As it aims to address the growing demand from customers for local content, the Shahid video-on-demand (VOD) platform from the region’s leading MENA pay-TV provider MBC Group has launched its first-ever original production.
Said to mark a shift in traditional drama productions and inspired by real events and fiction, the ElDiva original drama series stars superstar Cyrine Abdel Nour in the lead role, alongside actor Yacob Alfarhan, and the Egyptian folk singer and actress, Bosy. The production is expected to launch on Shahid on 27 November and is a by-product of the experience gained by MBC’s producers in various talent-spotting TV shows.
Directed by Randa Alam, ‘ElDiva’ is a multinational production, with Lebanese and Egyptian scriptwriters involved in the creation of the story: Sarah Faraj, Hind Radwan, Sama Abdel Khalek, Engi Al-Qasim and Jad Khoury. Joining Cyrine Abdel Nour, Yacob Alfarhan and Bosy in the cast are Mahira Abdel Aziz, Wissam Fares, Dory Samarani, Stephanie Attalah, and Nibal Arakji.
Commenting on how ElDiva came about and what it means for MBC, senior regional manager of content Alex Meouchy commented: “We have produced a large number of Arabic adaptations of global, top-rated talent-spotting TV shows. During work on these productions, the entire team encounter numerous situations that would be absolutely fascinating to watch as a fictional drama. Viewers always want to know what happens when the cameras are turned off, and so this is how the idea of ElDiva came about. Subsequently, Shahid decided to introduce ElDiva as its first Shahid Original.”