Gümüs
Encyclopedia
"Gümüş" a Turkish
melodrama
originally broadcast in Turkey by Kanal D
from 2005 to 2007. The sudser became a pop-culture phenomenon when it aired across the Arab world as "Noor" (Arabic
for "light") last year. The show which MBC
execs dubbed into Arabic using a colloquial Syrian dialect rather than formal, classical Arabic, followed the travails of a beautiful young woman "Gümüş," played by Songül Öden
, who marries into a wealthy family.
The success of "Noor" for MBC has sparked a boom in dubbed Turkish dramas across many leading Arab sat-casters. MBC even launched a pay TV channel in partnership with pay TV platform Showtime Arabia entirely dedicated to "Noor" that allows viewers to watch episodes of the sudser around the clock.
The dizzying pop-cultural phenomenon surrounding the series has encouraged the broadcaster further to make a film out of the Turkish soap. The feature version, which MBC will co-produce with Turkish shingle Momentum Prods., will have a budget in the $2.5 million-3.5 million range and will also be shot in Turkish before being dubbed into Arabic. The project will reunite Turkish thespians Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ
and Songül Öden
, who captured the hearts of Arab audiences in their husband-and-wife roles of Muhannad and Noor, respectively.
The series has also been shown in Romania
on Kanal D Romania with the title "Iubire de Argint" ("Love of Silver"). The Bulgarian private TV channel bTV currently airing the show dubbed into Bulgarian
with the title "Perla" ("Pearl").
The series is also currently shown in Greece
under the title "Ασημένια Φεγγάρια" ("Silver Moons"). The first sixty episodes were broadcast on Makedonia TV from September 2010 to January 2011. However, due to the series' great success it was then picked up by ANT1
and is currently shown there. In Albania
, the series is currently showing under the title "Gymysh".
alone, 3-4 million viewers admit to watching the program daily on the Saudi-owned MBC
channel. The show's final episode attracted a record 85 million Arab viewers when it aired last Aug. 30.
In Bulgaria
, Gümüş is also very popular and every episode is watched by at least 2 million viewers. In result of its popularity, Songül Öden came to Bulgaria and was a guest in the Bulgarian TV shows "Dancing Stars 2" and "Slavi Show".
She also visited Albania
as a guest in "Kenga Magjike" festival.
The most conservative of Muslim
religionists argue the show is un-Islamic, even though some scenes are toned down for consumption in Arab countries. Saudi Arabia's leading cleric, Sheik Abdul Aziz al-Asheik, has instructed Muslims to avoid watching the show. Hamed Bitawi, a Hamas legislator and preacher, has also spoken against it.
Maternity wards report a rise in the baby names Noor and Mohannad
.
Clothing stores throughout the Middle East report brisk sales of blouses and dresses seen on the television series, albeit worn in more modest ways such as with leotard underclothing.
The show encouraged Arabs to visit Turkey. The success of Noor in the Arab world was partly attributed to the fact that it was dubbed into the Syrian dialect
—a widely understood living variety of Arabic—and not into the little spoken formal Arabic
which had hitherto been used to dub Mexican telenovela
s.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
melodrama
Melodrama
The term melodrama refers to a dramatic work that exaggerates plot and characters in order to appeal to the emotions. It may also refer to the genre which includes such works, or to language, behavior, or events which resemble them...
originally broadcast in Turkey by Kanal D
Kanal D
Kanal D is a nation-wide television channel in Turkey and part of Doğan Holding which is owned by the Turkish media tycoon Aydın Doğan.Kanal D also runs an international channel, Euro D which is available online....
from 2005 to 2007. The sudser became a pop-culture phenomenon when it aired across the Arab world as "Noor" (Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
for "light") last year. The show which MBC
Middle East Broadcasting Center
The Middle East Broadcasting Center Group is the first private free-to-air satellite broadcasting company in the Arab World which was launched in London in 1991 and later moved to its headquarters in Dubai in 2002. MBC Group provides multiple channels of information, interaction and entertainment...
execs dubbed into Arabic using a colloquial Syrian dialect rather than formal, classical Arabic, followed the travails of a beautiful young woman "Gümüş," played by Songül Öden
Songül Öden
Songül Öden , is a Turkish actress.-Early life:Born in Diyarbakır, Songül's father moved to Ankara where she spent her childhood. She graduated from the Turkish Academy of Theatrical Arts.-Career:...
, who marries into a wealthy family.
The success of "Noor" for MBC has sparked a boom in dubbed Turkish dramas across many leading Arab sat-casters. MBC even launched a pay TV channel in partnership with pay TV platform Showtime Arabia entirely dedicated to "Noor" that allows viewers to watch episodes of the sudser around the clock.
The dizzying pop-cultural phenomenon surrounding the series has encouraged the broadcaster further to make a film out of the Turkish soap. The feature version, which MBC will co-produce with Turkish shingle Momentum Prods., will have a budget in the $2.5 million-3.5 million range and will also be shot in Turkish before being dubbed into Arabic. The project will reunite Turkish thespians Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ
Kivanç Tatlitug
-Early life:Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ was born in Adana in southern Turkey. He has four siblings. The name Kıvanç means "pride" in Turkish and Tatlıtuğ is a portmanteau of the Turkish words tatlı and tuğ . Tatlıtuğ is of Bosnian ancestry. Kıvanç was sent to Yenice Çağ Private High School by his family where...
and Songül Öden
Songül Öden
Songül Öden , is a Turkish actress.-Early life:Born in Diyarbakır, Songül's father moved to Ankara where she spent her childhood. She graduated from the Turkish Academy of Theatrical Arts.-Career:...
, who captured the hearts of Arab audiences in their husband-and-wife roles of Muhannad and Noor, respectively.
The series has also been shown in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
on Kanal D Romania with the title "Iubire de Argint" ("Love of Silver"). The Bulgarian private TV channel bTV currently airing the show dubbed into Bulgarian
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
with the title "Perla" ("Pearl").
The series is also currently shown in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
under the title "Ασημένια Φεγγάρια" ("Silver Moons"). The first sixty episodes were broadcast on Makedonia TV from September 2010 to January 2011. However, due to the series' great success it was then picked up by ANT1
ANT1
Antenna, better known as ANT1, is a television network airing in Greece and Cyprus. The alternate spelling is play on words in Greek; ena is the Greek number 1, thus ANT1 is pronounced the same as Antenna . It launched on 31 December 1989, the same year as rival Mega Channel, and is owned by...
and is currently shown there. In Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, the series is currently showing under the title "Gymysh".
Popularity
In Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
alone, 3-4 million viewers admit to watching the program daily on the Saudi-owned MBC
Middle East Broadcasting Center
The Middle East Broadcasting Center Group is the first private free-to-air satellite broadcasting company in the Arab World which was launched in London in 1991 and later moved to its headquarters in Dubai in 2002. MBC Group provides multiple channels of information, interaction and entertainment...
channel. The show's final episode attracted a record 85 million Arab viewers when it aired last Aug. 30.
In Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, Gümüş is also very popular and every episode is watched by at least 2 million viewers. In result of its popularity, Songül Öden came to Bulgaria and was a guest in the Bulgarian TV shows "Dancing Stars 2" and "Slavi Show".
She also visited Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
as a guest in "Kenga Magjike" festival.
Reception and influence
Noor and Muhannad observe Ramadan, and their marriage is arranged by Muhannad's grandfather but the characters break with tradition in other ways. Characters are shown drinking wine with dinner, partying, and kissing onscreen which has been deemed inappropriate for younger audiences such as children. Female characters do not wear headscarves, and none of the main characters are shown praying. Muhannad had sex (and an illegitimate child) before marrying Noor, and one of his cousins has an abortion. Perhaps most significantly, Noor and Muhannad's marriage is depicted (in an idealized way) as a modern partnership between equals, in which Muhannad supports his wife's career ambitions as a fashion designer. While such qualities are present in all popular Turkish TV shows, the relaxed attitude towards Islam is new and interesting to the conservative groups in the Muslim World. The AP reports that the show "seems particularly effective in changing attitudes because it offers new content in a familiar setting: Turkey is a Muslim country, inviting stronger viewer identification than Western TV imports."The most conservative of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
religionists argue the show is un-Islamic, even though some scenes are toned down for consumption in Arab countries. Saudi Arabia's leading cleric, Sheik Abdul Aziz al-Asheik, has instructed Muslims to avoid watching the show. Hamed Bitawi, a Hamas legislator and preacher, has also spoken against it.
Maternity wards report a rise in the baby names Noor and Mohannad
Mohannad
Mohannad is a masculine Arabic given name, meaning sword, it is unrelated to Mohammad.-Given name:* Muhannad , Russian Mujahid Emir...
.
Clothing stores throughout the Middle East report brisk sales of blouses and dresses seen on the television series, albeit worn in more modest ways such as with leotard underclothing.
The show encouraged Arabs to visit Turkey. The success of Noor in the Arab world was partly attributed to the fact that it was dubbed into the Syrian dialect
Syrian Arabic
Syrian Arabic is a variety of Arabic spoken in Syria.-History:Syrian Arabic proper is a form of Levantine Arabic, and may be divided into South Syrian Arabic, spoken in the cities of Damascus, Homs and Hama, and North Syrian Arabic, spoken in the region of Aleppo. Allied dialects are spoken in...
—a widely understood living variety of Arabic—and not into the little spoken formal Arabic
Classical Arabic
Classical Arabic , also known as Qur'anic or Koranic Arabic, is the form of the Arabic language used in literary texts from Umayyad and Abbasid times . It is based on the Medieval dialects of Arab tribes...
which had hitherto been used to dub Mexican telenovela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
s.