Barzakh (TV series)

Barzakh is a 2024 Pakistani fantasy television series directed and written by Asim Abbasi. The series stars Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed in lead roles. The show premiered on 19 July 2024 on ZEE5.

Cast

 * Fawad Khan as Shehryar
 * Sanam Saeed as Scheherezade
 * Salman Shahid as Jafar Khanzada
 * Khushhal Khan as Brother
 * Faiza Gillani as Tasleem
 * Eman Suleman as Leena
 * Anika Zulfikar as Mahtab
 * Sajid Hassan as Jabbar
 * Fawad Khan as Saifullah
 * Uzma Beg as Afroz

Production
The Pakistani and Indian co-produced series was first announced in December 2021. After the 2013 series Zindagi Gulzar Hai, Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed were announced as the leads under Asim Abbasi's directorial to mark their second on-screen appearance. The principal photography began in November 2021 and ended in March 2022, taking place in Karachi and Hunza Valley.

On 16 June 2024, the network ZEE5 announced the release date of the series. The trailer was released by Zee Zindagi on 1 July on YouTube.

Release
In February 2023, the series premiered world-wide in Series Mania, France. It's first episode premiered on 19 July 2024 on Zee5 and the YouTube channel of Zee Zindagi.

Critical response
Shilajit Mitra of The Hindu praised Barzakh for its "achingly, unabashedly artful" approach, noting how it intertwines past and present through its characters' stories. He highlighted Fawad Khan’s portrayal of Shehryar, mentioning his "wintry handsomeness with a comic cynicism." However, Mitra criticized the series for losing its "sustained mysticism" in a "psychedelic freak-out" sequence.

Hafsah Sarfraz of DAWN Images commended the series' high production value and storytelling, highlighting the stunning visuals of the Hunza Valley and the strong performances of Fawad Khan, Sanam Saeed, and Salman Shahid. She described the series as having "the right levels of lighting, colours and hues to such perfection." Conversely, Mahwash Ajaz of Khaleej Times appreciated the artistic ambition and beautiful cinematography, describing the frames as "like Renaissance paintings coming alive." She praised Fawad Khan's performance but criticized the pacing and overuse of allegories, noting the series' slow pace akin to "live theater" and hoping for more cohesion in future episodes.