Pakistani actress Ayesha Omar shares a first look from the set of the Pakistani-Turkish series Salahuddin Eyyubi on her Instagram account. She shared the video of how the set is being constructed for the shoot of the series.
Omar posted the video from the virtual set launch. The city of Damascus is being built on 200 acres, 50 acres of the land dedicated to the production is reserved for Salahuddin’s historic palace in Damascus. The set will also feature shops, and quarters of Muslim and Christian communities, and a mosque is also built in the vicinity.
According to the details, 25% cast in the series will be Pakistani meanwhile titular role of Salahuddin will be played by a Turkish actor. The series is a joint production of Turkey’s Akli Film and Pakistan’s Ansari & Shah Films. The series is being helmed by Humayun Saeed and Adnan Siddiqui. Notable Pakistani performers including Ayesha Omar, Ushna Shah, and others will be part of the series. The series will go on the floor in October. The first of the 30 episodes of the series will be released in December.
The designers have been working on the paper for the project for the past four months. They also reportedly stated that the mosque built for the set will be operational even after the filming is complete.
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Siddiqui while talking to Arab News said: “It’s happening for the first time that Pakistani producers are investing in a Turkish production,” he told outlet. “Salahuddin Ayyubi was a figure who is liked in Europe as well. He was a leader for the world,” he said. “As far as Muslims are concerned, audiences will get to see Muslims’ contribution to Islamic history.”
Read more: Pakistan-Turkish series Salahuddin Ayubi to be released soon
Kashif Ansari, a Pakistani producer said 16 Muslims and Non-Muslim historians have worked on the script for 10 months to ensure the script depicts the truth. “Islam’s true image, that the West is not ready to depict, will be presented in the series,” he assured. “There is no counter-narrative to how Muslims are otherwise represented in foreign productions.”
Adnan Siddiqui had called the series Salahuddin Eyyubi an ‘epic’ based on the life of the founder of the Ayyubid Dynasty. “It is a joint venture between the four of us and Akli Films. Be there to be a part of history,” he had urged in a short clip earlier.