There is something interesting about Sheroes even before we know whether all three of its stories will work.
Maybe it is because the film is not interested in telling us just one way of being a “strong woman.” On the contrary, it gives us three women in three totally different settings and lets each of them fight her own battle.
Three Stories, Three Very Different Worlds
Kinza Hashmi – Artist:
In this teaser, Kinza Hashmi is introduced as an Artist, and from the very beginning, this teaser looks like the most mysterious of all the three. Being based on the realm of art and paintings and deceit, the plot looks like it mixes the boundaries between being an artist and a con artist. Something fascinating about the whole situation comes out due to the fact that this teaser focuses not only on the value of art and its recognition but also on the power of lies that often travel faster than the truth itself.
Zara Noor Abbas – Gear Up:
Then we have Zara Noor Abbas, who apparently is moving towards something entirely different. As a cop, she will be packing guns, defusing bombs, driving cars, and doing all sorts of action scenes. Gear Up is certainly going to be a very fast and energetic drama and it’s thrilling to see Zara venturing into something other than the same old rom-com. From what has been seen till now, her character definitely looks like one tough cookie.
Ushna Shah – The Boxer:
Ushna Shah’s story takes us into the boxing ring, where the fight seems to be about much more than simply winning a match. We see her training, pushing herself and preparing for what looks like an important battle, with her family also seemingly playing a role in her journey. There is a familiar underdog quality to this segment, but the real question will be whether Sheroes can make her journey feel personal rather than simply inspirational.
What Makes Sheroes Stand Out?
What I particularly like about the first look is that these women don’t appear to have been placed into one mould. One is an artist, one is a police officer and one is a boxer. Their worlds, personalities and struggles are completely different, and that is perhaps the most interesting thing about Sheroes.
The film also seems to have a noticeably different feel from the typical Pakistani female-led story. There is mystery, action and physicality, but there is also room for emotion and character.
Of course, the real test will be in the execution. Three promising concepts don’t automatically make a great anthology, and each story will need enough depth to make us care about the woman at its centre.
But for now, Sheroes certainly has our attention.
The three leads are Kinza Hashmi, Zara Noor Abbas and Ushna Shah. The film is directed by Saqib Khan and Badar Mehmood, with writing credits going to Mohsin Ali, Hashim Nadeem and Amna Mufti. It is produced by Imran Hussain and presented as an initiative of the Sindh Information Department, in collaboration with Geo Films.