Pakistani Short/Drama
ramz
After the sudden closure of his bookstore, Saleem Sahab, an aging bookseller whose life has long revolved around the written word, finds himself adrift and disheartened. With nothing left tying him to the city, he returns to his quiet hometown village, carrying with him a sense of loss and fading purpose.
In the stillness of rural life, Saleem struggles to reconnect with a world that feels distant from the one he once knew. That is, until he meets a bright and curious young girl with an insatiable desire to read and write. Despite limited resources, her determination and wonder remind Saleem of the magic he once found in books.
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Directed by
Daniyal Najam
Starring
Amir Naqvi
Ayesha Zuberi
Shazad Jilali
Waqar Naeem
language
Urdu
FILMED IN
Karachi, Pakistan
director’s take
Why “zarda”
“Zarda here in our context is usually a celebratory dish, and the way I made this film, I wanted to celebrate the human spirit of life, and fighting back with your circumstances. That’s how I view Shella. No matter where she is, and no matter how hard things get around her, there is this spark of life which I wanted to celebrate through this film! And of course the fact that it’s colored rice just adds a bit more to the general theme of the film. That’s where ‘Zarda’ came from.”
JOJA’S TAKE
The parda in “ZarDa”
“While Shella doesn’t disclose the reason for leaving the house at what seems like an unexplained impulse to leave, her purpose for doing so is intentional. It turns out that Shella does not just freelance while waiting for the bus after school, but she has a job at a salon (where she speaks Urdu).”
trailer
About the Director
Daniyal Najam is an independent filmmaker born and raised in Malir, Karachi, where his early life shaped his deep connection to everyday human stories. Coming from a modest background, he developed a strong passion for storytelling and a fascination with the art of filmmaking from a young age.
He pursued this passion at Iqra University, where he studied Film and Television. Over four years, Daniyal immersed himself in a wide range of projects across multiple film departments, gaining hands-on experience that sharpened both his technical skills and his practical, problem-solving approach to filmmaking. For his final-year thesis, he wrote, directed, and produced the short film Ramz, a project that took a year to complete and went on to receive recognition at international and local film festivals.
After graduating, Daniyal directed music videos for independent hip-hop artists in Karachi, staying closely connected to the city’s evolving cultural landscape. He also collaborated with Germany-based ethnographic filmmaker Hassan Amin on an anthropological documentary exploring Karachi’s hip-hop scene, further deepening his interest in stories rooted in real communities.
Daniyal is currently based in London, where he is studying at Raindance Film School and developing his first feature film. His work continues to be driven by a desire to tell authentic, human stories, particularly those reflecting the lives of ordinary people. While he is expanding his craft internationally, his long-term goal remains to return to Karachi and contribute to its film landscape through meaningful storytelling.
Beyond filmmaking, Daniyal is also a stand-up comedian and regularly performs in London, using humor as another medium to explore human experiences and connect with audiences.
With a strong visual sensibility, technical grounding, and unwavering determination, Daniyal Najam is an emerging voice in independent cinema, committed to telling stories that resonate with honesty and depth.
