The Renegade Files

Designed as a companion piece to the award-winning animated short film Shehr e Tabassum (The City of Smiles), this publication offers an in-depth look at a dystopian Pakistan where smiling is mandatory and all other forms of expression are outlawed. While the film itself explores this unsettling future, the publication takes on the perspective of a frantic journalist piecing together how the enigmatic “Supreme Leader” came to power.

As the lead graphic designer, I was responsible for bringing this narrative to life visually. The publication features fictional news stories, fabricated social media clippings, provocative headlines, assassination attempts, political chaos, and even technological blueprints—all elements that hint at a complex, sinister history. Every piece—from newspapers and blogs to conspiracy theory websites—was created from scratch to feel authentic within this dystopian context. This immersive approach deepens the film’s narrative, inviting audiences to explore the layers of deception, propaganda, and power lurking beneath the city’s enforced smiles.