Fawad Khan's 'Barzakh' to be withdrawn from Youtube Pakistan, here's why

Still from the show

Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed's show 'Barzakh' has come under controversy ever since the first episode was dropped on Youtuber. Now, the makers have shared an official statement announcing their decision to withdraw the show from YouTube Pakistan keeping in mind the sentiments of the public in the country.

The team of 'Barzakh' took to Instagram on Tuesday to share an official statement about the show being withdrawn from YouTube. "We, at Zindagi and Team Barzakh, extend our heartfelt gratitude to our global audience for their unwavering support for Barzakh- a show that was curated to bring people together everywhere. But in light of the current public sentiment in Pakistan, we have made the decision to voluntarily withdraw Barzakh from YouTube Pakistan, effective August 9, 2024. This decision underscores our dedication to honouring our audiences without causing alienation. We sincerely appreciate your understanding and continued support."

Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed-starrer tells the story of a 76-year-old reclusive man, who invites his estranged children and grandchildren to celebrate his wedding with the ghost of his true love. Elements of the supernatural and magic realism run in the story that sees Kejriwal and Abbasi reunite after their successful Churails (2020).

The show brings together Pakistani director Asim Abbasi and Indian producer Shailja Kejriwal. "It is a big leap of faith to do such a show. But I can't think strategies; I'm a storyteller first. I go with my gut. Sometimes I will be rewarded for it, at other times, I will suffer. Producers should always think like an audience, look at what's being made around and ask, ‘Is this grabbing my attention?'" Kejriwal had said talking about the show with Mid-day a month ago before the release of the show.

Talking about being a part of such an experimental show, Fawad told Mid-day, "Initially, I was scared too. I was worried - did we jump into something too radically experimental? But when I saw the trailer, I was reassured. And it reaffirmed my faith in Asim. This man is capable of creating something so stunning, spectacular and amazing without a hint of pressure. I had the best time working on this. We shot it during COVID and in those days, I was seeking comfort in cooking. I have a lot of cookbooks and I am always trying different recipes. After a point, when you are in Hunza Valley (where the show was shot) - where the network is limited, and you are not connected with the world, all you have are the human connections. Cooking from scratch is the most therapeutic experience, in my opinion."