Shajee Hasan always had an eye for the dramatic play of light and shadow. His journey with the camera began not on film sets, but out on the lively streets of Karachi. Through street photography, he discovered the soul of the city’s energy, its texture, and the rhythm of its people. That raw understanding of Karachi became the foundation of his visual style. Years later, when he shot the feature film Nayab, that same essence of the city came alive on screen, captured in a way that felt both real and deeply emotional.
Over the years, his work has crossed borders and genres. He has collaborated with celebrated international filmmakers including Anurag Kashyap from India and Adam Obaid from the Middle East. These experiences exposed him to diverse storytelling cultures and refined his eye for detail. Each project added something new to his craft and helped him grow as a storyteller through the lens.
Exploring Stories Through Films
Before stepping into feature films, Shajee built his foundation in visual storytelling through a series of short narrative projects. Early films such as Vicky, Jhoolay Laal, Amritsar and Jalebi allowed him to experiment freely with tone, light and narrative rhythm. During his university years, he also worked on several large-scale thesis projects, where he learned how framing can shift meaning, how light can carry emotion and how even the slightest camera movement can shape the mood of a scene. These formative experiences sharpened his instincts and prepared him for the demands of the larger screen.
As he continued to grow, Shajee moved toward longer narrative formats, eventually working on the film Jugnu, produced by Jamshed (Jami) and directed by Ali Abbas. This project added another meaningful layer to his journey, showing his ability to handle emotional depth while keeping the story accessible and engaging for the audience.
The Breakthrough with Nayab
Shajee’s turning point came with Nayab, a feature film released in 2024 and directed by Umair Nasir Ali. The story follows a young woman from Karachi who dreams of playing cricket for the national team while facing challenges that test her determination and courage. For Shajee, the task was to make Karachi feel alive. Having spent years photographing its streets, he understood the city not as a backdrop but as a living character in the narrative. The film was shot entirely on real locations rather than built sets, which meant working with unpredictable light and shifting weather.
Nayab made its first major impact on the world stage at the World Film Festival in Cannes, where it premiered and won both Best Foreign Film and Best First Time Filmmaker. Its festival journey continued with strong momentum, earning an Official Selection at the South Asian Film Festival in Montreal, Canada, and winning Best Feature Film at SAIFF Florida. The film then represented Pakistan as the only selection at the Arts Lumiere Indonesia Festival: Muslim World Movie Screening 2025, and went on to win the Special Jury Award at the SCO Film Festival, standing out among nineteen competing films from member countries. For Shajee, these honors marked more than professional success. They celebrated the strength of authentic Pakistani storytelling and the power of visual truth.
Expanding Horizons and Global Work
Shajee has worked on projects that connect Pakistan to the wider world, including collaborations for MContent and Standard Chartered. His global journey also includes a major commercial project in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, where he shot a television commercial for Downy with director Adham Obeid. His travels for work took him to Turkey as well, where he shot another television commercial, further expanding his understanding of global visual language and the dynamics of international advertising.
A step forward with Abdul Wali Baloch
At present, Shajee is working on an unreleased feature film with Abdul Wali Baloch, the director of Kattar Karachi. The film promises a story rooted in realism, exploring Karachi through a textured and emotional lens. For Shajee, it is another chance to bring his understanding of the city to life, creating imagery that feels organic and grounded in truth. This collaboration represents another important step in his ongoing evolution as a visual storyteller.
Building the Future with Cameo Films
Away from the camera, Shajee is helping shape the film industry itself. He founded Cameo Films, an equipment rental company based in Karachi that supplies lighting, camera gear and technical support to major productions. Cameo Films has quickly become a trusted partner for directors and cinematographers across Pakistan. It reflects Shajee’s belief that access to the right tools should never be a barrier to good storytelling. Through Cameo Films, he supports other filmmakers, ensuring that new talent has the resources to create at a professional standard. It is his way of giving back to the same community that helped him grow.
Creative Range in Cinematography
In one of his films, Shajee even stepped in front of the camera, taking on an acting role while also serving as the cinematographer. His versatility extends to music videos as well, where he has directed the lens for some of Pakistan’s biggest artists, including Asim Azhar, Young Stunners and Aima Baig, creating visuals that merge storytelling, rhythm and atmosphere in a way that feels both cinematic and expressive.
Shajee Hasan’s story is about patience, passion and purpose. From photographing the streets of Karachi to standing behind a camera at an international film festival, his journey is a blend of artistic curiosity and hard work. He has brought his signature visual storytelling to some of Pakistan’s biggest commercials and television campaigns, creating work that blends aesthetic precision with emotional depth. His portfolio includes major brands such as Kia, Lipton, Vivo, KFC, Jazz, Suzuki and Pepsi, with some of the country’s most recognizable faces, Fahad Mustafa, Aima Baig, Waseem Badami and Young Stunners. For someone who started by chasing light across Karachi’s streets, Shajee’s path has come full circle. His work reminds us that powerful cinema is not built on grand gestures, but on the quiet persistence to see beauty where others overlook it.
