A Galactic Milestone for Pakistan – Oscar-winning Director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy all gears up to direct Star Wars
In the ever-growing cosmos of Star Wars, a new page is to be turned—and this time the pencil is in Pakistani hands. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, the two-time Oscar-winning director famous for her powerful documentaries and Pakistan’s first feature-length animated film, has been selected to helm the next installment of Star Wars. For Pakistan, this is not merely an announcement of the film; it is a cultural landmark that signifies the entry of Pakistani fiction into one of the world’s largest cinematic arenas.
From Karachi Streets to Hollywood Legends
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy has established a career in reality, strength, and human bravery. Her Oscar-winning documentaries, Saving Face and A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness, bring to light relevant social causes in Pakistan, making the world wake up to the unpleasant truth. She then led the way with 3 Bahadur, Pakistan’s first full-length animation feature film, showing children heroes from their own country.
And now, in a move that seems almost fate, she’s taking the director’s seat of Star Wars. Her movie will center on Rey, the heroine portrayed by Daisy Ridley, years after The Rise of Skywalker, as she tries to revive the Jedi Order.
Rewriting the Jedi Myth with a New Voice
This is not another directing job—it’s history in the making. For the first time, a Pakistani woman is piloting a saga that has had such a profound influence on global pop culture for almost half a century. The question now is: how will Sharmeen South Asian worldview, informed by stories of resilience, survival, and community, reimagine the Star Wars myth?
Her storytelling has always been about giving a voice to the marginalized and showing strength where others see despair. One can only imagine how this lens might enrich the Jedi philosophy—turning the Force into something that resonates beyond galaxies, into the very struggles and triumphs of humanity.
A Beacon of Inspiration for Young Pakistanis
Sharmeen journey from Karachi to Hollywood’s most beloved franchise sends a strong message to young Pakistanis: dreams know no boundaries. If a Pakistani girl can become a storyteller who wins Oscars for her stories and also decides the future of Star Wars, then anything is possible. It’s a tribute to determination, creativity, and the willingness to push boundaries.
For a nation too regularly left out of the world’s creative industries, this is proof that Pakistani voices are on par with the world’s best. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy isn’t just making a film—she’s representing an entire generation that now feels it has the ability to be part of the largest cultural dialogues of our era.
The Force is With Pakistan
When the lights go down in movie theaters and the opening crawl of Star Wars appears once more, it will not simply be another installment in a favorite franchise. It will be a reminder that the Force is accessible to anyone, anywhere—even in the crowded streets of Karachi.
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s entrance into this universe is a testament to the fact that limits are made to be pushed and that the next big tale can possibly come from where you wouldn’t expect it. And for Pakistan, this is not simply pride—it’s also a revolution in the way the world looks at its narrators.
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