“Wakhri (One of a Kind)”

There’s a powerful effectiveness that flows from director and co-writer Iram Parveen Bilal‘s “Wakhri (One of a Kind),” a story that benefits from its strong female voice on the page and behind the camera. The film expresses the complexities surrounding women’s roles and their treatment in contemporary Pakistani society, wrapped within the harrowing journey of a widowed school teacher thrust into the limelight of social media stardom. Loosely inspired by a tragic true story, this is a film that provides a glimpse into the struggles faced by women in a culture where societal norms often dictate their behavior and worth, but also shares in the frustrations that are universal to women.

Widowed school teacher Noor (Faryal Mehmood) is angry. She’s unhappy with the way women are treated and objectified in her culture, disappointed with the role she is expected to play, frustrated because it feels like nobody listens to her, and irritated by members of her own family who swear she can’t take care of her son without a man by her side. When she speaks up about her feelings of being constantly undermined by those around her, she’s called “controlling.” But when Noor accidentally unleashes her unabashed opinions on social media, she becomes a bit of an internet celebrity. This leads her to create a secret identity with a freedom of speaking her mind and rallying against archaic beliefs and norms in a powerful act of defiance.

From the opening moments of the film, Bilal gives a true sense of Noor’s relationships and annoyances, particularly with her family and friends. She’s a mother struggling to carve out her own identity amidst a sea of expectations and limitations. Despite her best efforts to speak her truth, Noor finds herself silenced and overlooked, a sentiment that will resonate deeply with many women. The film casually weaves in themes of motherhood, sexuality, and the change that can come from an act of rebellion against standards that are at best, outdated and at worst, impossible.

The thematic bullet points of “Wakhri (One of a Kind)” are made repeatedly and in the same fashion, and the pacing feels slow and tiring. Despite the repetitive nature, it’s refreshing to see such a spirited female perspective represented in Pakistani cinema.

By: Louisa Moore