UAE | Media
Soap opera stirs up debate on institution of marriage
Show captivates fans of all ages and social backgrounds in the UAE.
- Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:56 August 9, 2008
Dubai: It is hard to avoid sitting among a group of Arab friends without hearing about Muhannad and Nour. The two have fought, made up, divorced and are taking care of a three-year-old baby and often become the topic of conversation in social circles.
The stars of the Arabic-dubbed Turkish soap opera that has captivated viewers across the region are ubiquitous. What's more, they're having an impact on relationships and are changing the views on marriage among Arab couples and the younger generations.
“I started watching Nour after I received tens of e-mails about the show and the number of divorces it caused in Arab countries like Saudi Arabia,'' Shaima Omar, Emirati assistant manager, said.
“The plot is clear even though I started watching it after the 100th episode. It definitely made a huge impact on people, they either watch it because they like it or because they are curious to find out about it.''
Touches a chord
Although the show's primary fans are women of various ages, it also attracts a number of curious male viewers. The drama series has touched a chord with both genders of all ages.
“My family in Jordan spends the evenings watching Nour. My 11-year-old niece races to the TV when she gets back from school,'' said Ala'a Kan'an, a 31-year-old special projects manager working in Dubai. “In Dubai, I've been cancelling dinners and changing my evening plans to catch up with the show.''
The show tells the story of Nour, a Turkish woman whose life changes after she is introduced to Muhannad, a rich and successful businessman. Challenges in the relationship arise as the partners learn more about each other and discover complications in their desires and ambitions. Many viewers contend that the plot is neither deep nor complicated, but that they enjoy watching it anyway. It is very similar to the everyday life of an average Arab, they say.
Nada Ayesh, a marketing coordinator working in Dubai, said, “My family in Kuwait watches Nour religiously. The show itself is dramatic and the plot is exaggerated, but I like it because we can relate to the relationships in it.'' Although not an avid viewer of the show, Nada still enjoys arriving home at night to a new episode of the show.
“The show itself is very ordinary and has nothing to highlight except for the dimension related to relationships between people, the romance and love, perhaps because Arab society longs for the historical age of idealism, love and glory,'' says UAE-based sociologist Dr Mouza Gobash.
The soap opera is a way to escape from the realities of the Arab world, which is full of conflict, economic crises and continuous problems.
“It is a form of escapism, as viewers disconnect from their world and enter another world that they aspire to reach,'' said Dr Mouza.
The show is said to have caused disruptions in families in several Arab countries, and Saudi and Bahraini clerics have denounced the show as promoting deviant behaviour.
According to Dr Mouza, the show affects the individual's perception of how relationships should be and thereby the structure of the relationship if it is not built on solid ground.
“Break-ups could happen because people looking for partners similar to those in the show stop finding satisfaction in their real relationships and look for something new,'' she said.
“My 16-year-old daughter would like to meet a husband like Muhannad and this causes a discrepancy because in fact all Muhannad has is good looks and a sense of humanitarianism — he does not have the truly admirable values of an Arab man,'' she added.
Values
Ahmad Daabas, 23, said that he was surprised to learn that Turkish society as portrayed in the show is similar to Arab society. “Their family life and peoples' attitudes and values are the same. It's also interesting to see how two people of different socio-economic backgrounds deal with their relationship,'' he said.
It comes as no surprise that the Arabs relate to the show, as Turkish and Arab societies are alike, according to Dr Mouza. “The two societies are economically, historically, socially and religiously similar,'' she said, “but there is openness in the former which manifests itself in moving away from religion in the Arab world, and this appears in the show as well.''
Why do you think Noor has managed to gain such popularity despite being looked down upon by some of the intelligentsia? Do think this is a reflection of the entertainment needs of the region?
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