The boycott campaign against the Indian serial ‘Barzakh,’ which featured a Pakistani cast and artists, has achieved its goal. Initially, Pakistani drama fans were eagerly anticipating ‘Barzakh.’ However, their excitement quickly turned to disappointment upon its release.
The serial ‘Barzakh’ stirred controversy due to its portrayal of scenes involving homosexuality, adultery, and obscenity in the early episodes, leading to a nationwide boycott campaign.
Promotion of homosexuality
‘Barzakh’ stands out as a fantasy drama, distinct from other stories. The plot revolves around the philosophical concept that after death, a person’s soul resides in ‘Barzakh,’ a transitional world before the resurrection.
The story controversially depicts a romantic relationship between two men and includes scenes where children overhear sexual noises, drawing a parallel to their mother’s experiences.
Start of boycott campaign
The controversial content sparked a boycott campaign across Pakistan, with hashtags like ‘No Obscenity’ and ‘No Barzakh’ trending on social media. Showbiz personalities joined the public in condemning the drama.
Official response and removal from YouTube
Following the widespread outrage and condemnation, Zindagi Official issued a statement. Acknowledging the strong public sentiment in Pakistan, they announced the withdrawal of ‘Barzakh’ from YouTube Pakistan, effective August 9, 2024.
In their statement, Zindagi expressed sincere gratitude to their global audience for their unwavering support. They explained that the decision was made to respect the sentiments of the Pakistani viewers.
Official statement
Representatives of Zee Five stated, “We, Zindagi and team Barzakh, are deeply grateful to our global audience for their unwavering support for Barzakh—a show that was created to unite people everywhere. However, in light of the current public sentiment in Pakistan, we have decided to withdraw Barzakh from YouTube Pakistan autonomously. This decision reflects our commitment to respect our viewers and engage them without any separation.”
