My Shahid Recommendations
Shahid Logo Photo, MBC News
By: Malak Hassouna / Contributing Writer
During these cold winter months, nothing seems as good as curling up with a hot cup of tea to binge-watch some television. I do not know about you all, but as an Arab living in America, sometimes I do not want to think in English anymore or just am a bit homesick. Lately, I have been binge-watching Arabic shows on Shahid. For those unfamiliar with Shahid, it is the Arabic version of Netflix or how they phrase it: “Shahid is the number 1 global entertainment platform for Arabs in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) and worldwide. MBC Group powers it; Shahid offers the world’s most extensive Arabic library of content and Western, Turkish, Korean, and Bollywood titles. This includes award-winning Shahid Originals, exclusive premieres, movies fresh off the box office, documentaries, and live TV channels… viewers can live stream or replay their favorite sports content and events from the Saudi Pro League, WWE, and Formula 1”.
There’s nothing worse than being on your favorite platform and not knowing what to watch; however, with Shahid recently, I have been able to browse and find something that I want, from old plays like Raya and Sekhina to their new exclusive Rose and Layla starring big names Youssra and Nelly Karim.
A few of my favorite shows/movies/plays that can be viewed on Shahid are
- The Shahid Original Family Matter is a 2021-2023 television miniseries about an untraditional family drama and comedy. As this family unites, they go through a series of ups and downs. The cast includes Shaza Moharam, Maged El-Kidwani, Rana Raeis, and Mohamed Shahin.
- For a silly-goofy comedy series about brothers that compete for this character that they do not know to earn money, you should follow The Game with four seasons of a lighthearted watch starring Chico, Hesham Maged, Mai Kassab, and Merna Gamel.
- Throwing it back to an oldie but a goodie Sahar EL Layali, where four couples who are all old friends are going through a rough patch, and the boys lean on each other to get through it. Starring Sherif Moneer, Mona Zaki, Hanan Tork, Fathy Abdel Wahab, Ahmed Helmy, Ola Ghanem, Khaled Abol Naga, and Gihan Fadel.
- A fan favorite that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster is the Lebanese series Arous Beirut. It is about Faris, who falls in love with a nightclub singer named Soraya. However, their love causes problems because those around them reject it, especially Fares’s mother, Laila. This show is not for the week, though three seasons, each around 85 to 50 episodes that span an hour—starring the gorgeous Carmen Bsaibes and Dhaffer L’Abidine.
- A movie that is funny and filled with laughs is Mohami Khola. Follows a young lawyer, played by Hani Ramzi, as he sues a wealthy lady’s husband (Dalia El Behery) for snoring with the help of one of the other attorneys who is madly in love with him (Ola Ghanem).
- Saheb El Sa’adah is one of those shows that came to our televisions for Ramadan and never left our hearts. The Emam family uses our screens to demonstrate their talents, from directing to acting. He follows a large family that goes broke and readjusts from being one of Egypt’s elite to going to live in the inner cities of Egypt. The show takes you to a place where you feel at home immediately, from cries to laughs, and you find yourself immersed in their story. This is just one of the many Adel Emam productions the platform carries.
- MBC made some bold moves by putting a Saudi Twist on the world-renowned show The Office, making it El Maktab. The audience follows the comical boss of a Saudi Courier Service this time.
- We are throwing it back to a classic play that helped many of our treasured actors like Adel Emam, Hadi Al Jayar, Younes Shalaby, Said Saleh, and Ahmad Zaki on the map. Madrasat Almoshagebin will put you in a good mood as you see these young stars on stage.
- If you are tired of rewatching shows, check out Rose and Layla. The female private investigator’s adventures in Cairo go out weekly with new episodes.
- Suppose you are a sucker for a love story. In that case, Seeb wana Aseeb follows an Egyptian influencer living in Lebanon, and she tries to get married to a Lebanese actor just to discover that she is technically still married to her old romance. Ahmed El-Saadany, Aya Samaha, and Hana El Zahed come to our screens to bring a light-hearted and cute love story filled with pranks and journeys.
While Shahid is not the only Arabic streaming platform in the United States, I enjoy their mission “to find and create stories that move Arabs, society, and the world. [Their] goal is to push, elevate, and promote Arabic entertainment globally while supporting local and regional talent in telling their own stories on our platform” and their personalized experience. Which gives recommendations from “Binge Watches” to “Colour for Every Mood.” Those are just some of my recommendations if you are stuck and do not know what to watch. Let me know if you have any of your own.
Check out Arab America’s blog here!
