Farjad Nabi


Farjad Nabi is a Pakistani film producer, director, cinematographer and documentary maker. He rose to prominence in 1999, when his film No One Believes the Professor won the best film at the Kathmandu International Mountain Film Festival. He is best known for co-directing the 2013 Pakistani film Zinda Bhaag, which earned him international recognition and accolades including, along with Meenu Gaur, the ARY Film Award for Best Director at the 1st ARY Film Awards.

Personal life

Farjad was born to Muslim parents in 1969 in Lahore, Pakistan.

Work and career

Nabi is a Lahore-based director who has directed award-winning documentaries including Nusrat has Left the Building… But When? and No One Believes the Professor. He has also documented the work of Lahore film industry's last poster artist in The Final Touch. Nabi has produced and presented a musical documentary on interior Sindh called Aaj ka Beejal for BBCUrdu. Since then he has been recording the dying breed of gallivants in the Lahore region. His Punjabi stage plays Annhi Chunni di Tikki and Jeebho Jani di Kahani has been recently staged and published. He is presently working on a documentary film and monograph along with Meenu Gaur on the Lahore film industry also known as Lollywood.

''Zinda Bhaag''

In 2013 Farjad co-directed Zinda Bhaag with Meenu Gaur, Under Meenu's husband Mazhar Zaidi's film production Matteela Films which earned him a critical acclaimed and recognition in film world. In an interview he describe the inspiration of film: "When we heard stories shared by friends and family members who had risked everything to do the 'dunky,' we were fascinated by these stories; , one question still rankled in us. It was, “Why do men risk their lives to do the 'dunky'?" Our research had dispelled the notion that it is a pure economic question. The truth is there is no one answer. Men do want to change their lives overnight, especially young men who find all legitimate doors closed for them. At the same time, it is almost a tradition which has been followed through generations. further adding he said, "Meenu and I have been collaborating on many projects. We have done documentaries, music videos and scripts together. Right now we have a couple of documentaries we want to finish. One is called The Ghost of Maula Jutt, which is about the rise and decay of Lollywood."
Zinda Bhaag became one of the highest-grossing of Pakistan and has won many accolades and recognition including an official selection for Best Foreign Language Film at 86th Academy Awards however was out of the competition for the final race. Zinda Bhaag was only the third Pakistani film in 50 years to get recognition at the Oscars, after 1959's The Day Shall Dawn and 1963's The Veil.

Filmography

YearFilmNotes
1997Nusrat Has Left the Building... But When?Director and writer ; documentary short
Won: Best Documentary at First Kara Film Festival
1999No One Believes the ProfessorDirector and cinematographer ; documentary short
1999Voices of Dissent: A Dance of PassionCo-producer ; short
2000Yeh Hui Na Mardon Wali BaatDirector ; documentary short
2000Cricket Lives in LahoreDirector ; documentary short
2013Zinda BhaagCo-director and co-writer ; first feature film
Won: ARY Film Award for Best Story
Nom: ARY Film Award for Best Director
2016Jeewan HathiCo-director
20187 Din Mohabbat InCo-director