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Filmmaker Asim Abbasi, whose indie hit Cake and boundary-pushing series Churails marked critical milestones in the Pakistani entertainment industry, is now serving as co-director for the upcoming BBC and BritBox series The Other Bennet Sister, reported Variety.

He shares directing duties with Jennifer Sheridan, bringing his nuanced storytelling to this period drama based on Janice Hadlow’s novel of the same name. The 10-part series “explores and expands the world of Pride and Prejudice through the often-overlooked perspective of Mary Bennet,” according to its plot description.

Premiering in 2026 on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, and BritBox, The Other Bennet Sister centres on the oft-overlooked Mary Bennet, played by Ella Bruccoleri. The cast includes heavyweights Ruth Jones and Richard E Grant as Mr and Mrs Bennet, with Indira Varma and Richard Coyle as the wealthy Gardiners. The ensemble also features Richard Coyle, Tanya Reynolds, and many others.

This marks an impressive addition to Abbasi’s catalogue of work, following several ambitious projects. Barzakh (2024), his six-part supernatural fantasy on Zindagi starring Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed, showcased his flair for genre-bending narratives. Churails (2020), the groundbreaking Pakistani web series on ZEE5, placed women at its centre and earned acclaim for its feminist storytelling.

Cake (2018), his debut feature film, was Pakistan’s submission to the 2019 Oscars and received glowing reviews as a quietly revolutionary slice-of-life drama.

Beyond these landmark works, Abbasi recently directed episodes of The Famous Five Season 2.

Co-directing a BBC-Austen adaptation is a major career milestone for him. The Other Bennet Sister offers Abbasi a chance to blend his delicately textured character work with classic British literary heritage.