Indian filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava to direct film on Qandeel Baloch

Acclaimed Indian filmmaker Alankrita Shrivastava is all set to direct a film about slain Pakistani model and social media star Qandeel Baloch who was murdered in an honour killing in 2016.

Producers Vikas Sharma and Sunny Khanna, along with Alankrita have acquired the rights to the book The Sensational Life and Death of Qandeel Baloch by Pakistani journalist Sanam Maher and published by Aleph, it was revealed ahead of the Cannes Film Market.

Alankrita’s film credits include women-centric films like Lipstick Under My Burkha, Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare, and a phenomenal web series like Made in Heaven as well as Bombay Begums. She said she was always fascinated by Qandeel’s life story.

Qandeel Baloch, whose real name was Fouzia Azeem, rose to prominence by living a controversial lifestyle and posting her thoughts on social media in the form of viral videos. Divorced from her husband, she had been nicknamed “Pakistan’s Kim Kardashian” and “Pakistan’s first social media star.” She was strangled to death by her brother Muhammad Waseem. He was arrested for the murder.

In February 2022, Waseem Baloch’s lawyer confirmed that the Pakistan appeals court had released the brother of murdered social media sensation Qandeel Baloch three years after he was convicted of killing her for “bringing dishonor” to the family.

“When Qandeel Baloch was murdered in Pakistan in 2016, I was shaken up. It was a heinous honour 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 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 Qandeel,” she added.

Vikas and Sunny said for them this movie is an opportunity for them to tell a unique story on female agency and systemic gender violence.

Vikas, who has produced films like Qarib Qarib Singlle and Dobaara among others, said the story of Qandeel deserves to be told by the right filmmaker and he is happy to have collaborated with Alankrita for the upcoming feature.

“Qandeel’s story needs to be told by a sensitive filmmaker who is passionate about women’s stories,” Vikas said. “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.”

While Sunny Khanna feels that the world needs to know about Qandeel Baloch.

“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.”