More female Saudi TV stars this Ramadan

September 6, 2010 By

This originally appeared in the Saudi Gazette.

Saudi TV dramas are undergoing a revolution with more Saudi actresses than ever before appearing in television serials this Ramadan. While Saudi actresses were once marginalized and relegated to minor roles in Arab TV dramas, they are now appearing in major roles and receiving star billing, Al-Riyadh Arabic daily reported on Sunday.

Among those who have recently become famous are: Reem Al-Abdullah, Aghadeer Al-Saeed, Hind Muhammad and Qamar Turk.

The appearance of Saudi actresses in a variety of roles in TV series this Ramadan has highlighted the pool of female acting talent in the Kingdom and has prompted many satellite TV stations to rush to sign contracts with these young women. This, in itself, is proof of the existence of the talent of Saudi women who only required direction and faith in themselves in order to succeed.

Many predict that in the coming years, the presence of Saudi women in Saudi-produced TV dramas will grow stronger, thus allowing Saudi drama to more accurately reflect the society.

In the controversial Tash Ma Tash serial, Reem Al-Abdullah plays the role of a woman with four husbands who wants to divorce one so she can marry for the fifth time.

Hind Muhammad, the 25-year-old Saudi actress, starred in the Kingdom’s first feature film Keif Al-Hal?, which was well received at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival. The film revolves around a young woman who finds herself torn between modernity and tradition.

“Hind was brave in taking on the role of Dunya – other actresses in Riyadh would have hesitated,” Ayman Halawani, the producer told the BBC in May. “She’s shown that a Saudi actress can both be attractive and dignified.”

Filed Under: Television Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Nothing is worse for a Saudi man than imagining himself a woman

August 16, 2010 By

This post was written by Eman Al Nafjan and originally appeared at her blog Saudiwoman’s Weblog.

Every Ramadan for the past sixteen years a show called Tash Ma Tash, which means something in the literal lines of “splash what may,” is closely watched by almost every Saudi household. The show is a satire of Saudi society and it’s funny, to say the least. It’s also been prohibited by several sheikhs as un-Islamic, especially due to the actors’ portrayal of those very same sheikhs.

Yesterday’s episode was even more controversial than usual–an episode that had the majority of Saudi men, both conservative and liberal, shocked to their bone marrow. In it, a Saudi woman marries four men because she’s “financially and emotionally capable and therefore can’t see a reason why not.” Those very same words we hear over and over again from polygamist Saudi men. However, when it’s a woman talking, even the most rational Saudi man turns rabid.

The expressions of disgust and revulsion were all over the place. One commenter wrote that he lost all respect for them ever since one of the lead actors wore a woman’s dress last year. As if that was the most degrading thing a man could do. We are so inferior as a gender that wearing our clothes, even as part of a comedy show, will demean you as a person.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Technology/Science Tagged With: , , , ,