Latest news with #Wuhoosh
Daily Tribune
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Tribune
Public vote begins for Al Dana drama awards
TDT | Manama Drama fans across the Gulf are being invited to cast their votes in the Al Dana Drama Awards 2025, as the region's most popular series and stars go head-to-head in the audience choice categories. Voting for Best Series, Best Actor, and Best Actress opened on June 5th and will run until June 10th on com. This year's edition has drawn heavyweight talent from across the Arab world, with organisers touting a record level of engagement. Star-studded nominees The shortlist for Best Series includes regional favourites such as 'Aaber Sabeel', 'Wuhoosh', 'Al Boom', 'Shari' Al Asha', and 'Yawmiyat Rajul 'Anis', alongside newer titles like 'Kaenat', 'Afkar Ummi', and 'Um 44'. In the Best Actor category, nominees include Abdullah Boushahri, Ali Kakoli, Ibrahim Al Hajjaj, Ahmed Al Najjar, Mohammed Mirza, and Abdulrahman Bin Nafea, among others. Meanwhile, Best Actress contenders include Elham Ali, Reem Abdullah, Fatima Al Safi, Bibi Al Abdulmohsen, Ameera Al Sharif, and Lama Abdulwahab. Prestige and participation Winners will be announced at a high-profile ceremony under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, President of the General Sports Authority, and President of the Bahrain Olympic Committee. The event will bring together stars from across the Gulf, Arab drama industry veterans, and leading media personalities. Bahrain will play host to what is expected to be one of the year's most glamorous red-carpet events.
The National
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Ramadan TV 2025 review: Kuwaiti true crime series Wuhoosh tackles infamous incidents that rocked the Gulf
Despite its popularity globally, true crime is not a well-tread genre in the Gulf. Due to conservative cultural norms, most avoid discussing heinous crimes openly to spare the families of those involved from the public gaze. Wuhoosh a new series from Kuwait is attempting to push the envelope on this taboo subject this Ramadan. Translating to 'Beasts', the 10-episode series streaming on Shasha is directed by filmmakers Mohamed Salama from Egypt and Saeed El Marouk from Lebanon. The show stars some of the most talented and famous names in Kuwaiti television including Shujoun Al Hajri, Haya Abdel Salam, Faisal Al Omairi, Bashar Al Shatti, Ali Kakooli and Mansour Al Bloushi. Divided into four stories, two are told over two episodes while the other two are told in three episodes. All 10 episodes released on the first day of Ramadan, and the series has since sparked debate on social media between viewers who enjoyed its daring way of telling real-life stories and those who condemned it for using these traumatising events for a television drama. The first of the four stories is about a fire that ravaged a wedding tent in 2009 which took the lives of 57 people and severely injured 90. The arsonist that started the fire is the first wife of the groom, who was not in the tent at the time. Having grown apart, the groom falls in love with another women and marries her. Fuelled by jealousy and blind rage, the woman takes douses the outside of the tent with petrol and lights it on fire. In the ensuing panic, a stampede occurs inside the tent, with many being trampled over before being burnt to death. Investigations then lead to the arrest of the arsonist, before she is sentenced to death for her crime. Right from the start, the show establishes two crucial things with this first story. The first is that this is going to be a tough, perhaps excruciating watch for many. Seeing a person commit these crimes and witnessing the result and how it affects people will make many feel uneasy. The second thing it establishes is the quality of the filmmaking, acting and storytelling. There's very little glamour in these roles, whether portraying a criminal or a detective, the actors make sure to do it sincerely without belittling the event or the people affected. With all these stories being set at some point in the past 40 years, much attention and effort is put into getting the details of the time period right. From the cars to the clothes or even the locations, the result is very impressive. The second and third stories are both told in two episodes. The first is about a child abuser who abducted and assaulted 17 children before being caught in 2007 and hanged in 2013. The second is about a thief who in 1983 would ask for a ride home in front of banks before murdering the drivers and stealing their money. The fourth and final story is perhaps the hardest to watch. In 2002, a countrywide search began after a girl, 6, went missing. Days later, her body was found in a remote area, showing signs of being brutalised and tortured. The case truly rocked Kuwaiti society, with many hoping it would be solved as they started to live in fear from what is out there. After a thorough investigation, it was found that three men had abducted the child for what they claimed was an 'honour killing' to avenge an illegal relationship between the victim's brother, and the sister of two of the killers. With stories like these, there's no enjoyment to be taken outside of appreciating the effort and craft put into making it as good as it is. The stories have been told for generations either as cautionary tales or injected with saucier details to make it more scandalous. Presenting the facts in this way sets the record straight on many things, especially being crimes so notorious in society at this point. It is very refreshing that a Gulf drama would not hold back in its presentation, allowing the filmmakers to direct something that can be appreciated for its style while also giving the actors roles in which they can dive into and fully embody. One hopes that this is the start of a trend and not a flash in the pan.
