Pakistani director Asim Abbasi is facing criticism for including scenes of homosexuality in his web series Barzakh, made for an Indian streaming platform. In response, Asim Abbasi defended his creative choices, stating that he believes in equal rights for everyone.
After sharing a photo of a gay character from Barzakh on Instagram, a fan advised him not to upset viewers, many of whom are already calling for a boycott. The fan criticized Asim Abbasi for portraying controversial characters and suggested he stop defending them as “art.”
Asim Abbasi replied, telling the critics that if they found the homosexual scenes offensive, they should simply not watch the series. He shared his response on social media, thanking the fan but standing by his belief in telling diverse stories.
The controversy grew after the third episode of Barzakh showed romantic tension between two male characters, sparking further backlash. Though no kissing scenes were shown, the closeness of the characters led to accusations of promoting a foreign agenda and calls for a boycott of the series.
Despite the criticism, Asim Abbasi has stood by his views, saying that storytelling should include all parts of human life, including different sexual orientations. He also said it’s important to respect different opinions but believes that art should challenge societal norms.
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Abbasi’s work has started a larger conversation about LGBTQ+ representation in South Asian media, with some people praising the series for being bold, while others continue to criticize it.
