Rita Harb, a star of the Shahid drama Hob Aa Waraq, rejects the idea that Arabic remakes of Turkish dramas are carbon copies. They are Arabised adaptations, she tells The National, and viewers who watched the originals in Turkish keep coming back for them.
Fans of Turkish drama can recognise the Arabic versions instantly. They share the same settings, storylines and key scenes, recreated by a new cast speaking a Levantine dialect, with local humour and social codes layered in.
Why Arabic remakes of Turkish dramas are not carbon copies
The remake model has quietly built a pipeline. Arous Beirut, adapted from Bride of Istanbul, launched in 2019 and ran 220 episodes across three seasons, breaking the 30-episode structure Arabic drama usually works to. Stiletto, adapted from Stiletto Vendetta, followed in 2022 as another hit on Shahid.
MBC underlined its commitment that same year, signing a five-year agreement with two of Turkey’s largest production houses, Medyapim and Ay Yapim. As Arab News reported at the time, the deal covered exclusive first-look Turkish titles for the MENA region plus co-developed Arabic originals.
“It’s no secret that Turkish content is extremely popular with MENA audiences — it’s a genre that has been rising in popularity in this region since the early Noughties.”
Sam Barnett, MBC Group chief executive
The remakes that followed include Al Khaen (2023), adapted from Sadakatsiz — itself a Turkish version of the BBC drama Doctor Foster. The latest is Hob Aa Waraq, a 90-episode remake of the Turkish romantic drama Sen Çal Kapımı that began streaming in June, with five new episodes a week.
The long-form argument
The popularity raises an obvious question: if Turkish and Arab stories draw on similar family and community values, why commission an adaptation instead of an original? At what point does a remake become a high-end knock-off? For Harb, that framing ignores what changes in translation.
“All you are really looking for is a quality story to tell. These shows are not carbon copies of the Turkish originals. They are Arabised adaptations. Some people say these stories do not resemble us, but they are good stories. When we make an Arabic version, we place it in settings that are more familiar to us, and it has its own flavour.”
Rita Harb
“The proof is that Arab viewers who watched the original in Turkish return for our version,” she says.
The remakes are a natural progression of the region’s long love affair with Turkish drama. It goes back to 2008, when Noor, dubbed into Syrian Arabic, became a regional phenomenon, followed by the spy drama Valley of the Wolves. By 2011, Ezel was popular enough on Abu Dhabi TV that its stars Kenan Imirzalıoğlu and Cansu Dere came to the UAE for a red-carpet gala.
Harb, whose 25-year career spans both formats, says the long form is not automatically the harder one.
“A 30-episode run is not easy because, depending on the role, there is a real intensity in getting all the emotions across directly. But after doing a few longer series, you realise that you become more comfortable with the character as you go through the peaks and troughs with them.”
Rita Harb
What is Hob Aa Waraq?
Hob Aa Waraq is a family drama about the unlikely romance between a hard-hearted billionaire and a rebellious young woman. Harb plays Joumana, whose controlling nature is driven by agoraphobia that developed after the death of her son.
“And this is really where the longer format helps, because you can play the character and all her rhythms more delicately,” she says. “People can really understand these important topics of mental health, grief and trauma. People tell me they have experienced circumstances like hers and have lost someone in the family, so they say this character represents them.”
Rita Harb’s 25 years on screen
Harb began as a model and got her small-screen break presenting the entertainment programme Oyoun Beirut in 2000. Her star turn came in the 2014 Ramadan drama Ashara Abid Zghar, playing Lamis, a character who undergoes severe psychological trauma. She took it as a challenge, listening to every note on set and bringing an acting coach to her home for intensive classes after each shoot.
Her acclaimed role in Stiletto was nearly cut short by a near-fatal car accident on the way to the set in Turkey. She had surgery and spent time on a wheelchair, walker and crutches, and her character’s storyline was rewritten to include an accident. She says she will have titanium plates in her face and leg for the rest of her life.
Instead of slowing down, Harb accelerated. “My whole view of life changed after the accident,” she says. “I became even more hyper because I want to benefit from every minute. If there is something I want, I want it now. Why should I delay it?”
She is equally blunt about budgets. International productions, whether American, British or Turkish, are not automatically better; the difference is whether every element lands together.
“Sometimes I see good productions where money has been spent only on spectacle that passes without impressing the viewer. What is a large budget if it is not spent in the right place? These elements are connected, and the casting must also be right. You need the right person in the right place. When all of these elements come together, our industry can challenge anyone.”
Rita Harb
Where to watch Hob Aa Waraq
Hob Aa Waraq is streaming on MBC Shahid, with new episodes released Sunday to Thursday. For more on the platform, see our best shows on Shahid this Ramadan round-up and our guide to watching Shahid outside the Middle East.
What is Hob Aa Waraq?
Hob Aa Waraq is an Arabic remake of the Turkish romantic drama Sen Çal Kapımı (You Knock on My Door), streaming on MBC Shahid. It is a family drama about the unlikely romance between a hard-hearted billionaire and a rebellious young woman, with five new episodes released every week from Sunday to Thursday.
Which Turkish drama is Hob Aa Waraq based on?
Hob Aa Waraq is based on Sen Çal Kapımı, the Turkish romantic comedy that aired on Fox Turkey from July 2020 to September 2021, starring Hande Erçel and Kerem Bürsin. The Arabic remake was shot with a Levantine cast and runs around 90 episodes.
Who stars in Hob Aa Waraq?
The cast is led by Anas Tayara and Haya Maraachli in the two lead roles, with Rita Harb as Joumana, Saad Mina as Marwan, and a supporting cast including Dima Al Jundi, Reem Khoury, Rami Ahmar and Tarek Abdo.
Why are Turkish dramas remade in Arabic?
Arabic remakes rework Turkish hits with a Levantine dialect, local humour and social codes, on settings familiar to Arab audiences. MBC backed the model in 2022 with a five-year deal with Turkish production houses Medyapim and Ay Yapim covering first-look titles and co-produced Arabic originals.
Where can I watch Hob Aa Waraq in the UAE?
Hob Aa Waraq streams on MBC Shahid, which is available in the UAE on the Shahid app and web. New episodes arrive Sunday to Thursday, with an episode free to watch without a subscription.
