Safia/Safdar is a 2026 Indian Hindi-language social drama film directed by Baba Azmi and written by Mir Ali Husain. The film stars Naseeruddin Shah, Aditi Subedi and Kanwaljit Singh. Produced by Baba Azmi and Namrata Goyal under the banners Filmstoc and Azmi Pictures, the film was released directly on the streaming platform ZEE5 on 16 January 2026.[1][2][3]
The film deals with themes of gender roles, identity and economic survival within a patriarchal social environment. It was screened at the 2025 Chicago South Asian Film Festival prior to its digital release.[4][5]
Plot
The story follows Safia (Aditi Subedi), a young woman whose family faces financial uncertainty after her father Salman becomes seriously ill. With their neighbourhood barbershop at risk of closing, Safia assumes the male identity of “Safdar” in order to continue operating the business in a profession traditionally dominated by men.
While maintaining the disguise, she navigates social prejudice and economic pressures while attempting to safeguard her family's livelihood. The narrative explores questions of identity, dignity and survival within a restrictive social environment.
The film was directed by cinematographer-turned-filmmaker Baba Azmi. It was produced by Azmi and Namrata Goyal under Filmstoc and Azmi Pictures. Mir Ali Husain wrote the screenplay, Ripul Sharma composed the music, and Thomas A. Xavier handled cinematography.[6]
Release
Safia / Safdar had its festival premiere at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival in 2025. It was later released for streaming on ZEE5 on 16 January 2026.[6]
Reception
Special screening
A special pre-release screening was hosted by actress Shabana Azmi on 14 January 2026. Members of the Hindi film industry including Tabu, Dia Mirza, Urmila Matondkar, Nandita Das and Rahul Bose attended the event.[7]
Critical response
Critical reception was mixed to positive. Arpita Sarkar of OTTplay rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and described it as a socially relevant drama examining the challenges faced by women working in male-dominated professions.[6] Siddhartha Toleti of M9 News noted that the film adopts a restrained narrative style and focuses on character-driven storytelling rather than melodrama.[8][9]
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