Anticipation is building for the screen adaptation of Soniah Kamal’s novel Unmarriageable, a modern retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in Pakistan. Production is slated to begin this year, with the series marking a collaboration between Pakistan’s Hum Network and US-based Travelling Picture Show Company (TPSC) and Rising Tides.
The adaptation, penned by Sadia Ashraf, who will also co-direct with James McMillan, promises to bring a unique lens to Jane Austen’s classic tale. McMillan, best known for his work as a cinematographer on Avengers: Endgame and A Quiet Place: Part One, brings his Hollywood expertise to the project.
The novel’s narrative follows the Binat family, with five daughters navigating societal expectations and modern challenges in Pakistan, mirroring Austen’s exploration of love, class, and family dynamics. The series is expected to provide a rich tapestry of South Asian culture while maintaining the universal appeal of Austen’s themes.
Hum Network’s Sultana Siddiqui and Badar Ikram, alongside author Soniah Kamal, serve as executive producers. Producers include Carissa Buffel and Luisa Iskin from TPSC, with Sadia Ashraf and Shahla Khan representing Rising Tides.
This project marks a significant milestone as a rare Western production filmed entirely in Pakistan. Hum Network, a female-led entertainment powerhouse, has a longstanding reputation for delivering quality programming, boasting 700 hours of original content annually over the last 18 years.
Rising Tides, co-producing the series, continues its mission of highlighting female-driven and culturally diverse stories. The studio has an ambitious slate of 20 projects in development, including animated shorts and untold narratives from underrepresented cultures.
With TPSC’s pedigree—including films like Freud’s Last Session and A Walk Among The Tombstones—and Hum Network’s deep connection to Pakistani audiences, Unmarriageable promises to be a groundbreaking addition to the global television landscape. Fans of Austen and South Asian storytelling alike eagerly await the series’ debut.