Fawad Khan, the former rock star turned A-list actor, continues to captivate audiences with his magnetic presence. With the imminent release of his supernatural web series Barzakh on July 19, the Humsafar actor sat down for an in-depth interview with Pinkvilla to discuss his latest project and the unique charm of Pakistani dramas across the border.
Fawad, who now enjoys the privilege of selecting his projects, was immediately drawn to Barzakh. “When I read the script, I was sold,” he shared. “The script, the team, and especially [director] Asim Abbasi – everything was amazing. I had seen his earlier work, and he is masterful – an amazing director.”
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Reflecting on his role, Fawad humorously described his character, Sheheryar the psychiatrist, as “unhinged” as the show progresses. “He’s a candidate for therapy himself! I’m laughing about it now, but shooting it was emotionally disturbing on many levels.”
One aspect of the series that Fawad found far from disturbing was reuniting with Sanam Saeed, his co-star from Zindagi Gulzar Hai. “She is such a phenomenal actor,” Fawad remarked. “I feel very comfortable working with her, and she’s so gifted. As an actor, I feel the job is about reaction more than action – and when you have two actors reacting to each other, it makes the job so much easier.”
Discussing the special appeal of Pakistani dramas, Fawad noted the contrast with India’s cinematic dominance. “In Pakistan, the visual medium has primarily been television, whereas in India, the strong suit is cinema,” he explained. “In India, the dream for actors is to work in cinema, whereas in Pakistan, it’s been television. We’ve learned how to work on narratives for television, which is why I think we’re good at it.”
Fawad acknowledges that television has been instrumental in his career. Reflecting on his role in Humsafar, he admitted it initially seemed like just a paycheck but ultimately opened many doors. “You are nothing before you’re something,” he stated. To aspiring actors, he advised, “I had just come from a rock band and I wanted to do something more complex than Humsafar, but being dismissive is not the way to start out. I’m not saying that Humsafar was nothing, but yes, it was an opportunity to start work.” He emphasized, “To actors I would say, capitalize on any opportunity you get. If nothing else, you will get the chance to polish your craft.”
