Somy Ali
Encyclopedia
Somy Ali is a former Bollywood
actress and current model
and journalist
. She has her own clothing line, So-Me Designs apart from running a non profit organization, No More Tears. Additionally, Somy is currently touring the United States giving lectures about social issues.
i mother, Tehmina and a Pakistan
i father, Madan, she has two sisters, Hina and Huma and one younger brother, Mohammed. After studying at the Convent of Jesus & Mary High School in Karachi until the age of 7, she, her mother and brother re-located to Florida
U.S.A, before moving to Mumbai
, India
to focus on her acting career, where she appeared in 9 movies and had several modeling assignments.
In January 1999, Somy returned to the U.S.A to obtain a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. She attended Nova Southeastern University
in Florida and graduated in three years' time. Somy worked at a local radio station doing talk-shows on social and political issues for two years while working on her bachelor's degree. It was during this time that she became very interested in journalism and decided to attend the University of Miami
to obtain a Master's degree in print journalism. During the mid-90s, she dated Bollywood actor Salman Khan
. They ended their relationship in 1999.
Ali has been involved with women's rights issues in South Asia. She is working towards bringing the plight of rape and domestic violence victims to the media's attention. Somy has written articles about Dr. Shazia Khalid, Sonia Naz, and Mukhtaran Mai. All of these women are victims of rape and have fought and are still fighting for justice in Pakistan. "My goal is to help all of these women and make sure that every girl/woman in my country and universally is able to obtain an education and has her basic human rights," says Somy. Revenue from her clothing line, So-Me Designs is donated to her non-profit No More Tears, which was founded in 2006.
In 2011, Ali was honored with the American Heritage Award from the American Immigration Council for her work with No More Tears.
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
actress and current model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. She has her own clothing line, So-Me Designs apart from running a non profit organization, No More Tears. Additionally, Somy is currently touring the United States giving lectures about social issues.
Early life
Born to an IraqIraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i mother, Tehmina and a Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i father, Madan, she has two sisters, Hina and Huma and one younger brother, Mohammed. After studying at the Convent of Jesus & Mary High School in Karachi until the age of 7, she, her mother and brother re-located to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
U.S.A, before moving to Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
to focus on her acting career, where she appeared in 9 movies and had several modeling assignments.
In January 1999, Somy returned to the U.S.A to obtain a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. She attended Nova Southeastern University
Nova Southeastern University
Nova Southeastern University, commonly referred to as NSU or Nova, is a private, coeducational, nonsectarian, research university located in Broward County, Florida, with its main campus in the town of Davie...
in Florida and graduated in three years' time. Somy worked at a local radio station doing talk-shows on social and political issues for two years while working on her bachelor's degree. It was during this time that she became very interested in journalism and decided to attend the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
to obtain a Master's degree in print journalism. During the mid-90s, she dated Bollywood actor Salman Khan
Salman Khan
Salman Khan is an Indian film actor. He has starred in more than 80 Hindi films.Khan, who made his acting debut with a minor role in the drama Biwi Ho To Aisi with Rekha in a lead role, had his first commercial success with the blockbuster Maine Pyar Kiya , for which he won a Filmfare Award for...
. They ended their relationship in 1999.
Work
In February 2003 while attending the University of Miami, Somy developed an interest in documentary films, therefore left university to attend the New York Film Academy. She graduated with a degree in film making, direction, script writing, and editing. Some of her first projects included short films on abortion, domestic violence, and teenage suicide.Ali has been involved with women's rights issues in South Asia. She is working towards bringing the plight of rape and domestic violence victims to the media's attention. Somy has written articles about Dr. Shazia Khalid, Sonia Naz, and Mukhtaran Mai. All of these women are victims of rape and have fought and are still fighting for justice in Pakistan. "My goal is to help all of these women and make sure that every girl/woman in my country and universally is able to obtain an education and has her basic human rights," says Somy. Revenue from her clothing line, So-Me Designs is donated to her non-profit No More Tears, which was founded in 2006.
In 2011, Ali was honored with the American Heritage Award from the American Immigration Council for her work with No More Tears.
Filmography
- AnthAnthAnth was a 1994 Indian action film starring Sunil Shetty as Vijay, Somy Ali as Priya, Paresh Rawal as Dabala, and Deepak Shirke as Inspector Shirke. Mohan Joshi, Makrand Deshpande, Alok Nath and Vijendra Ghaat are also featured in the film. The film was directed by Sanjay Khanna, and produced by...
(1993) as Priya - Krishan AvtaarKrishan AvtaarKrishan Avtaar is a 1993 Hindi-language Indian feature film directed by Ashok Gaekwad , starring Mithun Chakraborty, Somy Ali, Hashmat Khan, Paresh Rawal and Sujata Mehta-Plot:...
(1993) - Yaar GaddarYaar GaddarYaar Gaddar is a 1994 Hindi-language Indian feature film directed by Umesh Mehra, starring Mithun Chakraborty, Saif Ali Khan, Somy Ali, Prem Chopra and Umesh Shukla.-Plot:...
(1994) as Jai's girlfriend - Teesra Kaun? (1994) as Priyanka
- Aao Pyaar Karen (1994) as Sonu S. Rai
- Andolan (1995)
- MafiaMafia (film)Mafia is a 1996 Bollywood film starring Dharmendra....
(1996) as Kiran Pawar - Chupp (1997) as Asha
- Bulund – Unreleased
Articles
| Article | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| "Embrace Diversity" | Nova Knight News, GSSA Issue, 20 November 2002 | http://www.somyali.com/articles/embrace_diversity.html |
| "Our National Parks" | Remote Park is Home to Tiny Group of Residents | http://com.miami.edu/parks/dtnpresidents.htm |
| "Forgotten Victims" | n/a | http://www.somyali.com/articles/forgotten_victims.html |
| "Pakistani Woman Forced to Live in Shame" | n/a | http://www.somyali.com/articles/PAKISTANI%20WOMAN%20FORCED%20TO%20LIVE%20IN%20SHAME.html |
| "Veiled Pain" | n/a | http://www.somyali.com/articles/VeiledPain.html |
| "ANAA Rally for the Dignity and Safety of Pakistani Women" | n/a | http://www.somyali.com/articles/ANAA_RALLY.html |
| "The Sonia Naz Story" | n/a | http://www.somyali.com/articles/sonia_naz_story.html |