Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed’s show Barzakh pulled from YouTube for depicting queer love, furious fans respond: ‘Extremely unprogressive’

 

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Helmed by acclaimed director Asim Abbasi, the six-episode series is a Waqas Hassan and Shailja Kejriwal production for Zindagi, a subcontinent-focused arm of ZEE5 Global. Abbasi previously directed Zindagi’s Churails and the Oscar-nominated film Cake.

Controversy erupted when two male characters almost shared a kiss. Critics accused the series of “twisting the Islamic concept of Barzakh into a fantastical narrative filled with vulgarity, LGBTQ, and promoting Illuminati and Jewish Kabbalah magic.” Others claimed it “normalised a hidden LGBTQ agenda under the guise of drama,” said Variety.

Disappointed by the move, fans of the show have taken social media to strongly react to the news, calling the decision “unprogressive.”  “It’s just a fictional drama , take it with a pinch of salt . Why do people take it personally nowadays. Such a beautiful series,” wrote a fan. Another one reacted, “An extremely unprogressive move by Zindagi. If you guys have the courage to create a content that champions the rights of a marginalized section, then the channel should also own the content and should show some deterrence against ignorance. NOT HAPPY.” A netizen commented, “Pakistanis would rather watch dramas on ary geo etc that glorify zinna and domestic abuse ( recent example would be the drama airing rn called shiddat) and say absolutely nothing at all about It bec it appeases their mindset (sic).”

BARZAKH PREMIERED ON JULY 19

 

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Despite the controversy, the show’s finale airs on August 6. Abbasi shared Zindagi’s statement, confirming the episode’s release. Barzakh premiered to acclaim at Series Mania last year. Its captivating story of a 76-year-old man inviting his estranged family to witness his marriage to a ghost, set against the breathtaking Hunza Valley, explores profound themes of life, death, and love.

Set in the stunning Hunza Valley, the show revolves around a reclusive 76-year-old inviting his estranged family to his remote resort for a peculiar event – his wedding to the ghost of his first love. This thought-provoking narrative explores life’s enigmas, the afterlife, and love’s enduring power. The series delves into mental health, postpartum depression, generational trauma, and gender inclusivity, while also examining folklore’s impact on human life.

Indianexpress.com‘s film critic, Shubhra Gupta, in her review, appreciating the show wrote, “You have to submit to the world-building of Barzakh, produced by Shailja Kejriwal and Waqas Hassan, to fully appreciate its wares, and you may fall out of it in bits, but this is a series which will stay with me, and make me think of the things it shows, and even more of the things it doesn’t,” giving the series four-and-a-half stars.