lifestyle SUNDAY, JUNE 14, 2015

Features

Ghada Abdulraziq in Zeina in Zawaj Al Kaboos bel Ekrah This Holy Month of Ramadan OSN unveils 12 brand-new Arabic shows

his Holy Month of Ramadan, OSN, the region’s Play, the award-winning online viewing platform. Uryudu Rajoulan S2, based on the eponymous others. The line-up also includes Wa Mahyay S3 host- leading pay-TV network, empowers subscribers In addition, with OSN’s ‘Series Link’ feature, viewers novel, is an Egyptian dramaturgy tackling one of the ed by Dr. Walid Fatehi who continues on his mission of Tto maximize quality time with family and to can record any show of their choice directly from the most sensitive issues a marriage could face: that of a inspiring people to make a difference in other peo- deepen togetherness with a unique integration of Electronic Program Guide (EPG) and watch it later at second wife who bears a son, much to the heartburn ple’s lives. technology, content and convenience so they have their convenience. Little ones are also assured of all of the first wife. It is a conflict between pride and love complete control over their entertainment experi- the fun with blockbuster movies and the most popu- that seeks to tackle a tough issue in a modern home Pan Arab drama ence. lar animation movies to be screened daily at 3pm KSA through a story that will enrapture viewers. Watch the 24 Carat is the exciting Pan Arab drama that tells Twelve brand-new Arabic series, five of them through Ramadan. show exclusively on OSN starring the renowned actor, the story of a complicated love triangle that involves a exclusive to OSN, will be telecast during Ramadan Khulud added: “Ramadan celebrates the values of Eyad Nassar. diamond trader who is shot and thrown into the sea underlining the network as the ‘home of family enter- family togetherness and solidarity. Our programming In its fifth season and back by popular demand, only to be a found by a simple girl who falls in love tainment’. OSN’s Ramadan content will see the as well as advanced technology features are aimed at the Egyptian comedy starring the gifted Ahmed with him, but knows nothing of his dark past. region’s biggest stars coming together including maximizing quality family time. It also takes into con- Mekky, Al Kabir S5, will guarantee entertainment and Available exclusively on OSN, the show stars the Lamyaa Tariq, Abdulallah Bushereih, Cyrine sideration the time that is diligently set aside for reli- laughter for all on OSN Ya Hala HD. This season, the hugely popular Cyrine Abdelnour, Abed Fahed and Abdelnour, Ghada Abdulraziq, Sulaf Fawakhirji, Abed gious obligations and cultural traditions during the three brothers return after meeting their fourth broth- Magie Bu Ghusun. Fahed, Ahmed Mekky, Magie Bu Ghusun, to name a Holy Month. Furthermore, OSN enables subscribers to er from Sudan presenting stories that promise non- Also look forward to the mega production Nadi Al few. carefully select the family content they wish to see, stop laughter. Sharq starring Jamal Sulaiman, BassemYakhour, Basel OSN has several surprises in store including a pre- providing greater control and flexibility on TV viewing Another compelling drama, also on OSN Yahala Khayyat, Kais Sheikh Najeiband, and Amal Bshousha. Ramadan series preview, whereby the first two during Ramadan.” Top Ramadan highlights on OSN HD, is Al Kaboos starring superstar Ghada Abdulraziq. The gripping series is an adapted format of ‘The episodes of the five exclusive series to be telecast on Yahala channels include a wide variety of choices with The emotion-packed series revolves around a grieving Godfather’ highlighting not only the events happen- OSN will be aired a week before the start of the Holy something for everyone - and all available to watch mother who tries to find the people who killed her ing today, but it deals with the period before the revo- Month. anytime and anywhere. son and avenge him. Other shows include Tareqi, star- lution. It also shows how politicians control people’s Ahmed Fahmy in Zawaj Khulud Abu Homos, Executive Vice President, ring Shereen Abdul Wahab, in which a girl decides to interests according to their own desire. bel Ekrah Programming & Creative Services, OSN said: “In a first- Egyptian Drama series pursue her dream of singing despite her mother’s of-its-kind initiative in the region, we are showing the This year’s line-up is headlined by the mega pro- control over her. Syrian shows first two episodes of the five exclusive Ramadan series duction - Zawaj Bel Ekrah S1 - a controversial drama Another must watch this Ramadan is Bi Entizar Al a week before Ramadan. The ‘early preview service’ featuring Zeina and Ahmed Fahmy and touching Gulf series Yasmine, which depicts the heartwarming tale of a enables viewers to gain a comprehensive overview of upon contentious issues such as forced marriage, love From the Gulf is the exclusive show, Fi Amal, star- group of war victims and their daily struggles after what to watch during the Holy Month. We understand and greed. A captivating dramatization that is a must ring Lamyaa Tariq and Abdullah Bushereih, which nar- they lose everything. A key attraction for the show is that the coming month is hectic and that is why we watch and exclusive to OSN. rates the imminent clash between dreams and reality, Suluf Fawakhirji who plays the lead. have planned to announce the line-up in advance in Al Boyout Asrar S1 is another exclusive thrilling when a group of larger-than-life girls finds out that order to make life easier for our subscribers.” Egyptian drama that starts with a mysterious murder dreams don’t necessarily come true. A tangled web of Another feature exclusively on OSN is ‘Ma Fatak TV’, of a chef, who turns out to have four simple house- complicated relationships and mixed feelings is on a catch-up service, launched especially for Ramadan, keepers tangled in a web of trouble that eventually display in this riveting drama. allowing subscribers to watch over 20 Arabic drama leads to secrets unfolding and relationships colliding. Hal Manayer, starring Hayat Al Fahed, is about a shows at their convenience, which is ideal for busy The new show is much awaited as celebrities Iten poor mother of three girls and a son who has nothing family lifestyles during the Holy Month. ‘Ma Fatak TV’ Amer, Hana Sheha, Shery Adel and Nesreen Imam but her black heart and sharp mind. She is forever try- is accessible both on the OSN Plus HD, and via OSN come together. ing to find ways to become rich, without regard for Van Morrison, Redmayne, Ejiofor honored by Queen Elizabeth II inger-songwriter Van Morrison was giv- out on an Oscar for “The Imitation Game” but en a knighthood and Oscar-winning the “Sherlock” star gains some compensation Sactor Eddie Redmayne was made an with a CBE. His “Twelve Years A Slave” co-star OBE in Queen Elizabeth II’s birthday honors Chiwetel Ejiofor was also named a CBE, as was announced Friday. Rugby stars Gareth Michael Bond, the creator of the much-loved Edwards and Jonny Wilkinson as well as stories about Paddington Bear. William Pooley, a British nurse who contracted A British doctor involved in fighting the Ebola while working in Sierra Leone, were also Ebola epidemic in west Africa, Oliver Johnson, honored. was named an OBE, while Pooley, the 30-year- US actor Kevin Spacey, who is ending a 10- old nurse who contracted the deadly virus year run as artistic director of London’s Old Vic before recovering, was named MBE. In the theatre, was awarded an honorary knight- world of sport, Welsh rugby legend Edwards hood, which he said made him feel like an was given a knighthood while World Cup win- “adopted son” of Britain. Two historians who ner Wilkinson, who retired last year, was made helped discover the remains of 15th-century a CBE. Former England footballer Frank king Richard III under a car park, Philippa Lampard was named an OBE, as was cricketer Langley and Louis Ashdown-Hill, received James Anderson, England’s record Test wicket- honors as well. taker, while England women’s football captain The queen’s honors are awarded twice a Casey Stoney was made an MBE. year and although the focus is often on Just over half (51 percent) of the 1,163 celebrities, most are ordinary people recog- awards went to women, including Zarine nized for work in their communities. Decided Kharas, who founded charity fundraising site by an independent committee, the awards JustGiving.com and was made a dame. include knights and dames and various orders Twenty-five-year-old Laura Bates, founder of of the British Empire, whether commander the Everyday Sexism Project that catalogues (CBE), officer (OBE) or member (MBE). women’s experiences of sexual harassment, was awarded a British Empire Medal, which Actors, sports stars honored rewards a contribution of relatively short Franz Ferdinand Van Morrison was awarded the highest duration. The leader of one of Britain’s biggest honor, a knighthood, for services to music and trade unions, Paul Kenny of the GMB, was giv- tourism in his native Northern Ireland. The 69- en a knighthood, which he said was welcome year-old, known for the 1967 hit “Brown Eyed “recognition of the crucial role trade unions Girl”, continues to write and perform. play in society”. — AFP Sparks fly as pop veterans Redmayne, 33, who won an Oscar this year for playing British scientist Stephen Hawking in “The Theory of Everything”, was made an OBE. team up with Franz Ferdinand Fellow actor Benedict Cumberbatch missed hen slick Scottish rockers Franz Ferdinand pining for a woman who doesn’t even know he the last several of their 22 albums, Sparks have pro- met Californian pop veterans Sparks in exists. “Though I want you, I know I haven’t a duced a simpler, rawer pop sound, with younger W2004 they immediately clicked and chance,” they croon together. If overall the two brother Russell’s falsetto voice supported solely by worked on a couple of songs. They were shelved bands complement each other, some songs seem Ron’s synthesizers. Pop rock combo Franz until a couple of years ago when a chance meeting to bear the overwhelming mark of Sparks’ synth- Ferdinand sprung to the music scene with their brought the bands back together. The result is a pop and quirky lyrics such as “Dictator’s Son”, 2004 post-punk hit “Take Me Out”. The song’s mix- supergroup called FFS and a 47-minute, 12-track whose title character travels to Los Angeles and is ture of catchy guitar riffs, a disco beat and broken album recorded over two weeks last autumn in in no hurry to return home and try to overthrow his rhythms was influenced in part by Sparks. London and mixed in Texas, in which the six-person father, or “Save Me From Myself”. With a career spanning nearly five decades, strong band jokingly attempt to prove that Sparks are no strangers to working with other “Collaborations Don’t Work”. Rawer pop sound artists, as they have most notably recorded songs At least that’s what they claim in the epic 6:42- Franz Ferdinand’s influence seems more pro- with French pop group Rita Mitsouko and minute title track, which goes through pop, nounced on tracks such as “Call Girl”, “Police Japanese electro-pop combo Pizzicato Five. The cabaret, folk and Eurodance moments. But if the Encounters” and “The Man Without A Tan”, mostly supergroup is planning an extensive tour of title was meant in seriousness, FFS has obviously because the bass and drum lines are more obvious. Europe, starting with a sold-out gig on June 16 at failed if judged by the praise that has poured in for The final song, “Piss Off”, sums up the spirit of the the Arts School in Glasgow. FFS will also play a the album released on June 8. The album-also album: a cheerful pop song about not caring what string of summer festivals including Glastonbury, called FFS, an acronym for the two bands’ names other people think of what one does. Sparks, closing in September with an appearance at the put together but also meaning “For F*** Sake”- formed in the early 1970s by brothers Ron and inaugural European edition of Lollapalooza in opens on single “Johnny Delusional”, a pop dance- Russell Mael, are best known for their 1974 glam Berlin. — AFP floor hit of unrequited love. rock hit “This Town Ain’t Big Enough”. Franz Ferdinand singer Alex Kapranos and They went on to work with disco supremo Sparks vocalist Russell Mael alternate and mix their Giorgio Moroder and hinted at Eurodance in their File photo shows British actor Chiwetel Ejiofor poses with the award for a leading actor for voices to a disco bassline to tell the story of a man 1994 track “When Do I Get To Sing ‘My Way’.” But on his work on the film “12 Years a Slave” at the BAFTA British Academy Film Awards. — AFP