Production company Zindagi has decided to remove the serial 'Barzakh' starring Pakistani actors Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed from YouTube Pakistan amid ongoing controversy over its bizarre content.
“We at Zindagi and the Barzakh team, extend our sincere gratitude to our global audience for their unwavering support of Barzakh – a show created to bring people together everywhere. However, in light of the current public sentiment in Pakistan, we have taken the decision to voluntarily pull Barzakh from YouTube Pakistan, effective August 9, 2024. This decision underscores our dedication to honoring our audiences without causing alienation. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and continued support,” Zindagi’s Instagram account posted.
The six-episode series is produced by Waqas Hassan and Shailja Kejriwal for Zindagi, a programming block focused on the Indian subcontinent on streaming platform ZEE5 Global. It is directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker Asim Abbasi, who also helmed Zindagi’s first original Pakistani film “Churails” and the feature film “Cake,” which was Pakistan’s entry for the 2019 Oscars.
Set in the Hunza Valley, the series revolves around a 76-year-old recluse who invites his estranged family to his remote valley retreat for an extraordinary event – his wedding to the ghost of his first love, prompting him to ponder the mysteries of life, the afterlife and the enduring power of love. The series touches on themes of mental health, postpartum depression, intergenerational trauma and gender inclusivity. It also explores the role of folklore in the human experience. Controversy erupted when two of the show’s protagonists almost kissed.
The word “barzakh” can mean a place separating the living from the afterlife or where souls rest until the Day of Judgment. One viewer said the series “twists the Islamic concept of barzakh into a fantasy narrative. Full of vulgarity, LGBT, and promoting occultism and Jewish Kabbalah,” while another said “the hidden LGBT agenda is being normalized in the name of drama through plays like Barzakh.”
The final episode of the series is scheduled to air on August 6. Abbasi posted Zindagi's statement with the caption: “Yes, the finale is still airing tonight.”
The series was a huge success when it premiered at Series Mania last year.
