Siraj Syed

Siraj Hashim Syed, also known as Siraj Syed, is the Indian Correspondent for Filfestivals.com and a member of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI). He has been a film critic since 1969 and a Feature-writer since 1970. Siraj Syed also works as an acting and dialogue coach, broadcaster, compere, copywriter, PRO, editor, lecturer, and toastmaster.

He was born to Syed Hashim Husain Rizvi and Ruqaiya Sultan Begum. He completed his secondary education at Bharda New High School. After 12^th, he pursued a Bachelor in Science and Technology (1967-72) and a Bachelor of Laws (1977-80) from the University of Mumbai. He has also earned a diploma in cinema, advertising and marketing, French and Persian, and studied Arabic and Bengali as well. He has learned video production, film appreciation, and mass communication and has certificates in all these fields.

During his college days, Siraj explored various fields like compering, mimicry, speaking for radio, and many more. AIR's Urdu service selected him as the first announcer for them and he became the first male newsreader on Bombay Doordarshan. In 1972, Ameen Sayani Ameen Sayani was born on 21st December, 1932 in Mu >> Read More... invited him to join his production team, where Siraj produced thousands of radio programs and advertisements. Later, he started paying more attention to acting on television and wrote over 6100 articles for around 250 publications. He also held editorial positions in various publications and edited India’s first monthly magazine, Playback.

In 1996, he joined ESPN TV and set up a Hindi-language sports channel in Singapore, for satellite TV audiences in India. He stayed for the next seven years in Singapore and worked as Chief Copywriter and Senior Editor in a local Singapore Company and then, he came back to Mumbai, India. Mass media was a popular course at the University of Mumbai at that time, so Siraj started teaching it in 1984. He also teaches acting and diction, freelances as a copywriter, writes scripts for radio-TV-video, attends film fests regularly and serves on their Juries, and acts as a master of ceremonies at various events.

He has also worked in prominent movies like Anamika (1973), Jo Jeeta Wo Sikander (1992), Bollywood (1994), Chor aur Chandni (1993), Netraheen Sakshi (1991), Dulha Bikta Hai (1982), and many more. Siraj has served on the Juries of the Dhaka International Film Festival, the Bengaluru Fil Festival, the Diorama International Film Festival, and the Aurangabad International Film Festival. In 2008, The President of Italy honored him with the Order of the Star of Solidarity with Italy (OSSI).