The second segment, Artist, features Kinza Hashmi as an aspiring painter who struggles to gain recognition. Eventually, she carries out an art scam with help from members of the transgender community. Although the story highlights the difficulties of gaining recognition in an unfair system, the protagonist ultimately chooses dishonesty instead of challenging that system. Consequently, her actions weaken the segment’s message about empowerment. Furthermore, the plot fails to connect its main conflict effectively with the social issues it attempts to address.
In contrast, the third segment, Punch, is the strongest of the three. Ushna Shah plays a former boxing champion who wants to return to the sport despite her family responsibilities. Fortunately, her husband, played by Gohar Rasheed, supports her ambitions. Through their relationship, the story presents a more realistic view of empowerment by highlighting the importance of understanding, trust, and family support. Unlike the other two segments, Punch connects its main conflict more effectively with its message, making the character’s journey more relatable.
Apart from the storytelling, the performances are among the film’s positive aspects, particularly those of Gohar Rasheed, Ushna Shah, and Zara Noor Abbas. Nevertheless, uneven direction, exaggerated scenes, and ordinary editing reduce the film’s overall impact. Although the actors try to bring their characters to life, even strong performances cannot completely overcome weak scripts. Therefore, the film’s shortcomings prevent it from reaching its full potential.
More importantly, the main problem with Sheroes is that it confuses female-led stories with genuine women’s empowerment. Strong characters need realistic struggles, clear motivations, and meaningful development. While Punch comes closer to delivering this message, the other two segments fail to connect their plots with the themes they aim to explore. In other words, simply placing women at the centre of a story is not enough; their experiences must also show the real challenges of empowerment.
Overall, Sheroes: Stories of Nisa has good intentions but disappointing execution. Although its socially relevant themes deserve attention, the filmmakers needed stronger writing and better direction to make the stories convincing. Ultimately, the film shows that meaningful cinema depends not only on its message but also on how effectively that message is presented through storytelling.
