Saji Gul

Saji Gul is a Pakistani screenwriter. Gul's name is counted amongst the most sought after screenwriters of modern times. He is also a Secretary General at Screenwriters Association of Pakistan. Almost all of his work earned him huge critical acclaim. Gul has been nominated twice for Lux Style Awards#Lux Style Award for Best Television Writer|Lux Style Award for Best Television Writer.
Gul's stories revolving around child psychology, physical abnormalities, paranormal happenings, feminism and sexism. Gul made his debut as screenwriter by penning the script of physiological thriller Sannat (2013) which earned Lux Style Award nomination and went on to receive praise for his writings including social romantic O Rangreza (2017), which also earned him another Lux Style Award nomination as a writer and critical acclaim, 
socially relevant Ibn-e-Hawwa (2022) and dark romantic Mrs. & Mr. Shameem (2022).
== Education ==
Saji Gul is completed his Bachelor's degree in Communication design|Communication Design in the year 2022 from National College of Arts, Lahore. According to Saji Gul about his experience in NCA, "National College of Arts Lahore nurtured my artistic skills as well as provided me with an open platform where I could express myself with full freedom. I was enrolled as a student of Communication Design but in four years at NCA campus I acquired skill and knowledge of many field of Arts i.e. sculpture, Textile|textiles, photography, Performing arts|performing Arts etc. I specially venerate NCA for her contribution in my life as a Guru of Theatre. I learned various techniques of theatre from my seniors. As in NCA Theatre groups are autonomously run by students themselves, my capacity as a self learner, an experimenter and a group Leader increased significantly. I founded a fusion theatre group entitled as ALIF ADAAB based on the concept of promoting Urdu Literature with the blend of various art movements and modern techniques of World's Theatre (e.g. expressionism, surrealism, Mime artist|mime, Shadow play|shadow, puppetry, multimedia, Improvisation|extempore theatre etc)."
== Family ==
Saji Gul got married in 2009 to Shamsa Sajjad Gul. He is a father of two kids Shees Sajjad Gul and Shaireen Sajjad Gul. 
His son, Shees Sajjad Gul starred in Pakistan's most popular drama Meray Paas Tum which made him won Lux Style Awards 2020 for Best Emerging Talent.
== Early Work and Career ==
Saji Gul is the founder and pioneer of Alif Adaab NCA theatre. He directed Alif Adaab's theatre plays like Qalam Syahi aur Manto, Ghaddaar and Nikki - which became most popular among the theatre lovers at Alhamra Arts Council|Alhamra Arts council and Alhamra Cultural Complex, Lahore. The success of these plays made Alif Adaab have made NCA's prominent theatre society.
After graduation, in 2003, he worked wrote screenplays for Sarmad Khoosat directed, Tamasha Ghar. The first series of Tele-films for Television "TAMASHA GHAR" in 2003 based on themes dealing with subconscious desires and fears (inspired by Freudian school of psychology). About Tamasha Ghar Saji Gul says: "My director (Sarmad Khoosat) and I worked hard especially on the screenplay and created the ambiance of Impressionism. It proved successful and I gained repute in Media circle. After Tamasha Ghar I have written many Tele-films for Major TV channels of Pakistan (e.g. GEO TV, ARY, INDUS TV, HUM TV etc) on themes like Woman Rights and psychological conflicts etc."In early works of Saji Gul includes many series, Television film|telefilms such as Patriyan, Rakhna in series Qisson ki Chaddar on Hum TV 2009, "MATTI KA QARZ"& "ADA E SARFAROSHI" in series Faseel-e-Jaan Se Aagay|FASEEL E JAAN SE AGAY (PTV Home) for Inter-Services Public Relations 2011, Katvichat on ARY Digital
== Breakthrough ==
After screenwriting for the unique and powerful dramas like Saba Qamar, Sajal Aly|Sajal Ali starrer Sannata and ILtija, O' Rungreza was the major hit in 2017. O Rangreza|O'Rungreza was produced and on-aired by Hum TV|Hum Tv - which starred Sajal Ali and Bilal Abbas Khan. In the five years from 2017 - 2022, Saji Gul penned the highly-rated and liked dramas like Ibn-e-Hawwa, Dour, O Rangreza and Iltija. 
=== Work as Lyricist ===
Saji has written OSTs of O Rangreza, Dar Si Jaati Hai Sila|Dar Si Jati hai Sila, Nazr-e-Bad|Nazr e Bad, Parchayee and OST of O Rangreza which made him won Best OST at Hum Awards|HUM TV Awards 2018 
=== Coke Studio ===
He has written the Song Rangrez for Coke Studio (Pakistani season 10)|Coke Studio Season 10 which is sung by famous List of Pakistani musicians|Pakistani singer and Qawwali|qawal Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. 
=== Collaboration with Kashif Nisar as a Screenwriter ===
Kashif Nisar Urdu: کاشف نثار) is a Pakistani television director, Television producer|producer and screenwriter, who directed the artistic, dark, complex stories penned by Saji Gul which includes Sannata, O Rungreza, and Mr. and Mrs. Shameem
=== O' Rungreza Development ===
Sassi is played by Pakistan's celebrated actor Sajal Ali. O' Rungreza established Sajal as a leading actress in Pakistan.
Sassi's character written by Saji Gul was developed in writer's college years:In my thesis years, when I was studying at NCA, I had written a piece like this with four blocks. It charts the story of a girl who tries to become what her father loves, but her father does not accept her in that role. She tries to become what her brother approves in women but she realises, again, that her brother chooses a different standard for another woman, say his girlfriend, and a different standard for his own sister.
The same cycle repeats with her husband and her son. While I’m talking to you, though, something just occurred to me. I realised that I may have also based Sassi on a woman about whom I had heard – she wanted to learn kathak and she wasn’t able to. Her father had disapproved, her brothers had disapproved of her dancing and when she got married, her husband and children had also disapproved. So when she was sixty, she began dancing.
== Work ==
* Sannata
* Ilteja
* Piyari Bittu
* O Rangreza
* Shameless Proposals
* Dour (TV serial)|Dour
* Hangor S-131
* Ibn-e-Hawwa
* Badshah Begum (TV series)|Badshah Begum
* Mrs. & Mr. Shameem
== Honors and Awards ==
* Best Writer Nomination for O Rangreza in Hum TV AWARDS 2018
* Best Writer Nomination for ILTEJA in ARY Digital Social Media Awards 2017
* Best Writer Nomination for Serial Sannata in Lux Style Awards 2015
* Best Producer for Children Programmes 2009 in Pakistan Television|PTV AWARDS 
* Best Producer for Children Programmes 2009 Asian Broadcasting Union Awards 
* Best Producer for Children Rights Awareness 2009 SPARC ALL PAKISTAN MEDIA AWARD 
* Best Director Excellence Award for Theatre from National College of Arts Award 2002 
* Saadat Hasan Manto|Saadat Hassan Manto Award for Literature and Theatre on NCA convocation 2005
* Best OST award (lyricist) for O Rangreza in Hum Tv Awards
Category:Pakistani people
Category:Pakistani screenwriters