Showgirls of Pakistan

Director Saad Khan in person for Q&A moderated by scholar and programmer, Delaney Chieyen Holton!

Showgirls of Pakistan follows mujra dancers Afreen Khan, Uzma Khan, and Reema Jaan as they defy censorship, predatory managers, and social stigma in pursuit of stardom. The documentary recasts the centuries-old mujra tradition, originally performed by appointed dancers in the courts of the Mughal Empire, as a stage for moral contest. Using the dancers’ own social-media videos and intimate vérité alongside archival footage from decades of Pakistani film and television, Showgirls weaves together their personal journeys with the larger story of the country’s performing arts and screen culture. Showgirls of Pakistan unfolds as an arresting and singular portrait of women who perform, endure, and dream in the spotlight.