Author and drama writer Farhat Istiaq’s novel Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo is making its way to a Netflix adaption with fans eagerly awaiting the release of the much anticipated drama series.
Farhat has shared some exciting details about the fairly secretive upcoming series on Connect Cine.
Indian journalist Faridoon Shahryar asked, “What is the latest update of Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo?”
“Insha’Allah, most likely it will be released next year. Our shooting is complete, and you’ll witness a high-quality product, shot in Italy, the UK, Islamabad, Karachi, and across multiple locations. It has a vibrant mix of locations, adding an enjoyable flair. Italy, for instance, holds special significance as I was inspired by my years spent there, I adore its history and the love I developed for the place led me to write a novel centered around it.”
Italy plays a key role in Farhat Ishtiaq’s novel, almost acting as a character.
“In fact, Italy itself is almost like a character in the novel, featuring the cities of Rome, Milan, and Florence as integral parts of the story. So naturally, in the drama adaptation, Italy will also play a key role, with all the places I mentioned in the novel beautifully depicted on screen,” she explained.
The Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum writer also highlighted the challenges of adapting a novel for the screen, particularly for an OTT platform like Netflix.
Farhat said, “In novels, you’re freer to express, but for a screen adaptation, especially an OTT platform, adjustments have to be made to meet different requirements. The essence of the novel, however, remains intact.”
The host asked, “Who are your favorite writers?”
“I have many, I love reading Ghalib and Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s, Ahmed Faraz, Munir Niazi poetry deeply touches me, a good verse stays with me for days, and I can live happily with it for a long time. Although I don’t write poetry , I greatly admire its beauty, the way a poet can convey what would take pages to express in a novel with just a couple of lines. Among fiction writers, Bano Qudsia, Ashfaq Ahmed, and Qurratulain Hyder stand out, and in English literature, Shakespeare and Thomas Hardy. I read everything, I enjoy good and bad literature and don’t just restrict myself to good literature; I enjoy reading everything, even things that are considered not-so-good,” Farhat concluded.