag, Naseeruddin Shah and Amrish Puri....
(The Role) 1977 / Colour / 142min / Hindi
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Art direction Shama Zaidi
Based on the biography of Hansa Wadkar, a star of the Marathi folk theatre and cinema of the 40s.
- Umrao JaanUmrao JaanUmrao Jaan is a 1981 Bollywood film, directed by Muzaffar Ali. It is based on the Urdu novel Umrao Jaan Ada , written by Mirza Hadi Ruswa based on the famous Lucknow courtesan...
(The Courtesan) Colour / Hindi
Direction Muzaffar Ali
Muzaffar Ali
Rajah Muzaffar Ali is an Indian film-maker, a fashion designer, a poet, an artist, a music-lover, a revivalist, and a social worker.He belongs to a Royal Muslim Rajput family of Kotwara. He is not to be confused with the famous 16th century Persian artist of the Persian miniature.Muzaffar Ali was...
; Script Shama Zaidi & Javed Siddiqi
Based on a 19th century Urdu novel.
- ChakraChakra (film)Chakra is a 1981 Hindi movie directed by Rabindra Dharmaraj. The film stars Smita Patil, Naseeruddin Shah and Kulbhushan Kharbanda.- Plot :The story would be horrific if it were not routine - even today, 30 years later...
(The Wheel) 1980 / Colour / 140min / Hindi
Direction Robin (Rabindra) Dharmraja; Script & Dialogues Shama Zaidi & Javed Siddiqi
Based on the novel by Jaywant Dalvi
Jaywant Dalvi
Jaywant Dalvi was a prominent contemporary Marathi writer in Maharashtra, India. Originally hailing from Sawantwadi in Maharashtra he was born in a Gaur Saraswat Brahmin family....
.
- BARA / SOOKHA (Famine) 1981 / Colour / 140min / Kannada & Hindi
Direction M S Sathyu; Screenplay & Dialogues Shama Zaidi & Javed Siddiqi
Based on a short novel by U R Ananthamurthy.
- AarohanAarohanAarohan is the Annual National Techno-Management festival organized by the National Institute of Technology, Durgapur, West Bengal, India. Aarohan is organized during even semesters and lasts for four days....
(The Ascent) 1982
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Script Shama Zaidi
Based on a famous land dispute case.
- MandiMandi (film)Mandi is a 1983 Hindi movie directed by Shyam Benegal.The film is a satirical comedy on politics and prostitution, and stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil...
(The Marketplace) 1983 / Colour / 160min / Hindi
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Script & Screenplay Shama Zaidi, Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
& Satyadev Dubey
Satyadev Dubey
Satyadev Dubey is an Indian theatre director, actor, playwright, screenwriter, and film actor and director. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1971....
- Kahan Kahan Se Guzar Gaya (The Paths I Have Trod) 1985 / Colour / Hindi
Direction M S Sathyu; Original Screenplay Shama Zaidi
- SusmanSusman (film)Susman is a 1987 Hindi film directed by Shyam Benegal. The film highlighted the struggle of rural handloom weavers in the wake of rapid industrialization.The film was selected for the Indian Panorama at Filmotsav 1987...
(The Essence) 1986 / Colour / 140min / Hindi
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Screenplay Shama Zaidi
Original screenplay on the Ikat handloom weavers of Andhra.
- TrikaalTrikaalTrikal is an Indian movie written and directed by Shyam Benegal, set in Goa during the early 1960s Period. The film starred yester years actress, Leela Naidu, in a comeback role after many decades....
(Past, Present, Future) 1986
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Screenplay Shama Zaidi & Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
Based on an idea by Shyam Benegal.
- AntarnaadAntarnaadAntarnaad was a 1991 Hindi film made by Shyam Benegal, based on the Swadhyay Movement by Pandurang Shastri Athavale. Arati Ankalikar-Tikekar was the playback singer for this film. She received The Indian National Award in the category of 'Best Playback Singer'.-Cast:* Kulbhushan Kharbanda* Girish...
(The Inner Voice) 1993
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Screenplay Shama Zaidi & Sunil Shanbag
Sunil Shanbag
Sunil Shanbag is an Indian theatre director, screen-writer and documentary film-maker. He has graduated from Mumbai University, and although he didn’t have any formal training in theatre, he has worked extensively with Satyadev Dubey, who considers him one of his foremost protegés.In 1985,...
An original screenplay based on the Swadhyaya socio-religious movement
Swadhyay Movement
Swadhyay, a Sanskrit word, means self-study, but it is more than what it connotes. Lord Krishna mentioned Swadhyay as one of the divine attributes one should have it and one of the four Yagna . Also, it is an austerity of speech...
founded by Pandurang Shastri Athavale
Pandurang Shastri Athavale
Shastri Pandurang Vaijnath Athavale , also known as Dada-ji , which literally translates as elder brother in Marathi, was an Indian philosopher, spiritual leader, social reformer and Hinduism reformist, who founded the Swadhyay Movement and the Swadhyay Parivar organization in 1954, a...
.
- Suraj Ka Satvan GhodaSuraj Ka Satvan GhodaSuraj Ka Satvan Ghoda is a 1992, Indian Hindi film directed by Shyam Benegal and based on a novel of the same name by Dharmavir Bharati. It won the 1993 National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi...
(The Seventh Horse of the Sun) 1994
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Screenplay Shama Zaidi
A puzzle screenplay based on the novel by Dharamveer Bharati.
- MammoMammoMammo is a film by Shyam Benegal released in 1994. The film stars Farida Jalal, Surekha Sikri and Rajit Kapur.The film won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi in 1995. Farida Jalal won Filmfare Critics Award for Best Performance, while Surekha Sikri won the National Film Award...
1995
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Screenplay Shama Zaidi & Khalid Mohammad
- The Making Of The MahatmaThe Making of the MahatmaThe Making of the Mahatma is joint Indian - South African produced film, directed by Shyam Benegal, about the early life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi during his 21 years in South Africa...
1996
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Script Shama Zaidi, Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
& Fatima Meer
Fatima Meer
Fatima Meer was a South African writer, academic, screenwriter, and prominent anti-apartheid activist.-Early life:...
An Indo-South African co production on Mahatma Gandhi’s life in South Africa.
- Sardari BegumSardari BegumSardari Begum is a 1996 Hindi movie directed by Shyam Benegal. The film stars Kiron Kher, Amrish Puri and Rajit Kapur and Rajeshwari Sachdev....
1997 / Colour / 123min / Urdu
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Screenplay Shama Zaidi & Khalid Mohammad
- NishantNishant (film)Nishant is a 1975 Hindi crime drama film directed by Shyam Benegal, and written by noted playwright Vijay Tendulkar. The film stars Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah and Smita Patil...
Art direction Shama Zaidi
- Mrigtrishna
Costume Design Shama Zaidi
- Haribhari 2000 / Colour / Hindi
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Script & Dialogues Shama Zaidi
A film on women’s empowerment made for the Ministry of Family Welfare.
- ZubeidaaZubeidaaZubeidaa is a 2001 Indian film directed by Shyam Benegal and written by Khalid Mohammed. It stars Karisma Kapoor, Rekha, Manoj Bajpai, Surekha Sikri, Rajit Kapoor, Lillete Dubey, Amrish Puri, Farida Jalal, and Shakti Kapoor...
2001/ Colour / Hindi
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Additional screenplay and dialogues Shama Zaidi
- Netaji 2002-04/ Colour/Hindi-English
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Script and Dialogues Shama Zaidi & Atul Tiwari
A film on the last years of Subhas Chandra Bose for Sahara Entertainment
- Chamki Chameli 2005-2006/ Colour/ Hindi
Direction Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal
Shyam Benegal is a prolific Indian director and screenwriter. With his first four feature films Ankur , Nishant Manthan and Bhumika he created a new genre, which has now come to be called the "middle cinema" in India although he himself has expressed dislike in the term preferring his work to...
; Screenplay and dialogues Shama Zaidi & Atul Tiwari
A film inspired by the 19th-century novella “Carmen
Carmen (novella)
"Carmen" is a novella by Prosper Mérimée, written and first published in 1845. It has been adapted into a number of dramatic works, including the famous opera by Georges Bizet.-Sources:...
” by Prosper Mérimée
Prosper Mérimée
Prosper Mérimée was a French dramatist, historian, archaeologist, and short story writer. He is perhaps best known for his novella Carmen, which became the basis of Bizet's opera Carmen.-Life:...
Short Films
- GHALIB 1969 / B&W / 22min
Direction M.S.Sathyu; Research & Script Shama Zaidi.
A documentary film on the life of Mirza Ghalib
Mirza Ghalib
Dabir-ul-Mulk, Najm-ud-Daula Mirza Asadullah Baig Khan , pen-name Ghalib and Asad , was a classical Urdu and Persian poet from India during British colonial rule...
through his own words taken from his letters, poetry, writings, etc.
- ISLAM IN INDIA 1982 / B&W / 120 min
Direction Shama Zaidi.
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.
- LUPIN 1992
Direction Benaifer Mallik; Script Shama Zaidi.
A short film on village adoption programme by the pharmaceutical company Lupin.
- LAMP IN THE NICHE 1994
Direction Girish Karnad; Script Shama Zaidi.
A short film on the Sufi heritage in India.
Have also scripted a number of documentaries on developmental projects for Shyam Benegal and other directors.
Television
Have either worked on Scripts, Screenplays, Dialogues, Costume Design or Art Direction for the following television productions -- BHARAT EK KHOJ (The Discovery of IndiaThe Discovery of IndiaThe Discovery of India was written by India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru during his imprisonment in 1942-1946 at Ahmednagar in the Ahmednagar Fort....
) a TV Series - Shyam Benegal (1989–90) based on Jawaharlal NehruJawaharlal NehruJawaharlal Nehru , often referred to with the epithet of Panditji, was an Indian statesman who became the first Prime Minister of independent India and became noted for his “neutralist” policies in foreign affairs. He was also one of the principal leaders of India’s independence movement in the...
's version of India's past and fictionalized into a 52 part television series. Principal writer cum editor (with Sunil Shanbag), Costume design and Art direction.
- KAYAR (Coir) a TV Series - M S SathyuM. S. SathyuMysore Shrinivas Sathyu is a leading film director, stage designer and art director from India. His film Garam Hawa is a film on the partition of India. He is a recipient of the Padma Shri in 1975.-Early life:Sathyu conducted his schooling and higher education at Mysore and Bangalore...
(1992)
Based on a part of the novel by Thakazi Shivshankara Pillai and turned into a TV serial by Babu Bhaskar and Shama Zaidi.
- YATRA (The Journey) a TV Series - Shyam Benegal (1988)
A television series based on two film journeys across the length and breadth of India. Written by Sunil Shanbag and Shama Zaidi.
- ANTIM RAJA (The Last Raja of Coorg) a TV Series - M S Sathyu (1986)
Based on a novel by Masti Venkatesh Iyengar and written for television by Shama Zaidi.
- SWARAJNAMA A TV Series - Girish KarnadGirish KarnadGirish Raghunath Karnad is a contemporary writer, playwright, screenwriter, actor and movie director in Kannada language...
. (1998)
- SANKRANTI A TV Series - Shyam Benegal (1998)
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