Each Ramadan season, posters for various TV series often become the center of controversy. This year, several posters in the Middle East caught the public’s eye for quite different reasons.
One such poster for an Egyptian series titled “Awlad al-Raee” sparked widespread online debate, with many claiming it closely resembled the poster of the Turkish series “Esref Rüya,” featuring Çağatay Ulusoy and Demet Özdemir. In response to the backlash, the production company responsible for “Awlad El Raee” quickly unveiled a new poster to address the criticism stemming from the initial design’s similarity to the Turkish series.
The revised poster aimed to uphold the reputation of this prominent production, which features Maged El Masry, Khaled El Sawy, and Ahmed Eid. The storyline centers around intense conflicts within a wealthy family that faces a mass murder attempt, uncovering long-buried secrets. The series is directed by Mahmoud Kamel and penned by Raymond Makar.
A notable poster that drew particular scrutiny depicted the series “Hekayet Narjes” [The Story of Narjes], which some critics argued bore a striking resemblance to Leonardo da Vinci’s famed painting, the Mona Lisa. The poster garnered praise from critic Khaled Ashour, who called it an artistic homage that captures the brilliance of the Mona Lisa. The design highlights the emotional turmoil of the protagonist, Reham Abdel Ghafour, who is portrayed with sorrowful features that symbolize her struggle with infertility. The shadow cast in the image represents her lost hope of motherhood. The series also stars Hamza El-Aily and Samah Anwar, and is slated for release on various platform in the United States.
The controversy surrounding the posters underscores how much attention series promotions attract during Ramadan, with designers often pushing creative boundaries and sparking debate.
