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aking her singing debut alongside her father and leg- our in itself. Being a star kid comes with its own gains and losses music video Nakhun, that experience put everything into place
endary singer Sajjad Ali, Zaw Ali is the spitting image and Zaw has had a taste of both. Is it difficult being Sajjad Ali’s for me,” she says about her directorial debut which got nominat-
m of her father both in her demeanour and extraordinary daughter? I ask. “It’s really not that hard, to be honest,” she re- ed for a local award ceremony earlier this year.
talent. Pakistani music lovers were all praises for the young torts. “Yes, there is always a bit of a pressure and you are always “The feeling of combining my love for music and my passion
songstress as soon as her debut song surfaced. Her ethereal voice aware of the proverbial spotlight in public. It just boils down to for film together gave me an indescribable high. It suddenly be-
and commendable vocal range bewitched the audiences. maintaining quality and staying true to one’s self by portraying came perfect art to me – combining sound and visual art to create
“It has to be one of the most emotional things I have ever had a genuine image like my father has done all his life,” affirms the something beautiful,” she reveals her moment of epiphany.
to do in my life,” she says about debuting with her father. “Ev- daughter who is following into her father’s footsteps. As for music, her father bequeathed her with his insurmount-
eryone kept asking me if I was nervous singing next to him but Despite their achievements and hard work, star kids are able talent and knowledge. “I grew up with music from around
I wouldn’t say I was nervous because it was comforting, since mostly seen in the shadow of their famous parents. Does she fear the world covering pretty much every genre, from Western to
he was standing right next to me and kept telling me to just go being dubbed as ‘Sajjad Ali’s Daughter’ for the rest of her life? Eastern classical and almost every major language. As a singer/
ahead and have fun,” she says about her first-ever appearance on I enquire. “Why would one fear such a huge blessing? Being songwriter, I have been blessed to have a guideline in the form of
the mainstream media and mentions how the father-daughter duo ‘Sajjad Ali’s daughter’ is a fact. One that I will always wear as a our family library which consists of classic audio records, world
“had a phenomenal time.” badge of honour,” she says with pride. cinema and the essentials of literature from Meer to Jaun Elia and
Performing next to one’s father-cum-mentor is not as easy Growing up with the powerhouse of music, Zaw’s childhood Alf Leilah, Masnavi to Shahabnama. It has everything to nourish
as it may sound. “The massive responsibility of living up to my was “artistically rich with lots of artistic and intellectual gather- an artistic soul,” says the artiste who strongly feels that knowl-
forefathers’ and his name had me freaked out pretty bad,” she ings” and she was trained for the entertainment industry early edge has a key role to play in a singer/songwriter’s journey.
confesses. “I’m absolutely honoured that he trusted me with this. on in her life. “I grew up either on sets where my dad would be The multi-talented artiste not only appreciates the artistic up-
Thank goodness, I managed to get through the takes without shooting his music videos or in the recording studio. As a kid, I bringing that she has received but is also extremely fond of her
breaking down since it’s such an emotional track,” she says about always had a camera in my hand and was filming everything and family and enjoys a warm relationship with them. “Being the first
her debut song Ronay Na Diya. anything and was also doing editing work pretty early on,” thus grandchild of the family, I have enjoyed an amazing relationship
“One day my dad caught me singing Begum Akhtar Sahiba’s her inclination towards film-making and singing. with my Dada ji and Dadi amma. When I was two or three, I used
ghazal. I had just discovered her and got addicted to that track. “My training for both film and music began at home at a very to go on long walks with my Dada ji to the beach every single
He was rather surprised at me listening to classical music, so young age and I have my father to thank for it. I owe most of my day,” she says with a smile.
he decided that the young generation needs to be reacquainted film education to my father who introduced me to cinema at a “Dad and I are pretty much best friends,” she laughs. “My
with the legendary singer and the ‘angg’ of my own forefathers very early age,” says the film-maker who has learned from the siblings and I have a very easy-going relationship with both my
through someone from their own generation,” she tells us how works of Melies, Fritz Lang, Ozu, Eisentein, Satyajit Ray, Kuro- parents since that’s how they’ve been with their parents. Our
the Coke Studio hit came into being. “Both of us started planning sawa, Bergman, Andrei Tarkovsky, Fellini, Antonioni, Truffaut, discussions vary from philosophical to down-right hilarious.
on how to design the song. When Strings heard my voice, they Oliver Stone, Kubrik, Spielberg, Edgar Wright, and many other From my grandparents to the youngest cousins, everyone has a
really liked it and we took it from there.” masters of the art. Her obsession and knowledge for cinema and top-notch sense of humour. When the whole family gets togeth-
How did she deal with her instant moment of fame? I enquire. films landed her a writing job soon after she finished her A-Lev- er, no matter the age difference, it always seems like we are all
“I’m still processing all the love that the audience and our indus- els. “I became a film journalist and critic where I got to present friends,” she gushes about her family members.
try have been sending my way. I truly couldn’t have imagined a my critique on world cinema, write scripts for corporate videos Zaw, who transitioned from a film-journo to a film-maker
warmer welcome than this. There were ninjas cutting onions the and interview A-list celebrities from around the world,” says the and now a singer, takes inspiration from her father. “I’ve always
entire first day,” jokes the artiste who is “beyond humbled” for journalist who has interviewed celebrities like Amitabh Bach- seen him donning different hats, be it as a director, writer, poet,
the appreciation she has been receiving so far. chan, Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika composer, actor, philosopher and intellectual, so he’s the ulti-
“Right after the song aired for the first time, phone calls and Padukone, Jawed Sheikh, Ali Zafar, Humayun Saeed, Pixar’s mate inspiration,” says the doting daughter. Apart from the living
messages from other artistes started pouring in. My social media co-founder Dr. Alvy Ray Smith, Stephen Lang, Andy Serkis and legend, Zaw seeks inspiration from “good books, conversations
blew up. I have been told that I was even trending on Twitter for a Palestinian actor Ali Suliman to name a few. with strangers, music and travel,” she gives us the ‘cheesiest an-
couple of days,” she says. While all the messages and comments “When I was approached to do my first directorial project, I swer’. The ‘introverted extrovert’ lives her life by this African
are precious for the budding star, there is one that is close to her went up to my boss the very next day and handed him my resig- proverb: You never stop learning until there’s soil in your ears.
heart. “It was when the legendary ghazal singer, Ghulam Ali sa- nation letter. You should have seen the look of shock and amaze- She loves food, roller coasters and coffee, and her hobbies in-
hab called me up to congratulate me and told me that my voice ment on his face,” she reminisces. “I felt terrible but I also felt it clude reading, photography, binge-watching TV series and plan-
reminded him of Barkat Ali Khan sahab,” which is a great hon- was the right time for me to grow. When I directed my very first ning movie marathons.
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