Indian filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava will make a movie on slain Pakistani social media figure Qandeel Baloch. Baloch rose to fame with her YouTube videos but was murdered by her brother Wasim in the name of honor killing in 2016.
The incident triggered an intense debate on the dilemma of honor killing in Pakistan. A biopic serial was made about her life featuring the life events leading up to her death. Actress Saba Qamar played the lead character in the series. The actress had received immense recognition for her flawless performance as Qandeel Baloch in the serial.
Shrivastava has earlier produced the series Made in Heaven and Bombay Begums. According to Indian Express, producers Vikas Sharma and Sunny Khanna have acquired the rights to the book The Sensational Life and Death of Qandeel Baloch by Pakistani journalist Sanam Maher.
“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,” Alankrita shared with the publication.
“She was so charming and full of life. A poor girl from a small village 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,” the director said in a statement. “This film is an ode to the courageous spirit of Baloch.”
Indian filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava is to direct a film about Pakistani social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch who fell victim to a so-called honour killing in 2016, reported Variety magazine.https://t.co/z9P5jYuas5#Indianfilmmaker #QandeelBaloch pic.twitter.com/s6e5ftaFMW
— Business Recorder (@brecordernews) May 18, 2022
Read more: PTI govt reviews legal options for Qandeel Baloch murder case
The filmmaker went on to add, “It will chronicle her sensational and astonishing rise to fame. I hope to piece together the memories of the rebellious, funny, and vulnerable young girl, whose life was cut short because she shimmered too bright. The film will celebrate her spunk and lust for life by telling her story without judgment, hopefully, the way she would have liked to tell it.”
Meanwhile, producers believe that they will get a chance to tell something different about systemic gender violence.