FOUNDER & CEO | QISSA' GO. instagram.com/qissagofficial | qissago.substack.com
Work involves conceptualisation, curation, production and direction of, writing for, and acting in different independent productions, commissioning performances, and organising a campaign on Climate Crisis in South Asia, Open-Mic Sessions focused on all eight countries, pitching sessions, dramatic reading sessions and workshops.
Aug 2025: Zartaar (Online) - Launched a living archive made for and by the people of South Asia.
May 2025: Tarikh Gawah Hai (Bayt Al Mamzar, Dubai) - An intimate evening of theatrical storytelling about The Grand Trunk Road with live music, a delectable meal, and a conversation.
Feb 2022: Emirates Airline Festival of Literature (Habhtoor, Dubai) - Poetry and Musical performances.
Jan 2020: Sustainability Round table (Wyndham Garden, Ajman) - Discussion with Sustainability leaders for the Climate Crisis, in collaboration with Wyndham Garden Ajman.
Dec 2019: Series of 5 events in 3 locations, over 3 days (Dubai) - A Listening Party with Theatrical performances, a Film Screening (Al Serkal Ave, Dubai); a Qawwali Night Concert, Sound and Storytelling workshop, semi-curated Open Mic (Nasab, Dubai).
Apr 2019: Gang-i-Shakr (Al Serkal Ave and Jameel Arts Centre, Dubai) - An original theatrical play about the Climate Crisis.
Oct 2018: Acting Workshop (Ketli Cafe, Dubai) - Beginner and intermediate level.
Sep 2018: Open Mic (Ketli Cafe, Dubai) - Exploring Sexism in South Asian Literature.
Aug 2018: Open Mic (The JamJar, Dubai) - Performing Hidden Gems / Lesser known Literary Works from South Asia.
May 2018: Tribute to Patras Bukhari (Al Serkal Ave) - a theatrical rendition of Patras’ essay Cinema ka Ishq and Iqbal’s poem Aik Falsafazada Syedzaday ke Naam.
Apr 2018: Open Mic (Park House Marasi, Dubai) - Exploring South Asian Literary Works in the Punjabi Language.
Apr 2018: Shanaakht (Park House Marasi, Dubai) - a curated set of Theatrical performances of original plays, renditions of poems, dramatic readings.
Mar 2018: Open Mic (Park House Marasi, Dubai) - Exploring the Urdu figures of the Progressive Writers’ Movement.
Mar 2018: Emirates Airline Festival of Literature (Festival City, Dubai) - Theatrical rendition in Urdu and English translation of Saadat Hassan Manto’s Toba Tek Singh.
Nov 2017: Rang (Al Serkal Ave, Dubai) - Theatrical renditions of a set of poems, weaved using a themed narrative.
Dec 2016: First Showcase (Jumeirah Park, Dubai) - Theatrical renditions of poems, original plays, dramatic readings of original writings.
Oct 2016: Founded Qissa’ Go (Dubai) - A theatre company with a focus on celebrating, promoting and preserving South Asian languages and literature.
FOUNDER & CEO | ALEPH COLLECTIVE alephcollective.com
2026: Aleph - A Caravanserai for South Asia & the Muslim World - A travelling festival that commenced in Dec 2019 as a pop-up weekend in Dubai, with programming in Al Serkal Avenue and Nasab Dubai, and is now working towards the main event.
2016: Daira (Al Serkal Ave, Dubai) - A one-day event to raise awareness about the global refugee crisis. Film screenings, poetry, artwork, and a discussion with the doctors working in the camps of Greece and France.
2014: Baat Karain (Dubai) - An online campaign to bring Indians and Pakistanis closer by getting them to converse with each other.
2013: Power of a Word (Sikka Art Fair, Al Fahidi Historical District, Dubai) - Panel discussion, music, theatre, spoken word & documentary film celebrating the power of words.
JUNIOR PRODUCER - DOCUMENTARY | IMAGENATION ABUDHABI imagenationabudhabi.com
2015-2016:
Development - Project on Refugee Crisis; Under the creative direction of acclaimed filmmaker, Tom Roberts
Social Action Campaign - He Named Me Malala
Interviewed Malala and Ziauddin Yousufzai for social media, arranged a private screening for the Pakistani diaspora, community outreach at a labour camp screening, reviewed & proofread all Urdu translation materials, and provided recommendations on how the campaign can be taken to Pakistan, which was then forwarded to the Malala Fund.
Direction - Lest We Forget initiative (Salama Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan Foundation).
Two short films for the oral history archive.
Development - Documentary projects
Research focused on the climate crisis, elderly in Emirati society, and two TV-show concepts for Quest Arabiya.
DIRECTOR & PRODUCER - THE ABSENTEES | ARAB FILM STUDIO - IMAGENATION ABUDHABI imagenationabudhabi.com
2014-2015: The Absentees; a short documentary film made on the story of a Rohingya refugee in exile in the UAE. https://vimeo.com/166186787
World Premiere, DOC NYC Fest in 2015 (New York, USA).
Official selection, Silk Road Film Festival 2016 (Ireland).
Fear No Film Festival 2016 (Salt Lake City, USA).
Beirut International Film Festival 2016 (Beirut, Lebanon).
Let's All Be Free Film Festival 2016 (London, UK).
MESA Film Festival 2016 (Boston, USA).
Shortlist for Visions Du Reel (Nyon, Switzerland)
2019: INTERVIEWER AND EMCEE | OWN A BRICK - PAKISTAN ASSOCIATION DUBAI
Hosted a fundraising event for the construction of Pakistan Medical Centre under the patronage of the association.
Anwar Maqsood, the legendary satirist and a playwright from Pakistan was its chief guest.
Conducted a special segment interviewing him along with emceeing the rest of the show.
2016: WRITER AND DEVELOPER SPONSORSHIP PROPOSAL | POETIC STROKES
2013: FIELD RESEARCHER DOCUMENTARY PROJECT BY YANN ARTHUS BERTRAND | VERITAS FILMS
2012: FACILITATOR | CONNECT PROGRAM, SOLIYA
Online Facilitator for an 8 week, Peace & Conflict Resolution program, with selected university students from the Muslim world and the West. Soliya is a lead implementing partner of UNAOC.
2006/07/08/09/11: PROGRAMME ADMINISTRATION ASSOCIATE | DUBAI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Started as a volunteer and then progressed to an Inside Theatre Rep as well as a Programme Administration Associate.
2007: PRODUCTION ASSOCIATE | MERAY MUTABIQ - GEO TV
Production Associate for a current affairs show, which hosted guests such as Imran Khan (current PM of Pakistan), Journalist Rahimullah Yousafzai, Late Benazir Bhutto, and Nawaz Sharif.
Researched for the international media segment on a weekly basis as well as other special documentary projects. Coordinated travel arrangements for incoming show guests, handled production-related logistics, typed transcripts in Urdu, and was part of the team for a two-hour Pakistan & India independence special between news channels, GEO TV and NDTV.
INTERNSHIPS
2012: Namshi - Public Relations Executive
2010-2011: Herald Magazine (DAWN) - Writer
2009: Citizens Archive of Pakistan - Oral History Project + Media Coordinator at Shanaakht Festival.
2003: ARY Digital Network - Writer, Interviewer, Researcher
2002: CNN Middle East - Writer, Researcher
HONOURS AND AWARDS
2020: FORSA fellowship Cohort Member: A professional learning program for UAE-based artists and creative practitioners. NAQD in collaboration with Sharjah Art Foundation.
2015: Best Cinematography, Short Documentary Film, The Absentees. Arab Film Studio, ImageNation Abu Dhabi
2014: National Arts Strategies Foundation Creative Community Fellowship.
2014: LAMDA - Duologue, Level 2 Acting; Combined Grade 5 + Group Acting; Grade 5.
EDUCATION
2004-2009: University of Southern Queensland - Journalism AND Communication & Media Studies (Bachelor of Arts)
2003-2004: GCE A levels in English as an Advanced Language, Government & Politics
LANGUAGES
URDU Native
HINDI Fluent
ENGLISH Fluent
PUNJABI Conversational
ARABIC Basic