Ballantine Books
The Traveling Picture Show Company (TPSC) and Rising Tides have partnered with Pakistan’s HAM Network to adapt Sonia Kamal’s bestselling novel, “Unmarriageable.”
A literary adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, Unmarriageable transplants Jane Austen’s themes to modern-day Pakistan. The story follows the five Binat daughters as they navigate modern life and courtship in South Asia.
The project will be one of the few Western productions to be shot entirely in Pakistan. Sadia Ashraf wrote the screenplay and will co-direct with James MacMillan. Principal photography is scheduled to begin in Pakistan in early 2025.
The production team includes TPSC’s Carissa Buffel and Luisa Iskin, Rising Tides’ Sadia Ashraf and Shahra Khan, while Hum Network’s Sultana Siddiqui and Badal Ikram serve as executive producers alongside Kamal.
“We are thrilled to work with our incredible partners to bring this beloved story to the big screen and showcase the beauty and complexity of Pakistani culture to English-speaking audiences around the world,” said Carissa Buffel, producer and partner at TPSC.
Kamal added: “‘I can’t get married.’ The series explores the complexities of relationships, identity and living happily ever after, offering a unique perspective on a universal female experience.”
“Set in a region with a rich architectural heritage rarely seen by American audiences, we want to portray true cultural diversity on screen through comedy, fashion and color and challenge stereotypes about Pakistan,” Ashraf said.
“We are thrilled to partner with Traveling Picture Show Company and Rising Tides to produce our first American film,” said HAM Network founder Siddiqui, “The film showcases the vibrant lifestyles of Pakistani women and furthers HAM Network’s mission to share powerful women’s stories with an entirely new audience.”
TPSC’s previous productions include Freud’s Last Session and Share, while Rising Tides Films, founded by Sadia Ashraf, focuses on women-led stories. Hum Network, a prominent Pakistani entertainment channel, boasts a viewership of over 200 million across South Asia.
