Barzakh Review: Fawad Khan, Sanam Saeed & Asim Abbasi Present a Melancholic Poetry of Love, Longing, and Afterlife

Shubham Kulkarni

Story

A man is getting married to the ghost of his dead lover. She awaits his arrival on the other side, and their union will bring the end to the living world. His children have gathered for this insane wedding, but even they have secrets that need redemption. The story unfolds, and everything is addressed; everyone meets their goals.

Direction

Asim Abbasi, as a filmmaker, has a distinctive language that is unique and not in sync with popular taste, but that is what makes him stand out. He is exploring life and what happens beyond that parallel here, and you can see the lines blurring between the two but also the mystery being alive till the very end.

Broken People

Barzakh is more about the brokenness in the people who are in search of redemption, which mostly is in the afterlife. A lover, mothers, and the mystery of their existence are all bound to one thing, and that needs to be reached even if it puts the real world in danger.

Women Opting for Peaceful Lives

Asim Abbasi’s gaze towards women has always been unapologetic, and even in the time when they choose to elope to a better place with no men, he never judged them. But while on that, he isn't demonizing men too.

Performances

These are some of the most iconic actors who have come together for Barzakh. Salman Shahid is impeccable, Sanam Saeed and Fawad Khan together are magic, and there is no way they are going wrong in any way.

Flaws

While everything in and about Barzakh is perfect and on point, one storyline that goes haywire is the rebellion of the villagers. Their redemption seems too quick and borderline unsatisfactory.

Final Verdict

Barzakh needs to be watched for the magic that it brings to the screen, the mystery that it manages to keep alive, the love that deserves its lover, and the longing that will take his life.