Danyal Zafar takes a break from acting and music after reaching a 'breaking point'

Danyal Zafar, the singer and actor known to fans as Danny Zee, has put all his work on hold to rest and recover, he told followers in an Instagram story on Sunday 25 October, saying he had reached a "breaking point" after two years of almost non-stop work.

What Danyal Zafar said

In the post, Dawn's Images reported, he wrote that he had overworked himself and had been "ordered to put my health above everything else for now", advice he said he would follow. "Everything must go on hold," he added. The story carried a photo of an intravenous drip.

He put the strain down to running two careers at once, which he called "a tumultuous feat". For two years he has been moving between drama shoots, concerts and studio sessions, often spending only a few days in one city, Geo News reported.

It is not the first warning sign he has shared. On 6 October he posted that a fever had left him "alive" but "broken", and that he had gone 415 days on the road without a day off.

What is on hold

Danyal Zafar has had one of the busiest years of any young Pakistani performer:

• Raqaas on Green Entertainment, where he plays the lead
• Zanjeerain on HUM TV, also as the lead
• STORMS & serenity, his studio album, which he had been promoting for a release on Saturday

Neither report says whether the album date or any concert bookings will change, and he has not given a date for his return. Episodes of dramas already shot are not usually affected by an actor's break, so fans should still see Raqaas and Zanjeerain on air as scheduled unless the channels say otherwise.

Why it matters

Danyal Zafar is the younger brother of Ali Zafar and one of the few Pakistani stars who records, tours and leads prime-time dramas in the same season. His post drew a wave of support from fans in the comments, many telling him to take as long as he needs.

His decision also adds to a wider conversation in Pakistan's entertainment industry about long shooting days and back-to-back schedules. For now, the message from Danny Zee is simple: rest first, work later.

More from the entertainment desk: Punjab Film City in Lahore to open on 15 December and the Majboor remix by Lost Frequencies.