![]() [KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images] Hayat Al-Fahd will play a leading role in the upcoming drama series "Leilat Eid". |
As the holy month of Ramadan approaches, announcements about upcoming drama series in Kuwait dominate entertainment news and actors take leading roles in three or four different series broadcast during this month, sometimes leading to viewer confusion.
More than 15 drama series are on the schedule, ranging from social and traditional to comedy and variety. The "Lady of the Gulf Screen", actress Hayat Al-Fahd, settled for the leading role in one series titled "Leilat Eid" (A Festive Night) with actor Ghanem al-Saleh and actress Taif. However, al-Saleh and Taif are starring in other series.
Al-Saleh appears in the drama series "Ayyam Al-Faraj" (Days of Relief), along with Asmahan Tawfiq and Basimah Hamadah.
The series was written by Abdul Aziz Hashash who is also presenting another series he wrote titled "Khuyout Mulawwanah" (Colored Threads), starring Abdul Aziz Jassem, Zahra Arafat, Maryam al-Saleh and Hiba al-Durri, and directed by Munir al-Zughbi.
Al-Hashash said in press statements that "the two works are completely different from each other as the storylines vary in each of them."
Asked whether viewers will be confused by the numerous roles he accepted for Ramadan, star Khaled Amin said, "I am not guilty in the least."
Amin is co-starring in four series, "Zuwwar Al-Khamis" (Thursday Visitors), which is considered the only work presented this year by star Suad Abdallah, "Ayyam Al-Faraj" (Days of Relief) and "Waed Lizam" (A Promise to Keep), a period drama. The fourth and last series is entitled "’Ala Mawtiha Ughanni" (Over Her Death I Sing) which began airing on one of the encrypted channels, but it will still be broadcast during Ramadan on the Rotana Gulf channel.
Amin criticized producers who only market their works during peak times of the year. He said that "young producers are still not able to comprehend the tough conditions of the profession, which turn them into stars who can be relied upon for production of dramas."
Producer Bassem Abdel Amir stressed that the situation in Kuwait "is no different than elsewhere." As a director, he produces more than one series during the year, and he works on marketing them on various satellite television channels, "but those in charge of marketing, advertising and publicity in these satellite channels are the ones who determine the date for broadcasting the programs."
He added, "In the end, satellite television channels are the ones choosing the soap operas that will be presented during the month of Ramadan, and that is determined by the stars working on those series."
Amir said he produced three soap operas this year, and that he only has one appearance as a guest of honor on the series "Umaymah fi Dar El-Aytam" (Umaymah at the Orphanage), written by Hiba Mashari Hamadah, and starring Huda Hussein, Ilham al-Fadalah, Buthaynah al-Raisi, Taif, Shujoun al-Hajiri and Fatimah Al-Safi.
Actress Bassimah Hamadah denied that TV productions accumulating during the month of Ramadan is no longer the case.
"This phenomenon started in Kuwait ever since the end of the Iraqi invasion when producers increased their work and started broadcasting their productions on Kuwaiti television only during the Ramadan season." She added, "By the year 2000 and the spread of satellite television, the situation began to change. This became clearer last year when several strong productions were broadcast after the season of the month of Ramadan, notably "Nour fi Sama Safiyah" (Light in a Clear Sky), starring the capable actress Suad Abdallah, and the series was able to achieve great success."
i love kuwait
In Ramadan, good works are a double reward! It is also during Ramadan that the Jinn demons are chained, but instead, the role of the human demons comes in; I mean the demons that prepare TV shows during Ramadan… May God guide us all.
Hi. The series called “Laylat al-Eid” is one of those attractive and interesting series which attracted many viewers. I am one of the viewers of this series. Many thanks to the director of this series!
The Kuwaiti series air on a large-scale, and their production has increased these days, but they do not enjoy a variety of style, content and objective. Even as far as the actors are concerned, there are only ten who are present in every Kuwaiti series. Besides, the subjects that are presented and discussed are old and consumed. Indeed, they always tackle the problems of adultery and rich families. On the other hand, we have never found a series that dealt with a poor family who cannot earn a living in Kuwait. Thus, the script writers and directors must create new ideas, so as to change this routine and stop dealing with family problems only. In addition, the production sector must not spend a lot of money on the same stories and actors. Where are the new faces and talents? Why aren’t they given a real chance to appear on the screen? The authors also need to deal with women’s issues, work and other issues, because we are dreaming of having a Kuwaiti drama that would represent all Arabs, that would reach the level of Egyptian or Syrian dramas and compete with them. At the same time, changing subjects would not cause any boredom to the Arab viewers in all the Arab countries. It would rather broaden the Kuwaiti actor’s mind, since he is going to perform more than one role and portray a completely different character from the ones he has previously portrayed.
Kuwaiti series are beginning to achieve great success at a high level. Hence, they have attracted an increasing number of viewers, especially from the Gulf countries, as well as from the rest of the Arab countries. Indeed, Kuwaiti series which are aired are very successful, since they treat issues from inside the Arab homes. They also deal with disagreements that occur inside the families, the divisions, the inheritance problems among children, and greed. They discuss them and show right from wrong. All these problems have a positive impact on our societies through their influence on some viewers and by changing their point of view. That’s why I think that these series are good, and the producers must carry on with Kuwaiti series, having unlimited budgets, so as to attract a larger number of actors.
Most of the Arabic series today are far removed from domestic and family problems. Indeed, they have become interested in lovers, love and other things. In fact, we want to encourage our Kuwaiti drama, and we want to ask our brothers in the Gulf and Arab countries to support it, since the Gulf countries do not have a drama production of series like that of Kuwait. Kuwait has become one of the best Gulf countries in presenting drama productions. As a result, Kuwaiti actors are now among the most famous of the Arab actors, and mainly of the Gulf countries. I think that the continuous production of Kuwaiti series will enable Kuwait to be a base of drama production and to have a weight among the Arab countries. Kuwaiti drama may have the same importance as the Egyptian or the Syrian drama, if it enjoys the required support.
Regards to the respectable artist Hayat Fahad.
The Kuwaiti series are famous for their routine. Indeed, they handle subjects that do not deal with social problems. They are not beneficial and do not deal with the Kuwaiti society’s problems. In addition, the Kuwaiti series are characterized by used-up stories and the repetition of roles performed by the same actors who still play the same roles. As a matter of fact, people responsible for culture and art must pay attention to the series broadcast on TV, because they do not serve the interest of the Kuwaiti situation and do not fulfill the dreams of the Kuwaiti actors. The latter deserve more than such roles that are not beneficial for the Kuwaiti actor and his acting potential. This is in fact the role of writers and directors. They writer should write new stories and the directors should not work in a way that belittles the Kuwaiti actor. Indeed, the Kuwaiti actor’s level is better than performing these routine comic series, which are based on laughter and humor. Kuwaitis do not appreciate this fact, as the series belittle the Kuwaiti man and reflect a bad image of him as a drug addict, doing other things that do not serve the interests of Kuwaiti society. As a result, everyone must work on improving the Kuwaiti series, which must be based on depicting Kuwaiti society’s problems and remedying them through the series, because society needs someone to take an interest in it and deal with its problems.
Ramadan Kareem to the Islamic world.
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