New Delhi: After a riveting teaser that left audiences wanting more, the Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed starrer Barzakh released its trailer on 1 July. Fans ‘love, love, love it,’ with Indian viewers particularly eager to watch the Zindagi Gulzar Hai couple rekindle their on-screen chemistry.
Barzakh (Purgatory), directed by Asim Abbasi, releases on 19 July on the Zee Zindagi channel. It is set in Pakistan’s picturesque Hunza Valley and follows the story of a 76-year-old man who stuns his estranged children and grandchildren by announcing his ‘engagement’ with the spirit of his first love. This revelation sets off a series of intense emotional exchanges as the family reunites, grappling with how to react to this unexpected development.
According to the trailer, Barzakh will delve into themes of interconnectedness and everlasting love, integrating folklore and magic realism into its narrative. The series even raises a poignant question: “When all has withered, will love endure?”
‘This is Insane’
The has caused a flurry of excitement across India and Pakistan. People can’t seem to get enough of a few things: Fawad Khan’s return to the small screen, his pairing with Saeed, and Abbasi’s direction. One Indian user’s comment below Khan’s recent Instagram post perhaps sums it all: “THIS IS INSANE”.
One Instagrammer hailed it as Khan’s ‘comeback’, while a YouTube user said: “Wow, this is truly something massive—a cinematic masterpiece. Fawad’s return to the screen is well-deserved and nothing short of spectacular. The acting king is back and better than ever!”
Pakistani celebrities such as Mahira Khan, Hashim Ali, Zara Peerzada and others showered praises on the trailer too. Mahira wrote “Uffh!” under Saeed’s post, in appreciation of the actor’s latest work.
Audiences are already lauding Saeed’s performance. One YouTube comment read: “Very early to say that but it seems as if Sanam Saeed will steal the show. She is such an enigma, a fierce, fearless actor.”
Others are busy defending Fawad Khan’s choice of roles after he had earlier said in an interview that he would not return to TV.
A YouTuber user asserted: “To everyone who keeps saying Fawad isn’t doing Pakistani TV, I ask you this: you’ve looked at the trailer. Now, tell me, is there any channel capable of producing something as unique, original, and intriguing as this? Just one look at the trailer, and you know this will be a masterpiece. Both Sanam and Fawad have meaty roles, worthy of their talent. And look at the supporting cast. The others are Fawad Khan, Faiza Gilani, Eman Suleman, Sajid Hassan, Khushal Khan. I cannot wait for this.”
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Everyone isn’t convinced
There are two Fawad Khans in the cast, wrote another social media user. One is the Fawad Khan from Zindagi Gulzar Hai, and the other is the “theatre artist, acting teacher and one of the finest actors of Pakistan.”
However, not everyone is convinced about the show. Film enthusiasts across social media are hopeful but sceptical. “The cinematography bears a resemblance to that of the film “Cake,” which I found intriguing. However, I have concerns that the season might be monotonous and slow-paced,” one user wrote on X.
All storytellers dream of moments like this in their career, where they are allowed to run wild, director Asim Abbasi had told Dawn earlier. “Barzakh is just that — me running wild through this forest of fear and hope and magic — to create something a little bit spiritual and a whole lot of trippy.”