Fawad Khan says he misses Bollywood, made ‘great friends’ in the industry with whom he is still in touch

A Story by Jasmine Kaur

INTRODUCTION

Fawad Khan, a Pakistani actor, said he missed Bollywood. He has acted in a few Hindi films, including Khoobsurat and Kapoor & Sons. His last Indian release was Ae Dil Hai Mushkil in 2016.

The Indian Motion Picture Producers Association banned Pakistani artists from working in Indian films following the Uri attack in 2016. The All-Indian Cine Workers Association banned Pakistani artists after the Pulwama terror attack in 2019.

Fawad was asked if he misses Bollywood in an interview with Film Companion. “Yes,” he replied. I made a lot of good friends there. I remain in touch with them. I do miss it. I miss Mumbai, it’s a beautiful city. I have had a wonderful experience in all the cities I have visited,” he said.

FAWAD KHAN AND SANAM SAEED TO REUNITE FOR NEW SERIES

After eight years, Fawad and his Zindagi Gulzar Hai co-star Sanam Saeed are set to reunite for a Zindagi Digital series directed by Asim Abbasi. The show, which will also stream on Zee5, was announced this week.

Fawad said, “I think Zindagi is taking bold and brave decisions when it comes to its storytelling. The platform is naturally evolving into one that encourages diversity of opinion and inclusiveness of material from mainstream to avant-garde and noir. “I think there is a place for everyone in this artistic landscape.”

As-yet-untitled show combines magical realism and supernatural fantasy within a family reunion setting, exploring themes of ‘love, loss, and reconciliation’. In the movie, Fawad plays a single parent who lives with guilt over what he has lost. Sanam, on the other hand, is viewed as someone who carries otherworldly secrets and strives to heal and restore all those surrounding her.

Eight years after their hit show “Zindagi Gulzar Hai”, Pakistani stars Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed will reunite for Zindagi’s upcoming series. ZEE5 will carry the yet-to-be-titled show, directed by Asim Abbasi, best known for “Cake” and the hit Zindagi Original “Churails”. Described as “magical realism combined with supernatural fantasy in a family reunion setting,” the series deals with themes of love, loss, and reconciliation.

ROLE OF CHARACTERS

“Fawad plays a single parent who is charming but filled with guilt over what he has lost. With his son, he strives to be every bit the father his own father was and wasn’t. In the series, Sanam plays the main female character. A possessor of otherworldly secrets, she takes it upon herself to heal and make whole everyone who surrounds her,” the note reads.

Khan, who became a household name in Pakistan after starring in Pakistani dramas as “Zindagi Gulzar Hai” (2013), “Humsafar” and Hindi films as “Kapoor & Sons” and “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil”, praised Zindagi as an “inclusive” platform.

“I think Zindagi is taking bold and brave steps when it comes to storytelling. It’s naturally evolving into a platform that encourages diversity of opinion and inclusion of all filmmakers and material from mainstream to avant-garde and noir. There’s a place for everyone in this artistic landscape,” the 40-year-old actor said.

Saeed said she is thrilled to collaborate with Abbasi after the duo’s acclaimed “Cake” in 2018.

Saeed, 36, said, “This new project will take the audience on a fantastic journey featuring the most stunning performances by a very meticulously selected cast. I can’t wait for everyone to see the magic that’s been created in this beautiful limbo land.”

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Chief Content Officer Shailja Kejriwal said the project is thrilled to bring together Khan, Saeed and Abbasi.

We have experimented both with the genre and the storyline this time. While many television shows focus on family dynamics, this one is filled with realms of mystique and fantasy, making it a fascinating watch,” she continued.

CONCLUSION

The director of Zindagi says the film has become a “pioneer”, not only for India-Pakistan OTT collaborations, but also for encouraging artists to “push boundaries of narrative storytelling”.

“I experienced that with ‘Churails’ and I am experiencing it again with this project. Under Shailja’s support and guidance, Zindagi has truly become a home for many filmmakers, where we can see our wildest ideas come to life. As a filmmaker, I am hoping this new project will have strong emotional resonance not only with South Asian viewers, but also with a global audience,” the filmmaker said.

A large part of the series was filmed in the picturesque Hunza Valley in Pakistan.