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, Kanwaljit Singh and Aditi Subedi in lead roles. It premiered on ZEE5 on 16 January 2026. The film follows a young woman who assumes a male identity to protect her family's barber shop after her father becomes incapacitated.
Plot
Safia is a young woman whose family depends on a small barber shop run by her father, Salman. When Salman becomes seriously ill, the family faces financial hardship and the threat of losing the shop to a local moneylender. To protect her family's livelihood and navigate a male-dominated profession, Safia adopts the identity of "Safdar" and takes over the business. As she struggles to keep the shop running, she confronts social prejudice, questions of identity and the challenges of preserving her family's dignity.
Cast
Naseeruddin Shah as Yazdani Kanwaljit Singh as Salman Aditi Subedi as Safia / Safdar Mehrin Saba as Ismat Siddharth Menon as Aman Neetu Pandey as Fatima Irrfan Jaffer Shivi Bajpai
Release
The film was selected for screening at the Chicago South Asian Film Festival in 2025. It was released on ZEE5 on 16 January 2026.
References
External links
Safia/Safdar on ZEE5