Looks like the blanket-ban on Pakistani artistes in India has been lifted. We recently had the Filmfare awards honouring Pakistani actors at a function in Dubai.

Now Zindagi, the channel devoted to collaborations from across the border, has roped in Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed for their upcoming original which will stream on ZEE5. The yet to be titled series is helmed by critically acclaimed director Asim Abbasi who also directed Zindagi’s first original Churails.

According to the serial’s makers,the show will blend together magical realism and supernatural fantasy within a family reunion setting, and deals with themes of love, loss and reconciliation.

Fawad who was last seen in India playing a role in Karan Johar’s Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, plays a single parent , charming but ridden with guilt for what he has lost. With his son, he tries to be every bit the father his own father was and wasn’t. Sanam plays the central female character in the series. Harbouring otherworldly secrets, she takes it upon herself to heal, and make whole, everyone who surrounds her.

Fawad Khan says he is thrilled to be part of the untitled series. “I think Zindagi is taking bold and brave decisions when it comes to storytelling. It’s naturally evolving into a platform that encourages diversity of opinion and inclusiveness for all filmmakers and material ranging from everyday mainstream to avant-garde and noir. I feel there’s a place for everyone in this artistic landscape.”

Sanam Saeed shares her excitement when she says, “”I’m thrilled to be collaborating with one of my favourite directors Asim Abbasi again, this time for Zindagi. This new project embarks on a fantastical journey with some stunning performances by a very meticulously picked cast. I can’t wait for everyone to see the magic that’s been created in this beautiful limbo land.”

Director Assim Abbasi is equally enthused. “The channel Zindagi 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 that again with this project. Under Shailja Kejriwal’ support and guidance, Zindagi has truly become a home for many filmmakers like me, where we can see our craziest, wildest ideas come to fruition. I am feeling blessed, and very hopeful that this new project will have a very strong emotional resonance not only with the South Asian viewers, but a global audience.”

The series has gone on floors and a large part of it has been shot in the picturesque Hunza valley.

Speaking on the announcement of the new series, Ms Shailja Kejriwal, Chief Content Officer – Special Projects, Zee Entertainment Enterprises said, “We’ve had a very rewarding association with Fawad, Sanam and Asim individually with their past projects and are thrilled to bring them together on this one. This time we’ve experimented with the genre as well as the storyline. While audiences have often seen shows on family dynamics this one is infused with realms of mystique and fantasy, making it a fascinating watch.”