Oman Radio to broadcast four drama series in Ramadhan
These include a radio adaptation of Dilshad, a novel written by the Omani writer Bushra Khalfan which won the Katara Prize for Arabic Novel 2022 in the published novels category and was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (Booker) in the same year. The novel was prepared for radio drama by writer Nour el Din al Hashemi, and directed by Hamad al Wardi in an experience that reflects the importance of transferring Omani novels into drama.
Also to be broadcast in Ramadhan is the series 'The Journey is Tough' written by Zaher al Rashdi and directed by Hamad al Wardi. This is in addition to a series dubbed Qala'id Al Yasmine which translates to 'The Jasmine Necklaces' written by Shaikha al Fajri and directed by Ali al Ajmi as well as the series Suwalif Al Jad Hamid (Tales of Grandpa Hamed) written and directed by Mahmoud Obaid.
The series Dilshad was adapted for radio drama by Nour el Din al Hashemi and directed by Hamad al Wardi, starring Issam al Zadjali, Maryam al Farsi, Hilal al Hilali, Zuha Qader and Wafaa Al Rashidi.
Regarding the impact of transforming the novel Dilshad into a radio drama and the impact this may have on the theme and whether she is concerned that the dramatic setting will affect the depth and complexities of the characters, Khalfan said this is a new experience and the radio drama is directed to a wide audience with varying taste and understanding and no doubt the dramatic setting takes those factors into account. She added: 'Literary works when transformed into an audio or visual drama there would be a fear of altering the themes or the characters and this has happened more often than which is why I was hesitant for a long time before giving my consent. However, I have great confidence in the scriptwriter Nour el Din al Hashemi, as he himself is a novelist.'
Director Hamad al Wardi said: 'The novel features poverty and hunger that dominated people's lives during a certain historical period in Oman where Dilshad, faced great difficulties and challenges in his life starting with the death of his father then the hunger and poverty that plagued the region and his movement between the neighbourhoods and alleys in an attempts to make ends meet.'
Text translated by Khalid Al Kush and written by Faisal al Alawi
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