#asim abbasi

[holly-mckenzie]

The girl wanted to tell him that flowers and leaves were more real then gold, for they withered away and died. And only things that die are real. She wanted to tell him that there was no point in conquering the world when their destiny would forever be tied to these lands. She wanted to say so much, but it was only he who spoke. And she listened for fear that she would never hear his voice again.  

Barzakh S01E01 “The Mad King & the Crumbling Castle” written by Asim Abbasi

[tasveer-e-ishq]

the moon wished to be loved

[gayatriwrites00]

Barzakh Review: Love, Loss, Life, and the Afterlife: A Story of Eternal Connections

BARZAKH (बरज़ख) म्हणजे अशी जागा जिथे जीवन व मृत्यू वेगवगळे होतात आणि तिथूनच जोडलेले असतात.  हि गोष्ट आहे एका महत्वाकांक्षी माणसाची ज्याने प्रेम समजून घेतल नाही, ना कधी स्वत: पूर्णत: प्रेम करु शकला. त्याच्या या कमतरतेमुळे इतरांची आयुष्ये कशी घडत गेली याची ही गोष्ट. मग यात नवीन अस काय आहे? हे सगळ बदलण्याची संधी! अशी जागा, वेळ आणि मानवी कल्पनेपलीकडील जग! आपल्या प्रत्येकाच्या सुप्त इच्छांच…

[roobylavender]

it’s obv inaccurate to say wealthy people have no interiority whatsoever like there are several pieces of media that can attest as to the contrary, but one thing i find really grating in media created by pakistani diaspora specifically is the overwhelming focus on feeling judged by people in the homeland for living more “liberal” lives outside of the country. not to say it isn’t a valid concern to want to live your life free of societal judgment but i merely wonder why this forms the bulk of the diaspora’s engagement with culture. it’s like people in the homeland are only ever meant to be an “other” from whom we are attempting to escape rather than even trying to understand. and i know there are traumas there at play esp where homophobia and violent misogyny are involved and i get the inclination to resist and run but i also want diaspora media to treat homeland pakistanis like real people.. like i don’t know how i can be expected to really sympathize with diaspora pakistanis who are relatively well off bc they feel pressured by societal standards about duty or humility or whatever when on the other end you have people who live in some of the worst societal conditions imaginable and are likely driven to some of their personal cynicisms due to those conditions. at some point there has to be an acknowledgment that people from the homeland don’t judge us exclusively bc they’re ungrateful and narrow minded but also bc it would be hard for anyone to contend with why certain people deserve and have more and why continuing to live where you are has to be so hard due to the economy or societal prejudices that they are often even more intimately victim to than most people in the diaspora will ever be

[kolaicendionysos]

+ You have got sincere hands. -Sincere? How? + They are not able to mask your story. Raw. Unstudied. Bellissime.

Barzakh (2024) dir. Asim Abbasi

[nakibistan]

List of notable Muslim allies of queer, trans or LGBTQI+ folks

Imam al-Nawawi – ally of Mukhannathun or trans femmes, female transsexuals and effeminate queers

Saint Khawaja Gharib Nawaz – ally and patron of Hijra and Khawaja Sara communities

Saint Baba Bulleh Shah – ally and patron of Muslim Khawaja Sira communities

Saint Lal Shabaz Qalander – patron of Khawaja Sira & trans Muslim communities

Abu Muhammad Ali Ibn Hazm – ally of queer Muslims

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini - ally of transgender & intersex folks

Sheikh Muhammad Sayyid Tantawi - ally of trans & intersex folks

Amina Wadud - ally of LGBTQI+ Muslims, founder of Queer Islamic Studies and Theology (QIST)

Gulbanu Khaki/Gul Khaki - ally of LGBTQ+ muslims, mother of a gay imam

Khaled Hosseini - ally of transgender & proud muslim dad of a transgender child

Siddika Jessa - LGBTQI+ activist, mother of a gay muslim son

Ani Zonneveld

Pamela Taylor

Laura Silver

Omid Safi

Kecia Ali

Ghazala Anwar

Ensaf Haider

Saleemah Abdul-Ghafur

Farid Esack

Zaitun Mohamed Kasim/Toni Mohamed Kasim

Anne-Sophie Monsinay

Imam Kahina Bahloul

Imam Philip Tuley

Scott Siraj al-Haqq Kugle

Farouk Peru

Abdennur Prado

Ingrid Mattson

Hasan Minhaj

Reza Aslan

Alia Bano

Zaid Ibrahim

Azahn Munas

Ayman Fadel

Inayat Bunglawala

Shahla Khan Salter

Nakia Jackson

Jeewan Chanicka

Taj Hargey

Michael Muhammad Knight

Maajid Nawaz

Shehnilla Mohamed

Mustafa Akyol

Writer Sabina Khan

Activist Jerin Arifa

Urvah Khan - LGBTQI+ ally, co-founder of Muslim Pride Toronto

Imam Khaleel Mohammed

Imam Tareq Oubrou

Imam Dr Rashied Omar

Shaykha Fariha Fatima al-Jerrahi

Shaykha Amina Teslima al-Jerrahi

Scholar Hussein Abdullatif

Maysoun Douas

Fátima Taleb

Aydan Özoğuz

Omid Nouripour

Özcan Mutlu

Ekin Deligöz

Cem Özdemir

Artist Nadia Khan

Marina Mahathir

Siti Musdah Mulia

Karima Bennoune

Grand Mufti Sheikh Assadullah Mwale

Muneeb Qadir

Dr. Amir Hussein

Dr. Sana Yasir

Dr. Sali Berisha

Dr. Omer Adil

Hashim Thaçi

Albin Kurti

Supermodel Nadia Hussain

Irish-Bangladeshi singer Joy Elizabeth Akther Crookes

Salma Hayek

Fouad Yammine

Pakistani Director Asim Abbasi

Pakistani Actress Nadia Jamil

Indian Actor Saqib Saleem

Indian Actor Irrfan Khan

Indian Actor Aamir Khan

Indian Actress Zeenat Khan/Aman

Indian Actress Shabana Azmi

Indian Actress Saba Azad

Indian Actress Sara Ali Khan

Indian Actress Huma Qureshi

Indian Director Zoya Khan

Pakistani Actor Furqan Qureshi

Bangladeshi Actress Azmeri Haque Badhon

Actor Muneeb Butt

Indian Actress Zareen Khan

Indian Actor Imran khan

Pakistani Actress Mehar Bano

Filmmaker Faruk Kabir

Filmmaker Saim Sadiq

Filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Riz Ahmed

Zayn Malik

Sally El-Hosaini

Malala Yousefzai

Hafid Abbas

Hojatoleslam Kariminia

Singer Sherina Munaf

Writer Alifa Rifaat

Writer Ismat Chughtai

Activist Nida Mushtaq

Activist Aan Anshori

Abdul Muiz Ghazali

Kyai Hussein Muhammad

Marzuki Wahid

Gigi Hadid

President Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) - ally of waria or transgender females

Sinta Nuriyah - ally of trans & waria folks

Politician Keith Ellison

Mayor Sadiq Khan

Politician Ilhan Omar

Politician Rashida Tlaib

Politician Rushanara Ali

Politician Nabilah Islam

Politician Shahana Hanif

Politician Rama Yade

Politician Humza Yousaf

Politician Zarah Sultana

UK Sectratary General Zara Mohammed

Turkish politician Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu

Bengali Influencer Sobia Ameen

Shaykh Michael Mumisa

Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan

Mufti Abdur Rahman Azad - Hijra ally

Sheikh Hasina - Ally of hijra-intersex communities

Lawyer Iftikhar Chaudhry

Amani Al-Khatahtbeh

Professor Amel Grami

Professor Muhammad Aslam Khaki

Mohammad Hashim Kamali

Mehrdad Alipour

Lawyer Imaan Mazari/Iman Mazari

Shireen Mazari

Syed Murad Ali Shah

[the-queerview]

Churails (2020)

by Asim Abbasi

Churails is a pakistani drama web series directed by Asim Abbasi for the indian entertainment channel Zindagi.

The series deals with four maincharacters, Zubaida, who is a college student and a secret boxer, who lives with her muslim, conservative family.Sara, who is a rich housewife of a politcian and an ex lawyer, Jugnu, an elite wedding planner and Batool, who just currently was released out of prison for killing her husband with an iron. Those four women connect trough different circumstances after Sara finds out her husband Jamil was cheating on her. She starts a burka store called halal designs, which runs undercover a cheating husband exposing bizniz. They find a time of other women for their bizniz and together they deal with their intense cases, one including a cannibal housewife. Together they are Churails, which means witches in urdu. چڑیل

The pace of the series is very fast. Many unexpected and expected stories happen under the churails. I haven't seen a show in a while with such intense story telling. Within short time as an audience you develop a good base of the character development. There is trans representation within the show and even LESBIANS.

Besides the complex society and class rules within their life and the personal dramas intertwined, the series is also dealing with colonial past, lgbtqia* issues, misogyny and racism within pakistani society ( I assume? I never been to Pakistan, so I can't tell actually, but within this show all those struggles are addressed) Abbasi said about including baby doll : "The fact that she’s transgender is not addressed on the show and that is deliberate. It’s not that I was overlooking her identity or ashamed of it. It was to show the women coming to the agency were all equal.” The title of the show literally translates to mean witches, but is more commonly used as an insult for rebellious women. “The associations of women who don’t conform with witchcraft is a global phenomenon, but in Pakistan specifically, any woman who is sexually and emotionally liberated, who has the ability to be aggressive when threatened is called a churail. We are taking it as a badge of honour.”

I love this show a lot, since besides those awful and heartbreaking stories, the main reason to watch this show are the amazing female characters, the friendship between those women and their will to fight injustice. They are kind of superheros I would say. Also I was very surprised by a positive depicition of men, who are part of the churails and help them to solve their cases, to do something right. I think it's important to show solidarity between gender depictions within a tv show for a possible utopia? Like call me out if I'm wrong but usually its women* playing supportive roles in a all men cast, we saw it many many times. But here the guys are the enemies, but as well there are supportive characters? So show a different path to follow.

Unfortunately the show was banned in Pakistan and many celebrities voices their anger about the canceling of the show.

Considering writing about this show, since it's not made by a queer of female director I had my issues. After researching deeper into the revolutionary cloud of this show, i find out its the first lesbian on screen show ever in Pakistan. in an interview with the guardian Abbasi said: “While we aren’t where we should be in terms of diversity, we have to start somewhere and adaptations are culturally rich,” said Abbasi. “You could say that Churails should have been made by a woman, but those opportunities aren’t there for women in Pakistan yet so I want to be an ally so their stories can be told.”

So I hope you guys forgive me, but I feel like it's worth to see all those actresses and this amazing story and yeah we are all in this together. <3 Cuz at the end of the day, i love the power of image making. I learn trough visual language about language ( literally speaking three languages daily I need to see a picture in my head if you talk to me).

Also I promise for my next review to write about a kazakhstani film, since i feel like many things in the show I couldn't understand out of lack of cultural knowledge, so it's time to write about something that I might be able to understand. And still I think it's very important to show my chapeau for this show. What a ride. Literally i was crying like many times. The actresses and actors were out of league. Like I was actually waiting daily from my moneyjobs to come home to see what the churails are fighting next.

ok by

cheery,

the queeeerview heheheh

[uneviemorose]

An exceptionally tender, nuanced and raw depiction of the idiosyncratic dynamics of a dysfunctional Pakistani family and its rich, complex emotionally detached female characters with the wounds of the past gnawing at them, Cake (2018) by Asim Abbasi manages to elevate a simple, granular family drama into a buried hatchet of secrets with layered social commentary hidden beneath it.

[holly-mckenzie]

BARZAKH Season One, Episode Three “The Prodigal Son & the Cosmic Womb” written by Asim Abbasi 

[shahananasrin-blog]

[ad_1] Prolific filmmaker Asim Abbasi has been announced as the director for the second episode of the highly anticipated series The Famous Five, reports BBC. The show, based on Enid Blyton's beloved stories, will feature a talented cast, including Diaana Babnicova as George, Elliott Rose as Julian, Kit Rakusen as Dick, and Flora Jacoby Richardson as Anne. Completing the quintet of adventurers is Kip, the Bearded Collie Cross, playing the role of Timmy the dog. With Abbasi taking the reins for the second episode, expectations are soaring for an equally compelling and exciting instalment. Abbasi, known for his acclaimed works such as Churails and Cake, is set to bring his unique vision and storytelling prowess to the series. Produced in co-production with German ZDF and executive produced by Nicolas Winding Refn and Matthew Read, the series will follow the thrilling escapades of the daring young explorers as they embark on action-packed adventures filled with mysteries, dangers, and secrets. Set in the picturesque backdrop of the South West of the UK, the show promises to captivate audiences with its modern take on the classic tales and the strong bond of camaraderie between the brave young heroes. Joining the aforementioned five are Game of Thrones' infamous Joffrey Baratheon, Jack Gleeson as Wentworth, Ann Akinjirin (Moon Knight, I May Destroy You) as Fanny, James Lance (Ted Lasso, Bronson) as Quentin and Diana Quick (Father Brown, Forever Young, Houdini and Doyle) as Mrs Wentworth. BBC Studios, which has a minority stake in Moonage Pictures, the production company behind The Famous Five, will handle international distribution. The series has already been presold to France's TF1, indicating its global appeal and anticipation. Fans of Blyton's timeless stories and newcomers alike can look forward to embarking on this unforgettable odyssey with The Famous Five, where the spirit of adventure and the bond of friendship take centre stage. The show is slated to be a delightful treat for families seeking action, mystery, and heartwarming moments on the screen. Have something to add? Share it in the comments [ad_2]

[sszeemedia]

Asim Abbasi’s next, Barzakh, starring Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed, makes International Premiere at Series Mania, Lille

A Zindagi original, Barzakh is the only selection from South-Asia this year at Series Mania festival in France Filmmaker Asim Abbasi’s next, Barzakh, starring Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed and produced by Shailja Kejriwal, had its World Premiere at UGC Ciné Cité, Lille on Saturday 19th March as part of this year’s Series Mania Festival. In attendance were writer and director, Asim Abbasi; actors,…

[filmishine]

Fawad Khan starrer 'Barzakh's first poster unveiled for Series Mania Selection

Prior to its world premiere at the Series Mania Festival, the creators of Zindagi original show Barzakh, starring actors Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed unveiled the show poster in the French city of Lille.  Barzakh is helmed by critically acclaimed director Asim Abbasi who also directed Zindagi’s first original Churails and the feature film Cake. Gracing the event were writer-director Asim Abbasi,…

[pakistanpopculture]

“agar hum kisi kay khwaabon ko ahmiyat na dein, 
uska yeh matlab nahin kay unkay khwaab ahem nahin.”

[infozonepk]

Rapper Muhammad Shah who impressed Alia Bhatt with his Rap debuts in Asim Abbasi’s Directorial Series on Zindagi

Rapper Muhammad Shah who impressed Alia Bhatt with his Rap debuts in Asim Abbasi’s Directorial Series on Zindagi

Asim Abbasi’s most anticipated series starring Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed has been garnering attention as the lead pair comes back on Zindagi to spread their magic. The series has not just been garnering attention for the pair but also for the innovative way in which the director has been introducing the characters on his social media pages. He also recently introduced Muhammad Shah a talented…

[themovieblogonline]

Barzakh Premiere Review: A Must-Watch Zee5 Global Original

Barzakh is the latest ZEE5 Global original series that might be its best yet. A story about a family coming together for the third wedding of their older father, Barzakh is weird, wonderful, and absolutely stunning. The Barzakh premiere episode gives audiences a lot of a first impressions. And so far it’s intriguing as hell! Check out my Barzakh premiere review to see why you need to be watching this show! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFk2iRvOXHI&pp=ygUHYmFyemFraA Please note that the following Barzakh premiere review will have some spoilers from the episode, now streaming on ZEE5 Global. What Is Barzakh And Why You Need To Be Watching It The Barzakh premiere episode on Zee5 Global begins with a breathtaking love story. The young couple are in love, as the man plans to spend their life together. With that in mind, he takes off to the big city and does a variety of jobs to earn enough money to return and be with his lover. But something goes wrong, leading us to the current day, where that same man is older, has grown kids of his own, a massive success, but what happened in the past still haunts him. Maybe almost, literally?  Barzakh starts off looking like a slow-burn family drama full of pathos, grief and loss of love. But as the premiere episode continues, you realize that there are definitely a lot of supernatural elements at play here too. And the way that writer-director Asim Abbasi crafts those reveals, they are less revelatory, and more matter-of-fact casual. Which almost always causes a double take from the audience, because of the subtle manner that Abbasi puts it on screen. It’s effective, quietly shocking and instantly compelling. The visual aesthetic of the show is like this surreal painting, where every shot and every frame is magnificently composed. Almost like artwork. It’s a show that works on every level so far; visually, story-wise and not to mention the immense star cast on camera.  The Writing Is The Most Intriguing Part Barzakh Premiere So far, it’s too early to tell where the story of Barzakh is going. Which is how it is with serialized storytelling. But it’s fascinating enough, even with only 1 episode, for audiences to be willing to watch week to week. It’s a story that is instantly compelling and engaging. The characters, their drama with one another and the way the story drips out exposition and information is a masterclass in writing.  Fawad Khan plays Shehryar, the younger son of the father (Salman Shahid), who also has an elder son. Right away when the characters finally meet, you can sense the tension between the father and his sons. The writing and performances are so good, that even with very minimal dialogue, the sense of baggage and history is painfully apparent in every scene when they interact with one another. Especially the more dramatic scenes where we learn more about them and their relationships.  Barzakh Has Impeccable Performances As far as the first episode of a series goes, there are a lot of standouts. Admittedly, my interest in the show came through Fawad Khan, the only actor I’m familiar with due to his work in Bollywood. However, the Barzakh premiere review can’t really discuss his performance much, given there hasn’t been much for him to do yet. Shehryar is seemingly a doting single father who has a young son of his own, and that’s all we really know about him. Some of the others, on the other hand, are incredible! Kushhal Khan plays the younger version of the father in the flashback scene, in a mesmerizing performance that really sets the tone of the series in that first sequence. Khan is impeccable and a lot of fun to watch, as he navigates many odd jobs in that montage, only to be devasted to be without his lover Mahtab (Anike Zulfikar) upon his return. I’m not sure if the show will feature more flashbacks with Khan, but he definitely sets the bar for the other performances in the Barzakh premiere.  Shahid (no relation) himself gives a very powerful performance! Introduced as someone not fully in control of his faculties and playing the same character as Khushhal Khan in the first scene, Shahid is so good here. In many ways, so far in Barzakh, he’s the lead character. It’s his upcoming nuptial that is the catalyst of all the unrest in the story so far. It’s his desires and his actions that kick the story into motion. Not to mention his past being the larger mystery so far, it seems. A great performance so far. And even the elder brother in the show has a stand-out scene. One that is very tragic and so moving, that I can’t wait to see more of his performance in the show. Sanam Saeed plays another interesting character whose immense screen presence is even more interesting given that we don’t know how she fits into the story yet.  Barzakh Is A Must Watch! Barzakh is a great new show that really makes use of mystery storytelling in a way I haven’t seen before in Indian or Pakistani television. Its weekly release format will also allow audiences to savour the mystery and the unknown plot points, allowing for better enjoyment of the overall show and its themes. At least, in my opinion.  Check out the Barzakh premiere episode now streaming on Zee5 Global.  What did you think of the Barzakh premiere review? Let me know in the comments below. And follow me on X (formerly Twitter) at @theshahshahid for more takes on Barzakh as the series progresses.  Read the full article