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Meenu Gaur

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Meenu Gaur
Gaur, in Alumna Series celebrating notable alumni at SOAS, University of London
Born
Meenu Gaur

Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Alma materLady Shri Ram College for Women
Jamia Millia Islamia
PhD, SOAS, University of London [1]
Occupation(s)Film Director, screenwriter and film scholar
Years active2007-present
Notable workZinda Bhaag
SpouseMazhar Zaidi

Meenu Gaur is a London-based British-Indian director and screenwriter. She is best known for her 2013 Pakistani film Zinda Bhaag which she co-wrote and co-directed with Farjab Nabi. The film was an entry to the foreign film category at the Oscars.[2] She is presently working on a feature film titled 'Barzakh:Between Heaven and Hell' supported by the Locarno International Film Festival's Open Doors Hub Programme.[3][4] She has also been part of Berlinale Talents and the NIPKOW film residency in Berlin, supported by Berlinale and Medienboard.[5][6] Recently, SOAS, University of London installed her portrait on the school walls as part of the Alumni Series that celebrates notable alumni.[7]

Early life

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Gaur was born in Kolkata.[8] After finishing her schooling, she moved to Delhi for higher education where she studied at Lady Shri Ram College and the Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia.[9]

Career

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Zinda Bhaag

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In 2013 Meenu co-directed a Pakistani film Zinda Bhaag, under the film production company Matteela Films. Meenu got immense praise from Pakistani film directors and critics for putting forward Pakistani cinema into limelight again.[10] 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[2][11] at 86th Academy Awards however was out of the competition for the final race.[12] Zinda Bhaag was only the third Pakistani film in 50 years to be submitted at the Oscars, after 1959's The Day Shall Dawn and 1963's The Veil. Zinda Bhaag earned her critical acclaim worldwide and was theatrically released in USA, UAE and Pakistan.[13][14][15][16] It was subsequently released on Netflix in 2015.[17]

Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam

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Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam is an Indian and Pakistani crime fiction drama original web series streaming on ZEE5.[18] It is created and directed by British-Indian director Meenu Gaur and written by Farjad Nabi and Meenu Gaur.[19] The series is produced by Hasan Raza Abidi and Shailja Kejriwal.[20] This six episode web series was released on 10 December 2021.[21] It stars Rubya Chaudhry, Sanam Saeed, Sarwat Gilani, Eman Suleman and Faiza Gillani in the lead roles.[22][23]

World on Fire

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In 2022, Meenu Gaur directed episodes on the second season of BBC's hit drama, World on Fire. The second series aired on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2023.[24]

Murder is Easy

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On February 22, 2023 it was announced that she would direct Murder is Easy, based on the classic novel by Agatha Christie. The show is being adapted by Sian Ejiwunmi-Le Berre, produced by Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Limited for BBC One and iPlayer, with BritBox International.[25]

Filmography and awards

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Year Film Awards
2013 Zinda Bhaag Won:Jury Award at Festival du Film d’Asie du Sud Transgressif (FFAST) in Paris (shared with Farjad Nabi)[26]
Won: ARY Film Award for Best Story (shared with Farjad Nabi)
Won: ARY Film Award for Best Film (shared with Farjad Nabi & Mazhar Zaidi)[27]
Won: Lux Style Award for Best Director (shared with Farjad Nabi)
Won: MISAFF Canada Award for Best Film (shared with Farjad Nabi)[28]
Won: Jaipur International Film festival, Special Jury Award (shared with Farjad Nabi)[29]
2022 Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam Won:Asian Academy Creative Awards in Singapore[30]

References

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  1. ^ "Completed PhD Thesis 2009-2010=SOAS". Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Pakistan sends official entry to Oscars after 50 years". Arab News. 5 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  3. ^ Naman Ramachandran (2 August 2017). "Locarno: Indian Thespian Naseeruddin Shah in Final Talks for 'Barzakh' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  4. ^ Louise Tutt (1 August 2017). "Locarno Festival 2017 highlights eight upcoming South Asian projects". Screen Daily. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  5. ^ Meenakshi Shedde (9 February 2018). "Berlin Film Festival 2018: Q's Garbage, Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs, Matangi/Maya/M.I.A and other highlights". Firstpost. Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Nipkow Residency Participants". Retrieved 8 December 2018.
  7. ^ "SOAS Notable Alumni". SOAS. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Pak directors congratulated me for 'Zinda Bhaag': Meenu Gaur". Business Standard. 28 November 2013. Archived from the original on 2 March 2023. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  9. ^ "Kolkata-born Meenu Gaur on her desi noir series". The Telegraph. 14 December 2021. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
  10. ^ Panaji (28 November 2013). "Pak Directors Congratulate Meenu for her Success". Business Standard. Retrieved 8 August 2014.
  11. ^ "The Pakistani Academy Selection committee nominates Zinda Bhaag for Oscar consideration". Apnahub. Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  12. ^ "Pakistani film 'Zinda Bhaag' out of Oscar race". Tribune. 21 December 2013. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  13. ^ "Zinda Bhaag to release in the US October 18". Tribune. 3 October 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  14. ^ Ahmed, Shoaib (31 August 2013). "'Zinda Bhaag' release delayed". DAWN. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  15. ^ Mahmood, Rafay (30 August 2013). "Did you know?: Zinda Bhaag gets delayed till September 20". Tribune. Retrieved 21 December 2013.
  16. ^ "Zinda Bhaag coming to the UAE". Gulf News. 29 October 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
  17. ^ "Zinda Bhaag and Netflix". Dawn News. 4 January 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2019.
  18. ^ "ZEE5 और जिंदगी ने किया वेब सीरीज 'कातिल हसीनाओं के नाम' का एलान, 'जिंदगी गुलजार है' एक्ट्रेस सनम सईद मुख्य स्टार कास्ट का हिस्सा". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  19. ^ Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam Season 1 Review: A slow-burning dark thriller with killer ladies from across the border, retrieved 29 December 2021
  20. ^ "ZEE5- जिंदगी पर रिलीज होगी सीरीज 'कातिल हसीनाओं के नाम', Pak कलाकारों का दिखेगा बेबाक अंदाज". Aaj Tak (in Hindi). Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  21. ^ "Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam review: Thought-provoking feminist noir". The Indian Express. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  22. ^ "जी5 की नई वेब सीरीज 'कातिल हसीनाओं के नाम' में दिखेंगी कई पाकिस्तानी अभिनेत्रियां, जारी हुआ ट्रेलर". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  23. ^ Lodhi, Rida (22 December 2021). "'There will be blood'". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  24. ^ "Filming begins on series two of World On Fire". 14 July 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  25. ^ "BBC One and iPlayer announce Murder is Easy, based on the classic novel by Agatha Christie". BBC. Retrieved 4 March 2023.
  26. ^ "'Zinda Bhaag' wins award in Paris". Dawn. 15 February 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  27. ^ "Complete winners list first ARY film awards". pakium. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  28. ^ "Did you Know? Zinda Bhaag wins four awards in Canada". Express Tribune. 19 August 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  29. ^ "Zinda Bhaag wins "Special Jury Award"". Dawn. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  30. ^ Images Staff (28 February 2023). "Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam starring Sarwat Gilani Eman Suleman and Samiya Mumtaz wins Asian Academy Creative Award". Retrieved 1 March 2023.
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