Sarmad Khoosat has long been one of Pakistan’s most distinctive and fearless voices, and Lali comes from a deeply personal space. Beneath the vivid surface immersed in the colour, music, and deeply rooted cultural rhythms of Punjabi life, the film offers a rare glimpse into a quietly unsettling portrait of a family carrying wounds that refuse to heal. With arresting imagery and a disarming candour, Lali draws us into a world that may appear unfamiliar at first glance, yet carries an emotional truth that feels achingly close to home.
Sarmad Sultan Khoosat
Sarmad Khoosat is a filmmaker whose work spans film, television, and theatre. His films Zindagi Tamasha (2019) and Joyland (2022) were Pakistan’s official Oscar entries, with Joyland winning the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Kamli (2022) premiered at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). Honored with Pakistan’s Pride of Performance, Khoosat’s work focuses on identity and societal complexities within South Asian storytelling.
