Sanam Saeed on Pakistani actors not working in India: Exchange will happen when Indian actors feel safe to act with us

In an interview with Hindustan Times, Pakistani actor Sanam Saeed talks about her latest release Barzakh, love for India, and plans to work in India.

Pakistani actor Sanam Saeed has found a strong fan base in India following her show, Zindagi Gulzar Hai alongside Fawad Khan, and feels people from India are her “long lost siblings”. However, she has not yet got a chance to come to the country and work. She says she is hopeful that exchange of talent between the countries will resume soon.

At the moment, Sanam Saeed is seen in the supernatural show, Barzakh alongside Fawad Khan.

The actor is back to mainstream drama with Zindagi’s new show, Barzakh, where she reunites with Fawad Khan after 12 years. It is the Zindagi channel which has opened the gateway for Pakistani shows to find a way onto the screens in India.

On her show Barzakh

“The feedback has been quite overwhelming. And very interesting exactly what we hoped for. Mesmerised, blown away and proud are just the adjectives that I've gotten to hear,” Sanam tells us while talking about the feedback.

The actor adds, “There's so many things and factors that have stimulated people in terms of the cinematography, the grading, the colour palette, the costumes, and the acting. People are really overwhelmed, intrigued, curious and have slowly understood that this is not a show that they can just binge watch. It's something that they have to really focus on and watch with a lot of attention”.

There are some people who are scratching their heads and saying “bilkul samjh nahi aa raha”, as Sanam feels they are the people “who are not used to giving undivided attention to something and watching something that is a slow burn”. She feels they will get a gist once they watch the whole show and put all the pieces together.

On takeaway from the show

The show revolves around a reclusive resort owner who invites his estranged children to his third wedding. However, his latest bride-to-be is believed to have died long ago. It traces the journey of the family as the reunion forces the family to not only face their demons but also confront them. It was released on July 19 on Zindagi’s YouTube and ZEE5.

For Sanam, working on the show has been a personal experience, as she puts, “My take back after working on this show was that love does conquer all”.

“Family is really all you have… Forgiveness is a quality to embrace and to exercise. Staying connected to family members because they are such a huge part of who you are. And for parents to really pay attention to children when they're raising them. These things are pointers that I walked away with more than anything,” said the 39-year-old actor.

On love for India

In fact, she gets a lot of love for India, and the feeling is mutual. “They're like my long lost siblings. We just grew up in different homes. Essentially, we are of the same land, same blood in many ways, but we just grew up differently over the years. It was nice to reconnect with those long lost siblings,” she says.

The actor feels it was eye opening in many ways. “For Indians more so than us. Because we are accustomed to Indian cultures and we are used to seeing what Indians are like through Bollywood and Star Plus. But Indians had not seen us. It was this really beautiful exchange that happened (through Zindagi) where people's eyes were opened up and Indian people really got an insight into their long lost siblings,” shares the actor.

On working in India

It was back in 2016 following the Uri attack that the cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan started spilling over in the entertainment world, straining the ties and stopping the exchange of talent.

“I never came to India to work, so I cannot say that I miss it because I haven't experienced it. But with time, things will happen,” she shares.

Expressing her optimism, Sanam mentions, “This is a big enough deal that Zee collaborates with us and that we have this cross-cultural exchange. The fact that we are on Indian OTT platforms is quite a huge feat in itself… Baki when actors from the other side of the border feel confident and safe enough to act with us, and things change, then that exchange will definitely happen”.

“Because it has happened before. We have had festivals where we have had Indian actors come to Pakistan and be a part of the festival. We have had our superstars go to India and act. So, it's just a matter of time when art and culture can merge again,” she ends.