A Graduate Thesis at NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program (2019 – Present)
Currently, a collaborative project with a team of six multidisciplinary artists, technologists, and writers.
Language of Silence VR is a mixed reality documentary that amplifies the voices of Pakistani women through immersive holograms. Representing diverse socio-economic and educational backgrounds, these women courageously share their lived experiences of navigating gender disparities in Pakistan.
Mentors: Professors Stefani Bardin and Nancy Hechinger at NYU ITP
Mark Atkin (Crossover Labs), Fransesca Panetta, Vassiliki Khonsari (Ink Stories), Adaora Udoji
The following trailer was presented at Thesis Week 2019 - Interactive Telecommunications Program, Tisch School of the Arts and to a Panel of Danish Film experts at CPH:LAB
Abstract
Pakistan, the first Islamic nation to elect a female head of state, faces a stark reality where only 13% of girls remain in school by ninth grade.
While the effects of poverty are widespread, the dual legal system of civil and sharia law often cloaks the gendered nature of these injustices. Crimes against women are routinely dismissed as private disputes, and systemic inequalities are deeply ingrained. Women's access to property, education, employment, and even basic human rights varies significantly across communities, and remains consistently lower than men's.
This imbalance begins with limited access to education and escalates into a cycle of abuse and oppression, including rampant domestic violence, child and forced marriages, and honor-based violence. Each year, over 1,000 honor killings and 400 acid attacks are reported, though punishments for perpetrators remain lenient.
Most crimes go unreported, and silence is often the only recourse.
Through anonymous interviews, I collected stories from women across Pakistan’s diverse social, economic, and cultural spectrum. Some chose to share their experiences as themselves, while others preferred actors to represent them. These stories reveal that while urban women’s literacy rates are five times higher than those of rural women, the overarching culture remains hyper-patriarchal, where honor often holds more value than human life.
Ideation of a Mixed Reality Experience
The "Language of Silence VR" experience is designed to immerse users in the layered realities of gender discrimination in Pakistan. Users traverse an environment reflecting Pakistani society, where holographic women share their stories. As users move closer, proximity triggers unlock deeper, more personal narratives.
This vision incorporates symbolic elements like modesty-detecting mirrors, biological clocks, and expiration date labels, reflecting societal pressures and norms.
As the socioeconomic status of the women deteriorates, so does the nature of the injustices tolerated by them. The diagram demonstrates how the stories of women will be grouped:
The Vision
An immersive experience where users navigate an evolving narrative:
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Environment: Mimics Pakistani society, becoming darker as users delve deeper.
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Stories: Holograms divide their words and thoughts, exposing the hidden truths of abuse masked by socially accepted phrases and practices.
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Interaction: Proximity-based triggers encourage trust, allowing holograms to reveal personal stories.
Process + Technology
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Interviews and Shoots: Conducted in Lahore, Pakistan, collecting narratives and holographic footage.
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Depthkit Integration: Used to develop holograms while ensuring anonymity through aesthetic manipulation.
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Unity VR Development: Built the experience in Unity, incorporating both narrative structure and visual storytelling.
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Trailer and Soundtrack: Created to introduce the project to audiences.
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Screenings and Discussions: Designed to spark dialogue and education.
Trigger Warning: Some Graphic Images Below [Domestic Abuse, Acid Attack Victims]
The Process: Behind the Scenes
Home Studio Setup
In Lahore, I set up a home studio for interviewing women and capturing holograms. Using a DSLR camera and Kinect depth sensor, I created holograms with Depthkit and recorded audio separately. Microsoft Hololens was used to test holograms within a physical space.
Stories Captured
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The Bride: A dowry abuse survivor narrates her story.
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Natasha: A domestic abuse survivor opens up for the first time.
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Hymen Reconstruction: A woman shares her experience with surgery to appear virginal for her wedding night.
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Acid Attack Survivors: Salma and Fauzia recount being doused with acid after leaving their partners.
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Mujra Dancer: Saima, a famous mujra dancer, shares her journey in the sex industry.
I realised the immense responsibility on my shoulders even more while collecting these stories, when the most commonly asked questions I was asked were of this nature:
Is this safe?
Will my face be visible?
Will people see this in Pakistan?
Can you sign an NDA? I'm not joking!
Aesthetic Challenges
To protect identities, I experimented with Unity’s VFX Graph and Depthkit’s Zero Days Looks. Using algorithms and millions of particles, I developed holograms that maintained anonymity through dynamic glitches, dots, and lines.
Recognition -- CPH:LAB
click the icon for the Catalog 2019-20
In August 2019, Language of Silence VR was selected for the prestigious CPH:DOX Talent Development Program in Copenhagen. Mentored by industry leaders like Mark Atkin, Vassiliki Khonsari, and Annette Mees, the project was refined and pitched to Danish film experts.
Key Developments:
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Memory flashbacks animating in 3D space.
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A central beauty salon setting for the holograms.
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A shift from interactive to experiential storytelling.
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Tailored distribution plans:
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Pakistani Audiences: WebVR and a supporting website.
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Global Audiences: Installation-based multi-user VR experiences with accompanying debate guidelines.
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Elevator pitches and detailed budgeting.
Current Status: Amina Beauty Salon
Language of Silence VR is set to resume production in Spring 2025, with a fresh start in London following a hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. With my relocation to London, the project will be reimagined as part of a larger, global campaign centered on intersectional feminism, aiming to engage schools and universities around the world under the new name Amina Beauty Salon.
This immersive experience will be showcased at prestigious festivals, universities, and cultural events, accompanied by talks, workshops, celebrity engagements, documentaries, and published works. At its core, the campaign strives to:
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Foster empathy among women of all races, bridging cultural divides.
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Support male allies in understanding honor as a mechanism of shame, control, and, often, criminal acts.
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Highlight the roles of education and class as significant factors in perpetuating gender-based oppression, particularly for women of color.
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Spark debates and garner attention through impactful storytelling and potential award recognition.
The ultimate vision is to create a future where shame has no place in the lives of victims of patriarchy, and instead, to empower individuals with the tools and understanding needed to challenge and dismantle harmful norms.
