"It also reminded me of my own father’s passing"
Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed’s upcoming drama series Barzakh has finally got its premiere date.
The show will premiere on Zindagi’s YouTube channel and ZEE5 Global on July 19, 2024.
Asim Abbasi has directed the much-anticipated show while Shailja Kejriwal and Waqas Hassan serve as producers.
Barzakh follows the journey of a 76-year-old reclusive man who invites his estranged children and grandchildren to his remote valley resort to celebrate an extraordinary and unconventional event – his wedding with the ghost of his first true love.
The official synopsis reads: “This emotionally profound narrative makes viewers think about life’s mysteries, what happens after death, and the deep feeling of love that ties us together.”
Barzakh unfolds against the backdrop of the picturesque Hunza Valley in Pakistan, showcasing its ethereal beauty and bringing the narrative to life.
According to the makers, the six-episode series will also explore themes of mental health, postpartum depression, generational trauma and gender inclusivity through a gripping narrative that challenges societal conventions.
Salman Shahid, Eman Suleman, Khushhal Khan, Faiza Gillani, Anika Zulfikar and Franco Giusti also feature in the show.
Detailing the process, Asim said:
“The process of making Barzakh started during the throes of Covid and the pandemic, Shailja and I were having a lot of conversations about life and death and to have lived and to have a legacy and have meant to lose so many people.
“It also reminded me of my own father’s passing and his soul, where did they go, that’s how the idea of Barzakh germinated.
“I had then just recently completed Churails and Zindagi was quite keen on collaborating with me again, and this made me think that I can explore television the way literature is explored.
“I also wanted to move away from the hyper realness I had created in Churails and wanted to create a dysfunctional family and generational drama similar to what we had created in Cake.”
Shailja stated that Barzakh is a show where the entire cast and crew came together to be a part of something unique, fresh, and slightly mind-bending.
She said: “At its core, Barzakh is about an estranged family reuniting for a wedding.
“It is unique because this reunion brings together the living as well as the dead.”
“It is elevating because at the end of it all, there is a happily ever after!”
Waqas added: “I feel like working with an international production partner not only broadened my horizons but gave Pakistani filmmakers and thespians a platform to prove to the world that they can match global expectations and quality.”
Barzakh had its worldwide premiere at 2023’s Series Mania Festival in France and was the only show from South Asia.
Watch Barzakh‘s Trailer
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