Acting is reacting. Pakistani star Sanam Saeed hadn’t truly realised the oft-quoted thumb rule until her latest project Barzakh. The ZEE5 show features her as Scheherezade— an assistant to a reclusive septuagenarian (Salman Shahid), who invites his family to witness his wedding to the ghost of his first love.
“I don’t think I am a very good actor. The only way I can give a performance that is real, is when there is a part of me in the character, or it is something I have experienced first-hand,” says Sanam adding, “Scheherezade, however, was developed in the rehearsal space. During our interactions, Salman Shahid’s energy would push me to complement his tempo, pace and style. That was new for me. It made me try a voice that was not heavy, but airy; her look had to be wondrous but without being coy. The energy of the men around her—from a 10-year-old to a 70-year-old—influenced her.”
Barzakh, which borders between mystic realism and a family drama, is Sanam’s second project with director Asim Abbasi after Cake. The 2019 film that was the filmmaker’s directorial debut, was also Pakistan’s entry to the Oscars. It touched upon themes of dysfunctional family dynamics, guilt and grief. Sanam admits that she likes working with Asim not just because he is an impressive writer, but also because he allows her to question.
“He gives his actors a large canvas and is not thrown off, with a different point of view. He has written the character from his perspective. But as a woman, I have my stance. I try to be real and relate to some things myself, and then try to find the answers with him,” she says adding, “I have witnessed his writing so closely. Cake was a brilliant family drama, with the female perspective, love, loss and parenting. In Barzakh, you have magic realism and supernaturalism. He pushes us all out of our comfort zones.”
The biggest reason, however, for Barzakh to be among the most anticipated productions of the year was Sanam’s reunion with her Zindagi Gulzar Hai co-star Fawad Khan after 12 long years. Their portrayal of Kashaf and Zaroon, a married couple whose evolution from college rivals to husband and wife, as they navigate the intricacies of married life and personal egos, made them television’s most popular pair across the subcontinent. “From the conversations, I have had with Fawad, he has always been keen on playing a character like Shehryar, someone who is complex, has shades of grey and is a departure from what he has done before. Barzakh is a good palate cleanser for the audience to get a feel of Fawad’s acting chops. It is good to shake up the audience,” she says.
Sanam would know for, she does that herself quite often. From playing a woman seeking her identity in Firaaq to the strong-willed matriarch in Diyare Dil, or the whimsical socialite-turned-artist in Qatil Haseenon Ke Naam, she has been conscientious in showcasing her range. She calls Pakistani actors Nadia Jamil, Sania Saeed and India’s Tabu her role models. “They have always done brave and impactful work that has struck a chord with viewers. The films may not have been mega box-office earners, but have stayed with people. I too want people to see all that I am capable of I have never aspired for stardom.”
After Barzakh, Sanam, along with Fawad and a host of other popular Pakistani TV stars, including Mahira Khan, will be next seen in Pakistan’s first Netflix original Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo. “I love the power of OTT and the opportunity it has given us. There is so much talent and stories waiting to be told across the world. Just like Korean and Turkish dramas, Pakistani dramas also took off in the subcontinent, but we were lacking budgets to enhance production values,” she says, adding, “This drama is the story of five couples.
It moves between past, present and future, and spans across London, Italy and Pakistan. We haven’t had anything like this.”
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