- Date of Release: 19 July 2024
- Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
- Language: Urdu, Hindi
- Watch On: Zee5 Premium
Barzakh
Introduction
If leaves didn’t fall, how would Fall become Spring! This line uttered by one of the characters perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Barzakh. Life in general is usually hard filled with regrets, loss and the burden of guilt, at times that we do carry in our meta-physical state in the afterlife as well. The burden of guilt often stems from our actions in circumstances, or the circumstances leading to our actions, even while impacting the lives of people that we actually love around us. And yet when we look to attain Nirvana or salutation, it is this burden that often restricts us to the transition phase between the two worlds – one being the materialistic pain of our current world that we hold onto, and the other, the same pain that doesn’t quite allow us to proceed further to the higher realms of the astral. And Barzakh, literally translates into this intermediate state that is essentially a bridge between the two worlds. Such is the nature of the show, that if you look closely, the trajectory that the show follows is exactly like shedding of the leaves to transition from Fall to Spring, where Fall and Spring can be metaphors for the two worlds, one that has an end and the other a new beginning. Such is the circle of life that whatever starts has to end, and whatever ends has to begin a new life, so the sooner we accept our guilt, will we be spared of the burden of being weighed down, and which will help us to start afresh. Barzakh explores these complex concepts at a philosophical and meta-physical level which may not be everyone’s cup of tea. It is niche and forces you to apply yourself while immersing yourself in the drama that offers no easy answers. But in a way, this journey of healing and acceptance is also a way of shedding the burden for the viewers, for Barzakh wil go down as one of the finest cinematic wonders to have premiered on TV this year!
Story & Screenplay
Barzakh follows the story of the unlikely union of an estranged family wherein the patriarch of the family wishes to marry for the third time, contrary to the thoughts that the locals share about his to-be wife being dead long ago. Asim Abbasi has a unique style of constructing his stories, often that coax you to look past the ordinary. And straight up, you can draw the parallels from his previous film Cake, which also was the story of an estranged family that opens a can of secrets. Except that, this story here is so much more esoteric while tackling the concepts of love, loss, regret, guilt, acceptance and everything in between. There is an enchantment surrounding the tale that pushes the envelope towards the afterlife, a phase that hasn’t opened the gates to the other world while a few characters find themselves in the transition phase weighed down by the burdens of their past, representing by stones tied to their backs. Such is the metaphor here that is esoteric in so many ways, with symbolisms in play that you need to be attentive throughout the meditative screenplay standing at 6 episodes of roughly 1 hour each, to completely understand the nature of the drama that offers no easy answers.
First things first, Barzakh isn’t for everybody just like art isn’t for everyone. You need to be well versed with the concepts of the afterlife and the intermediate world to truly grasp the intended message of the drama. The show has a unique structure of beginning every episode with the backstory of a character while shifting focus to the current times only to shift the POV towards another character in the subsequent episode. As a result, the characterization was immaculate with each character being offshoots of the other, at times literally but more figuratively with respect to the pain and loss that they have gone through. So you have the family patriarch Jafar, who in pursue of a few materialistic pleasures did not get a chance to meet the love of his life for the last time, resulting in him going on the path of eccentricity with respect to loss and pain. He shares an estranged relationship with his brother who may have indirectly played a part in him losing the love of his life, and also his two sons, the elder one Saifullah dealing with the pain of losing his loved one very early on in his life while struggling to find his identity in the garb of the loss, making him familiar with violence as a virtue. On the other hand you have the younger son, Shehryar who is a single parent after losing his wife to depression, while completely being dismissive of the concepts of the afterlife, often shown to be ridiculing it while silently carrying a mountain of pain within him. This, even as there are a host of characters from the afterlife, appearing around them with stones tied to their back(representing their burden with guilt).
At the center of things is the caretaker of Jaffer named Scheherezade(notice the name) who is essentially a bridge of sorts, even as she possesses the power to peek into the ‘other world’. By the very nature of the drama you can make out that the intermediate state isn’t only restricted between the two worlds but also in the current world with respect to how characters were in the past versus how they stand today. And just like the leaves are shed, another metaphor for letting go of the burden for the tree, only that would lead to new beginnings in the form of new leaves sprouting to bring in spring. There is a sense of softness even as the individual journeys of the characters is laid out with Jaffer finding it hard to accept the loss of his beloved or Saifullah slowly coming to terms with his identity(remember it is still considered a sin in Pakistan unfortunately) by befriending a companion, or the past catching up with Shehryar, thereby allowing him a chance to come to terms with his pain. If you notice, pain is a constant for each of the three individuals in question but it is used in different forms – acceptance, fear and suppression.
If the show falters at any point then it is in the events leading to the final act that felt a bit stretched wherein the show could have been wrapped up an episode sooner. But that aside, there is lots to admire on the show. For instance, the character of Jaffer walking into the other world while passing by figure that represented different phases of his life was beautiful to witness(and another case of representing the cycle of life). This, even as each character comes to terms with his pain while having a common ground of acceptance, that would lessen the burden just that little bit while allowing them to progress in life(and likewise for characters in the afterlife). The proceedings are philosophical and esoteric that is so beautiful to witness, thereby summing up the screenplay that is niche and complex but healing in so many ways.
Dialogues, Music, Symbolism & Direction
The dialogues are soft and beautifully blend with the measured and silent landscapes of the region in which the drama is set in. The lines are like poetry, almost soothing to a point that they would begin to heal you from within. The music is enchanting and pleasant while having subtle bouts of notes that is also represents the intermediate stage of the drama in terms of its mood(just like how the title suggests). The BGM is subtle and sparingly used, almost using the natural sounds to immerse the viewers in the drama. The cinematography is beautifully colour coordinated, with frames that maintain the duality of the drama perfectly – by being somewhere between vibrancy and dullness(and you see the thoughts given towards it, to represent the intermediate state here too). Even the use of pink hues to showcase the afterlife was a genius creative decision, as was shooting the flashbacks in a different aspect ratio.
I would also touch upon a few symbols that I encountered along the way. First was the imprint of a Metatron Cube which is supposed to contain secrets of the universe conceiled within it. Second being, a circle shape that appears on the hand of Sheherezaade, that is symbolic of the circle of life. Even the uneven skin on her neck that appears towards the end is symbolic of a serpent shedding its skin, in s similar manner how leaves are shed, to trigger a new beginning. In a shot, you see a hexagonal mirror that is a symbol of harmony between the two worlds, while the very next shot is of a dent on it that reflects on the turmoil on either sides of the world. Even the sole leaf-less tree in the resort was a symbol of life in general, wherein all the previous sorrows was absorbed, all leaves were shed before giving rise to new life(just like we see life emerging even from trees that are cut). The red rope like nature that appears is probably a symbol of the bridge between the two worlds, just like a choice that Sheherezaade had to make towards the end. The sun and the moon are also two sides of the same coin(almost reflective of the world that the drama is set in), one that is more giving towards the other, so that both shine and retain their beauties, just like the interlinked worlds mentioned in the drama.
The editing perhaps could have shortened the drama given the slight lag at the end but taking nothing away from it, for creating a meditative ambience and allowing the drama to flow through steadily. The costumes beautifully depict the personality of the characters that at times might be in contrast to the pain that they have been carrying. It was more of the manner in which characters chose to please people around them while hiding bouts of pain within them. Director Asim Abbasi is a one of a kind filmmaker who has such a unique voice which needs to be preserved and studied. His filmmaking technique is esoteric(Churails being a lot more in the commercial space, relatively speaking), and it reflects so beautifully here in a drama that is meditative and enchanting with flawed characters in it, like you and me. The idea of our closed ones being always with us despite not being in their physical form was so beautifully examined through the drama. The direction is incredible to say the least.
Performances
The performances are phenomenal by the ensemble cast where each character has a story to tell, and it was almost like watching intermingling movies cut out of the same cloth. Kulsoom Aftab is well restrained and has her moments to shine. Faiza Gillani as Tasleem has a very enchanting presence particularly towards the end and she puts forth an exemplary act that is coated with a soothing layer of mystery. Nighat Choudhry as Firdaus, Uzma Beg as Afroz and Meesam Naqvi as Niazi are terrific and both manage to impress with their nicely measured acts. Imam Syed as Wali and Muhammed Shah as Areeb have such a calm demeanor around them that it is the stillness in their characters that contributes towards the meditative nature of the drama. Eman Suleman as Leena has such an enchanting presence onscreen while showcasing her vulnerabilities so beautifully that you end up getting emotionally attached to her character which is depressed. She was brilliant to the core here.
Sajid Hasan as Jabbar is a character dealing with his own set of insecurities towards his brother, and he manages to bring this sentiment expertly onscreen. Khushhal Khan playing the younger version of Jaffer is fiery but slightly subdued which is in stark contrast to Salman Shahid who essays the role with a touch of eccentricity. Both of them have different approaches, reflecting the different mental state of the same character at different stages in his life, and both were brilliant in their own way. Anika Zulfikar as Mahtab is subtly brilliant and brings forth the underlying complexity of her character with so much ease, along with having a stellar presence onscreen.
Franco Giusti as Lorenzo is such an affable character and used as a catalyst for the healing process of another character. He is philosophical with his approach and the softness in his act is complimented beautifully with his expressions. Syed Arham as Haaris reflects on the maturity that the young artist showcases in emoting some rather complex emotions with such finesse. He was such a natural onscreen and he did a splendid job. Fawad Khan M as Saifullah is so well restrained and adds such sensitivity to his character who is searching for his identity. There is almost a juxtaposition in his act that wants him to turn away but longing for that love that he only wished for. It was a beautiful portrayal by a supremely talented performer.
Fawad Khan(of Kapoor and Sons, yes) as Shehryar was such a layered character, wanting to run away from his past and carrying a mountain of pain while putting up a pleasant face in front of his son and the world around him. A non-believer in the concept of afterlife, Fawad is brilliant in adding bouts of lighthearted humour in his act which itself is a disguise of sorts towards his pain. And yet, he indulges in such softness towards his character that is palpable with pain, while delivering a measured performance. My favourite character though has to be Sanam Saeed as Sheherzaade who in my books represents the soul of the drama to perfect. In a way, she is Barzakh or the intermediate state either for the characters of the same world or even across the two worlds, almost like a fairy who is willing to help should you ask for it. She is layered with her act, keeping the mystery around her character beautifully intact while delivering a measured performance that continues to stay with you long after the show has ended. She was incredible to witness!
Conclusion
Barzakh is an enchanting and esoteric journey of love, loss and pain packaged in a mystical meta-physical tale of acceptance and the art of letting go that makes for an incredible cinematic experience. It is niche and requires patience to sit through it while pushing the viewers to absorb the symbolism along the way, so it may not necessarily be catered to everybody. But if you are well read with the concepts of afterlife and an intermediate world at times filled with burden, you will find yourself immersed in this brilliant narrative that may not be perfect but still worth the journey. Available on Zee5 and Youtube and Highly Recommended!
