This illuminating documentary follows the lives of four individuals in Pakistan who identify as hijras, trans women. Activist Neeli explains the tradition of mentoring, where older hijras teach and support their younger counterparts. Kami, one of the mentees, is outspoken, brash and fearless; whereas Waseem and Jenny struggle with their gender identity, attraction and faith.
Aside from a few news clips, directors Saadat Munir and Saad Khan devote all screen time to their four subjects, creating a documentary that is almost hyper intimate. We learn about ‘birthday parties’, where a fictitious birth date is used as an excuse for members of the community to get together, dance and perform. Neeli discusses an incident where a police raid on a birthday party resulted in the death of a trans woman. After much organising, rallying and outrage, a police constable and an inspector were charged with her murder. Hide and Seek shows that the hijra community in Pakistan refuses to be silenced or erased.
