Sanam Saeed on sharing screen space with Fawad Khan in Barzakh, 11 years after Zindagi Gulzar Hai: ‘We both value the comfort that we share’ | Television News

In Islamic terms, Barzakh means the veil between this life and the afterlife. It is said to be a portal that souls go to after death. Stemming from this very name, the show’s first episode establishes the existence of such a life in the living world too. It points at a love story between two souls, and the madness that comes with it. With ample symbolism and layered characters, the show also has breathtaking visuals of the Hunza Valley. When we asked Sanam Saeed if the role of Scheherazade was written for her or if she bagged the part through auditions, the actress said, “Asim Abbasi claims that he wrote this role keeping me in mind, but I still auditioned. I encourage auditions because sometimes directors have actors they are comfortable with. As much as I would love to be the first choice of one of my favorite directors, sometimes I also wonder if I am right for the role and ask them if they are sure they don’t want to try out anyone else.”

Also Read: Asim Abbasi on Fawad Khan-Sanam Saeed’s reunion for Barzakh: ‘Thought he’d want to be hero; he said you haven’t seen Kapoor and Sons?’

She added, “I am all for auditions. When I read a story and I am excited about it, it doesn’t matter if I am a part of it, I just want for it to be the best version. So, I secretly want to be a casting director also. I just love casting. Even for Barzakh, I had recommended Asim to try a few other names also for my role. With all of Asim’s scripts I have read, every single one has been something I have wanted to be a part of. I have been lucky enough to be free and available for Cake and Barzakh. It has been a real treat.”

Sanam Saeed forayed into the acting world in 2010 with a cameo role in the show Daam. From there she has gone on to become one of the biggest actresses in Pakistan today. Talking about the biggest takeaway from these 14 years, Sanam said, “There is so much to learn and so much more I need to discover about myself and other people. Every script brings a new challenge, it opens my eyes to characters, situations, and possibilities. It’s a beautiful way of experiencing life and people and understanding them. This industry or art form that I am a part of really likes me to get into people’s skin, literally as an actor and as a performer. If you don’t like me in the character I am playing, I make you uncomfortable and I am also getting into your skin, I like that dynamic. That is what I have really valued and understood over the years.”

While the story of Barzakh will unfold in a few days from now, what excited fans is the coming together of the iconic pair of Sanam and Fawad 11 years after Zindagi Gulzar Hai. Talking about working once again with Fawad, Sanam said, “It was great, just like how it is catching up with an old friend or someone who you have met once and had a good experience with. Especially when he is someone from the film fraternity or an artist you have shared screen space with, there is that level of trust. Even though we worked together 11 years ago, it’s like reflex action where you go back into this mode where you know that the other person has got your back. You know you are going to experiment and improvise and it’s not going to throw the other person off. I know that we both value the comfort that we share.”

With the ban on Pakistani actors working in Bollywood getting lifted, we also asked Sanam Saeed about the Indo-Pak collaboration for Barzakh and her plans to work in the Indian film industry. Sanam replied, “I now hope that the collaboration goes further and actors infiltrate those lines too now. Even the crew, it will be nice to have an exchange of creative team, while Zee has been the producer, it’s all made and done here. So now it will be nice to have a meeting point where they can merge. I don’t know if I want to be in Bollywood, but I would love to be a part of the OTT platform content.”

Sanam Saeed also shared how she feels it is a great time to be an actor. “I think it’s a great time to be an actor, you are a lot more free to move between mediums. There was a time when a cinema actor was not seen on TV for free in your living room. They were supposed to be unattainable, not on social media. You could only see a glimpse of them at a premiere or if you go to the cinema. That was a different time, but now things have changed. There are pros and cons in each generation. Right now it’s given people a lot more access to this medium if you want to be an actor. It is not like you need to be a certain way if you want to be in films, or film is the end all and the only place you can be if you want to be an actor. People sometimes look down upon TV actors thinking that they didn’t make it to the big screen, but now you have big names from Hollywood and Bollywood on OTT, so the lines have blurred and given more accessibility, respect, and exposure. You are not just limited to being seen in a theatre now the world is open to you.”

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Lastly talking about her early memories of Bollywood and the actors she would like to work with, Sanam shared, “I don’t think there is always one. There is so much content I have been enjoying. First, my answer used to always be Aamir Khan, now it is him, but I would also like to work with Jaideep Ahlawat, and Vijay Varma. It has also always been Tabu, but it is also now Sonakshi Sinha or anyone from the Mirzapur or Patal Lok or Delhi Crime cast. They are fantastic actors, and I would love to work with them.”

She added, “My favorite Bollywood memory has to be Lamhe for some strange reason. I had a VCR when I moved from England. As children we never put a film from the start, we just played it from anywhere. So I have seen Mr India and Lamhe about a million times. Sridevi and Anil Kapoor for me were like just everything. I will always remember the scene where Anupam Kher and Sridevi try to convince Anil Kapoor, and also Hail Mogambo in Mr. India. Sridevi was quite iconic and stands out in my memory. I was quite fascinated by Anil Kapoor and Sridevi. They formed my earliest Bollywood memories.”