Even readers might not recognize this name, as Shishakli is a very minor character in the book. Shishakli is a fellow Fremon who gives Paul his worm-wrangling hooks when Paul is learning how to ride a worm for the first time:
“‘They are my own hooks,” Shishakli said in a husky voice. ‘They have never failed.'”
This is pretty much it for the book character; we never even get a scene where Paul gives the hooks back. Although gender-swapped characters in adaptations often raise the internet’s ire, Shishakli is such a minor character that we don’t anticipate much backlash for Villeneuve’s choice to make the character a woman. They’ve already gender-swapped Kynes in the first book; this is a much smaller change in comparison.
Movie Shishakli is basically the best friend of Chani (Zendaya). The two repeatedly share jokes at Paul’s expense and both express doubt over his status as the prophesized savior of the Fremen people. Shishakli is particularly distrustful of outsiders, so she rarely hesitates to make fun of Paul. Shishakli might not be a major player in the “Dune” series, but she’s going to have a fun time while she’s here.