Zindagi’s latest film ‘Barzakh’ is releasing tonight (July 19 at 9pm). After a long time, this Indo-Pak collaboration features the much-loved Pakistani stars, Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed, the ‘Zindagi Gulzar Hai’ jodi. Directed by Asim Abbasi, Zindagi’s original film has broken this myth. How, you ask? Let’s find out.

In 2016, after the Uri attack, several film organisations had demanded a complete ban on Pakistani artistes working in India. However, last year, the Bombay High Court ruled in favour of cross-border cultural exchange. But seeing Pakistani artistes back in Indian theatres still seems a distant dream. However, OTT has emerged as a new space where such collaborations have real potential.

This is where ‘Barzakh’ comes in. Calling it a ‘special’ series, Shailja Kejriwal, the show’s co-producer and Zindagi’s chief creative officer, told IndiaToday.in, “We have recently started calling ourselves pan-Indian. We could always be a South-Asian or Asian industry. That’s how we move forward. The more inclusive we become, the wider the market will be. We have been a closed industry and it will take some more time for the doors to open completely.”

He further added, “However, what OTT has done is to bring more artistes and actors to the forefront. The audience, today, knows the difference and wants actors who can act. This year has also been disappointing, and the audience is giving clear signals. These actors are also superstars in their own way, and casting them is not a big deal. I think probably everyone is waiting for someone to take the first step.”

With more Indo-Pak projects lined up in the next few months, Kejriwal feels a “sense of achievement”. “I started with Zindagi in 2014 and it’s been 10 years now. I look at it as a relay race and hope more people join the race and realise that this is a viable possibility. Though Zindagi will continue to make shows, my personal goal is to find something that excites us for another collaboration. It definitely feels a sense of achievement that other platforms are also working in this direction now,” she said.

Film producer Tanuj Garg, partner at Ellipsis Entertainment, also expressed happiness over this development. He told us, “I am pleasantly surprised and glad that digital platforms are considering original Pakistani content and Indo-Pak collaborations in terms of web movies and series for global playout. If not in theatres, it will be interesting to see how these shows get a response online as that will decide their future.”

Watch the trailer of ‘Barzakh’ here:

However, it is not easy for filmmakers to rope in neighbouring actors for their projects. ‘Raees’ director Rahul Dholakia spoke about how the film was banned in Pakistan, while Mahira Khan was not allowed to promote it in India. Stating that filmmakers are not approaching Pakistani actors due to ‘fear’, he said, “A lot of money is invested in these films, and today, anyone can create a ruckus at will. Then the film is banned, or the actors are not allowed to promote it. It is very sad, and this should not happen.”

Defending his statement, he referred to Priyanka Chopra’s journey and said, “She (Priyanka) is where she is not just because of her work in India but also internationally. When America is open to people, why can’t we? I don’t understand why there should be borders. Also, these artistes are not coming with any political agenda. It’s for art, music and cinema. When we are at war or the government is shutting down all transactions, it’s a different matter. Otherwise, why should there be any restrictions?”

The fear of facing issues, being criticised or trolled is a constant in actors too. Sanam Saeed told us that she is aware of the love she gets from India but working in the country is not something she actively looks at. She told us, “It’s amazing how much love one gets from India and I have never been to India. It just so happened that when Zindagi was launched I couldn’t come, let alone love India from a distance because of the political situation. It’s not a good feeling to go through that stress, that risk and fear. I think it’s a feeling that bothers me. it is correct the way it is (It’s fine the way it is).”

Casting Pakistani actors in films is a risky business as it involves big business. On digital platforms, most shows are commissioned by international teams and even produced outside the country, with no Indians involved. Even though ‘Barzakh’ is co-produced by Shailja Kejriwal under Zindagi, ‘Shandur’ (Sony Liv) is entirely directed by a Pakistani team led by Asim Raza. The Netflix show ‘Jo Bache Hain Sang Samahit Lo’ is being produced by Momina Duraid and Dubai-based Momina Duraid Films FZ-LIC.

While cross-border projects have generated a lot of curiosity and anticipation, it is also worth noting that Pakistani TV shows are also very popular in India. Its consumption is very high among women of different age groups and classes.

Another interesting aspect of these Indo-Pak projects is the music industry. From Ghulam Ali, Mehdi Hassan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan to Atif Aslam, their voices have created magic in Bollywood films over the years.

Last year, producer Sajid Nadiadwala bought the rights of Ali Sethi’s ‘Pasuri’, which featured in Kartik Aaryan-Kiara Advani’s ‘Satyaprem Ki Katha’. Even though they could have legally retained the original singers, the filmmakers roped in Arijit Singh and Tulsi Kumar for the song, perhaps to avoid any unnecessary hassle. Ironically, they instead faced criticism for tampering with the iconic song.

Take a look at the new version of ‘Pasuri’ here:

According to the Hindi film industry, these are small steps towards re-establishing cross-border and inter-culture collaborations. Doors that were completely closed have now been left slightly open.