Adnan Sarwar, the actor/director of the 2015 Pakistani biopic Shah, is set to start production of his new feature film which is to be released in winter 2017.
The independently produced film is based on the story of boundary-breaking “Motorcycle Girl” Zenith Irfan who, at 20 years of age, is thought to be the first Pakistani female to have made a solo motorcycle journey through the northern regions of the country.
Irfan’s multiple bike journeys (documented in her Facebook blog “1 Girl, 2 Wheels”) through regions of the country “where it’s taboo for women to venture out unaccompanied, let alone riding solo on two wheels”, have attracted worldwide attention and have been covered by publications such as CNN, New York Times and Vice etc.
“I have always felt that those of us who work in the Film or TV industry have a responsibility to tell stories which can influence our society in a positive manner, while providing entertainment to the audience”, said Adnan.
“Zenith’s story is important because at such a young age, she is doing things that challenge gender stereotypes which are deeply engrained in the fabric of our society”
“This film will be my little effort towards inspiring a future where, hopefully, the women of our country will be more empowered, truly independent and unshackled from archaic taboos that hold back their progress”
The cast of the film is currently being finalized and the biopic will be shot in Lahore, and along the Karakoram Highway, this summer.
