CAIRO: In keeping with show biz tradition, the success of MBC drama “King Farouk this past Ramadan did not come without its share of controversy. Surprisingly, not all of the debates surrounding the production stemmed from the fact that the king himself was quite contentious.
One of the hottest debates is centered on the nature of historical dramas and the way people take in the information represented in the work. A seminar organized last week at the Prince Taz Palace in Cairo attempted to answer that very question: Should historical dramas be assessed only on their artistic value or also on their adherance to the facts?
The seminar further highlighted the importance of educating the younger generations who remain ill-informed about their country’s history namely due to dwindling reading habits and an increased reliance on the media as a knowledge source.
The seminar zeroed in on the award-winning “King Farouk serial, with author Dr Lamis Gaber taking part in the lively debate. Other panelists included critics Dr Rafik El Saban and Tarik El Shenawy; scriptwriter Bahaa Taha; and Dr Mohamed Afifi, professor of history.
“King Farouk caused ripples by showing another side of Egypt s last monarch, breaking away from the stereotypical image of him that has been depicted in the media over the last five decades.
“Some would support my perspective that it triggered sympathy for King Farouk, others would unnecessarily regard it as a backlash directed at the 1952 revolution, said Gaber. At the end of the serial, Gaber said, she was contacted by many young people asking for suggested readings that would give them a comprehensive view of the historical figure.
El Saban, on the other hand, pointed out that historical dramas will always remain a complex issue.
“Whatever historical facts included in the work, [the drama] will always be subject to the writer’s bias and sympathies, he said. “But in my opinion, the final aim is to create a successful work of art. The work should not compromise artistic aspects for the sake of historical facts.
El Saban admitted that he would not have been keen to watch the biographies of King Farouk, Salah Eldin or El Zaher Beibars played out on the screen the same way they are recounted in history books.
“They are flesh and blood; human beings that have their flaws and merits. Many times dramatists have turned notorious historical figures into laudable people through their [interpretation] of history.
Still, he says, historical dramas are not a substitute to history books.
Scriptwriter Bahaa Taha agrees that while it is necessary to maintain the artistic aspects of historical dramas, it is equally important to respect historical facts.
“Don’t tell me, for example, that Farouk married Queen Nariman before Farida, or that Queen Nazli didn’t exist in King Fouad’s life, he said. “The work would then lose its value as an adaptation based on history. I am only allowed to change the incidents in a way that would fit the dramatic context.
Afifi believes that if historians themselves fall into the trap of bias and subjective analysis – a proven fact given the many documented versions of specific historical events – then dramatists should not be an exception.
Gaber agrees, adding that taking the views of historians always poses a risk, especially those who are contemporary to the age in question.
“When I set out to write the drama on King Farouk, I began by reading the work of historian Abdel Rahman El Rafee on the era, Gaber said. “I discovered that his version leaned more towards the interest of some figures than others. His judgment on events was not completely objective.
“It is important to recognize the position of the historian before taking their perspective for granted. I had to read other works, refer to people and news reports to construct my own work, explained Gaber.
By the same token, she does not recommend referring to the historical figure’s family because they tend to either embellish or mar the facts.
“When I was told that Queen Nazli was an aristocratic queen, I began to wonder why it was known that King Fouad married an average Egyptian girl. He wanted to offer his people an Egyptian queen to dilute the effects of his non-Egyptian traits.
“Seeing old footages taken of Nazli on the beach and during other domestic functions, I realized that her manners were that of an average Egyptian woman. Some criticized me for having depicted her that way, but this is the reality as I saw it, she said.
Still, participants were still concerned that historical dramas might become historical documents in their own right.
“I am afraid that would eventually happen, remarked Afifi. “Shockingly, in students’ history books there is a photo of late movie star Ahmed Mazhar donning medieval military attire captioned Salah Eldin. Some of the books speak about how the Kurdish leader ventured into the enemy king s camp to offer him treatment, an incident that was only depicted in the film.
“If there is any benefit to historical drama, it is that we should know how to rewrite history and present it to younger generations. Regrettably those tasked with providing historical material for school books are not specialized and the work is not free of mistakes, added Afifi.
