The life and tragic, horrifying murder of model and social media sensation Qandeel Baloch is set to be encapsulated as a film by acclaimed Indian filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava.
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Alankrita Shrivastava, along with producers Vikas Sharma and Sunny Khanna have acquired the rights to Sanam Maher’s “The Sensational Life and Death of Qandeel Baloch.” The Lipstick Under My Burkha filmmaker has a bevy of impactful feminist projects under her wing already, with Busan selection “Dolly Kitty and Those Twinkling Stars” and Netflix series “Bombay Begums,” being a few to name.
The Team On Qandeel Baloch
Talking about why the project is important, Alankrita had the following to state:
“When Qandeel Baloch was murdered in Pakistan in 2016, I was shaken up. It was a heinous honor killing. I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I started watching Qandeel’s videos repeatedly, and I was fascinated. She was so charming and full of life. A poor girl from a small village, who worked her way up to being provocatively famous. She was just 26 when she was killed. And ironically, it’s only after her death that she has been reclaimed as a feminist.”
Vikas Sharma also weighed in, and had the following to say:
“Qandeel’s story needs to be told by a sensitive filmmaker who is passionate about women’s stories. Alankrita is just the filmmaker for it. And not just because she is an award-winning feminist filmmaker, but because she has so much empathy for her characters. She tells their stories with candor and warmth.”
Sunny Khanna added: “Qandeel Baloch’s story is important and relevant. Even today women often continue to be at risk when they dare to express their individuality and challenge the status quo. I believe the world needs to watch stories like this.”
It’ll be interesting to see how Pakistani audiences respond to the news, and how Indian audiences respond to the film.
