A galaxy of stars popular across Pakistan, South Asia and beyond headline Netflix’s first Pakistan-themed original “Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo.”
The series is an official adaptation of Farhat Ishtiaq’s bestselling 2013 Urdu-language novel of the same name. It revolves around Sikandar, a Harvard law student who experiences a life-changing incident that makes him keep others at bay, and Liza, a talented artist who is bursting with life but has had a troubled past. They meet in Italy.
The cast includes Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan — who starred together in “The Legend of Maula Jatt,” the highest-grossing Pakistani film of all time — as well as Sanam Saeed, who was one of the leads in Zindagi series “Barzakh” alongside Fawad Khan. Ahad Raza Mir, who featured in Netflix series “Resident Evil” and made a splash in Season 2 of the BBC’s “World on Fire,” is also among the lead cast.
Rounding out the cast are Hamza Ali Abbasi, who played the main antagonist in “The Legend of Maula Jatt”; Bilal Ashraf (“Superstar”), Maya Ali (“Parey Hut Love”), Iqra Aziz (“Raqeeb Se”), Hania Aamir (“Parde Mein Rehne Do”), Khushaal Khan (“Muhabbat Gumshuda Meri”), Nadia Jamil (“Jo Bichar Gaye”), Omair Rana (“Pinjra”) and Samina Ahmed (“Ms. Marvel”).
Dubai-based Momina Duraid Films FZ – LLC is producing the series, with Momina Duraid — whose credits include “Bin Roye,” “Chand Tara” and “Fairytale” — serving as showrunner. Variety understands that the commission is by the Netflix Middle East and North Africa team.
The show is being shot in Italy, the U.K. and Pakistan. A streaming date has not been revealed yet.
Ishtiaq has previously adapted several of her novels including “Humsafar,” “Mere Humdum Mere Dost,” “Matae Jaan Hai Tu,” “Diyar-e-Dil,” “Bin Roye” and “Yaqeen Ka Safar” for Pakistani television. Meanwhile, Netflix series “Heeramandi” by Sanjay Leela Bhansali — set in pre-independent, undivided India in the Heeramandi area of Lahore, which is now in Pakistan — is due imminently.
Mahira Khan, Sanam Saeed and Ahad Raza Mir are exclusively managed by Hamid Hussain And Muhammad Yaqoob at Action Consultancy.