Saba Qamar to play alleged 'cocaine queen' Pinky in new biographical drama

Actor Saba Qamar is reportedly set to portray alleged drug queenpin Anmol alias “Pinky” in a new biographical drama. Pinky, who has been referred to as an alleged “cocaine queen”, gained national attention in May following her arrest in Karachi.

The biopic is expected to explore the events and controversies surrounding Pinky's arrest, as well as the intense public attention she attracted afterwards. The script for the production is reportedly being written by journalist Shahzeb Khanzada, who previously wrote Case No. 9, another project starring Qamar in the lead.

The news did not come as a surprise to many of Qamar’s fans, as the actor is widely regarded as one of Pakistan’s most versatile performers. She has received praise for her work in dramas such as Baaghi, Cheekh, and Case No. 9, all of which tackled serious social issues including honour killings and sexual violence, themes rarely explored openly on mainstream Pakistani television.

Qamar’s acclaimed performance in Baaghi was based on the real-life story of Qandeel Baloch, who was killed in July 2016 by her brother in the name of honour. The drama drew widespread attention for being among the first television serials in the country to confront the sensitive subject on screen.

Following reports of the new biopic, fans flooded social media comment sections, praising the choice of casting Qamar in the lead.

Others, however, criticised the need for the serial, arguing that such projects should not be mistaken for female empowerment and that filmmakers should instead focus on creating biopics on influential figures rather than alleged criminals.

One user defended the idea, commenting that the purpose of the drama would be to explore the complex and darker sides of a person’s story rather than glorifying them.

Just weeks earlier, digital creator Bilal Hassan predicted that Qamar would eventually play the role, saying Pakistan should “make it before Bollywood does.”