Directed by Karachi-born filmmaker Zarrar Kahn, In Flames is an impressive addition to contemporary Pakistani cinema. In it, the writer-director explores the consequences of living in the confines of a strongly patriarchal society through the eyes of Mariam (played by Ramesha Nawal), a young woman living with her younger brother and their mother, Fariha (Bakhtawar Mazhar), in a tiny apartment in Karachi, Pakistan.
After Mariam’s maternal grandfather dies, his brother tries to manipulate the family into signing over their small apartment to him. Mariam’s mother, isolated in her grief, becomes an easy target for influence and coercion at the hands of her cruel uncle. Distressed by her mother’s susceptibility, Mariam finds comfort in a secret romance with Asad (Omar Javaid), a fellow student.
When their relationship takes an unexpected turn for the worse, Mariam becomes plagued by nightmares and eerie apparitions. Meanwhile, her mother, entangled with her persistent uncle and a complex Pakistani legal system, remains unaware of her daughter’s worsening mental health.
This is an evocative and haunting exploration of life within the confines of Karachi, a sprawling city of thirty million where the streets are not always safe for women to walk alone, even in daylight and where family law is deliberately skewed towards empowering men over women.
Director Zarrar Kahn uses his intimate knowledge of the city’s complexities to bring them to the screen. His personal connection is evident as he delves into the psychological impact of gendered oppression and the horrors faced by the young and in love in Pakistan through the medium of the supernatural.
The film navigates the legacy of familial violence and the intense desire to break free from the ghosts of the past. It is a film where ordinary moments can suddenly become terrifying, and where phantasmal forces seem to walk alongside the living. It also works as a tribute to ordinary people who refuse to be defined by their circumstances.
In Flames is skilfully executed, with the sound design successfully capturing the unsettling noises of the city at night, seemingly intended to keep everyone on edge. Kahn stumbles slightly by crafting a chaotic, jeopardy-filled climax that rushes to resolve everything. However, the film’s uniqueness lies in its evolution into a narrative of female empowerment, highlighting the bond between mother and daughter as they confront the insidious evils of a patriarchal society.
