Archives: Movies

Saim Sadiq’s film explores the many sides of love and desire in a patriarchal society. Gentle and timid, Haider lives with his wife Mumtaz(, his father, and his elder brother’s family in Lahore, Pakistan. Following a long spell of unemployment, he finally lands a job at a Bollywood-style burlesque, telling his family he is a theater manager, when in actuality, he is a backup dancer. As he acclimates to the new job, Haider becomes infatuated with the strong-willed trans woman Biba who runs the show—an unforeseen partnership that opens his eyes and ultimately his worldview, in ways both unexpected and intimate.