Annie Zaidi

Zaidi obtained her B.A. degree from Sophia College in Ajmer. After her graduation, she joined the journalism course at Xavier Institute of Communications in Mumbai.

She was born in Allahabad. She and her older brother were brought up by their mother Yasmin Zaidi, a school teacher and principal. Her maternal grandfather is Padma Shri laureate Urdu writer and scholar Ali Jawad Zaidi. She currently resides in Mumbai.

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. Noted journalist and author P. Sainath said of the book: "It is the quality of the story-telling that grips you. A beautifully written book".[5]

A collection of short stories, The Good Indian Girl, was co-authored along with Smriti Ravindra and published by Zubaan Books in 2011. 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 magazine named Zaidi one of the emerging South Asian writers "whose writing we believe will enrich South Asian literature".[6] In 2015, Zaidi published an anthology called Unbound: 2,000 Years of Indian Women's Writing.[7][8]

Annie's play "Untitled-1" won her The Hindu Playwright Award 2018.[3]

Her play Jaal[9][10] opened at Prithvi Theatre in January 2012 as part of Writers Bloc:3,[11] a drama festival in Mumbai.[12]

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 prestigious META awards.[13][14] 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.[15][16][17][18]

A radio play, Jam, was the regional (South Asia) winner for the BBC's International Playwriting Competition 2011.[19]

Zaidi also directed some short movies such as Ek red colour ki love story, which is a poetic movie, and a suspense thriller Ek Bahut Chhoti si Love Story.[20]

In 2016, she directed the short film Decibel that was part of Shor Se Shuruaat,[21] an omnibus of seven short films. She was mentored by film-maker Sriram Raghavan during the making of the movie.[22]

Zaidi started her career as a journalist. She has had stints with leading newspapers and magazines such as Mid-Day and Frontline. She has written for several publications including Caravan, Open, The Hindu, Elle, Forbes India, Femina, Marie Claire, Tehelka and the Deccan Herald.

She also wrote a weekly column for DNA (Daily News and Analysis) between 2011 and 2013.

Zaidi currently writes a column for The Hindu and teaches journalism at the OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat.[23]