Wakhri, the Pakistani feature inspired by the life and public image of Qandeel Baloch, has been selected for the South Asian Film Season 2026 in the UK.
Organised by Channel 4, the season brings together nine films from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, giving filmmakers from the region an opportunity to reach audiences beyond South Asia.
The film’s inclusion adds another international milestone to Wakhri’s journey.
Directed by Iram Parveen Bilal, Wakhri follows Noor Malik, a widowed schoolteacher whose outspoken views unexpectedly turn her into a social media sensation.
While Qandeel Baloch’s story provided an important source of inspiration, the film is not a direct biographical account. Instead, it uses a fictional character to explore wider questions around identity, social media, gender expectations and the pressures faced by women.
Wakhri first premiered internationally at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah in December 2023, before its theatrical release in Pakistan. It later appeared at major film platforms including Locarno, Cannes and Busan.
Its latest selection demonstrates the growing interest in Pakistani stories within international cinema. The South Asian Film Season itself explores subjects ranging from gender inequality and discrimination to class divisions and political tensions.
Wakhri, the Pakistani feature inspired by the life and public image of Qandeel Baloch, has been selected for the South Asian Film Season 2026 in the UK.
Wakhri, the Pakistani feature inspired by the life and public image of Qandeel Baloch, has been selected for the South Asian Film Season 2026 in the UK.
Organised by Channel 4, the season brings together nine films from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, giving filmmakers from the region an opportunity to reach audiences beyond South Asia.
The film’s inclusion adds another international milestone to Wakhri’s journey.
Directed by Iram Parveen Bilal, Wakhri follows Noor Malik, a widowed schoolteacher whose outspoken views unexpectedly turn her into a social media sensation.
While Qandeel Baloch’s story provided an important source of inspiration, the film is not a direct biographical account. Instead, it uses a fictional character to explore wider questions around identity, social media, gender expectations and the pressures faced by women.
Wakhri first premiered internationally at the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah in December 2023, before its theatrical release in Pakistan. It later appeared at major film platforms including Locarno, Cannes and Busan.
Its latest selection demonstrates the growing interest in Pakistani stories within international cinema. The South Asian Film Season itself explores subjects ranging from gender inequality and discrimination to class divisions and political tensions.
