Pakistani Thriller 'Wakhri' Secures Releases Across Four Continents

Iram Parveen Bilal's award-winning Pakistani thriller "Wakhri" lands in cinemas and on broadcasters this fall across France, the U.K. and Ireland, Australia and Brazil, with additional territories to follow over the coming months.

In France, Salon Indien, a traveling film society devoted to South Asian women filmmakers, will bring the film to cinemas this October. Curatorial platform Contre-courants has partnered with François-Xavier Durandy to launch the initiative, which will tour its selections to venues around the country.

"Wakhri" draws on Pakistani women who have stood up to the patriarchy, among them social media star Qandeel Baloch, murdered by her brother in 2016 for what he deemed bringing dishonor on the family through online posts that would be considered mild by Western standards. The film stars two first-time leads: Faryal Mehmood as Noor, a young widow raising money to open a girls' school, and Gulshan Majeed as Gucchi, her cross-dressing best friend.

Why did Salon Indien choose 'Wakhri'?

Helene Kessous, who co-founded Salon Indien with Nemesis Srour, said "Wakhri" was among the society's first selections.

"Funny, defiant and necessary, Iram Parveen Bilal's film explores what social media offers to those who dare to speak out, and what it costs them. It belonged in this program from the start," Kessous said.

Bilal, who wrote, directed and co-produced the film, called the French theatrical run a dream come true. "We searched and waited for the right partners for a film too special to fit a cookie-cutter distribution model. 'Wakhri' is a unique and daring representation of Pakistani cinema, and we are excited to break the mold of the usually expected cinematic fare from the Global South," she said.

Abid Aziz Merchant of Sanat Initiative, one of the film's producers, said the French release proved the story could not be shut down.

"It is about the cost of a woman daring to take up space, a conversation that resonates far beyond Pakistan. We are delighted to find our French audience through Salon Indien. For a film inspired by Qandeel Baloch's courage to be part of a traveling showcase championing South Asian women directors, in a country that truly cherishes cinema, is a proud moment for Pakistani cinema and the right next chapter for 'Wakhri,'" Merchant said.

Where else can audiences see the film?

• U.K. and Ireland: "Wakhri" features in Channel 4's 2026 South Asian Film Season, alongside "All We Imagine as Light" and "Songs of Forgotten Trees," and streams on the broadcaster this October.
• Australia: SBS has acquired the film.
• Brazil: Filmicca has picked it up.
• North America and other markets: releases are expected in the months ahead.

Apoorva Bakshi of Awedacious Originals, also a producer on the film, credited inventive co-production models for the film's reach. "Independent films are built on conviction, collaboration and inventive co-production models that enable meaningful distribution journeys. We are excited to see 'Wakhri,' our big-hearted and critically acclaimed independent production, continue to connect with audiences seeking distinctive cinema. Our regional partners are extending the film's visibility, relevance and release life. This long-tail approach allows singular stories to travel on their own terms and build enduring audiences worldwide," Bakshi said.

Bilal is also a producer on Pakistan's "Dancers," currently participating in the Busan International Film Festival's Asian Project Market. With releases in North America and further markets expected in the months ahead, "Wakhri" continues a distribution pattern that keeps a single Pakistani story travelling on its own terms.