DIRILIS (RESURRECTION): ERTUGRUL

https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2020/01/05/dirilis-resurrection-ertugrul/

“Stay true to justice and the righteous. Do not accept anything but freedom. May your path be open.”

– Ertuğrul

The PM has been asking for the television serial Diriliş: Ertuğrul to be dubbed into Urdu and aired on television in Pakistan, so an Urdu speaking public can watch it too. It seems PTV has obtained the rights to do this, and the serial is to be screened in Pakistan.

Is this a good idea?

Diriliş: Ertuğrul is a Turkish television serial that has become popular all over the world. It is set in 12th century Anatolia, the region now known as Turkey, and spans hundreds of episodes across five seasons.

Unlike a book that contains violence or explicit scenes which can be read by one person alone, a television show can hardly be restricted to a select audience. A television is like having a very loud, tactless, blabbermouthed, but interesting, relative in one’s midst. With its open screen, now often a very large one, anyone who walks into the room where the television might be, can see whatever is being aired. So, even more than with a book or a phone, one must be careful with this medium. The responsibility lies mostly with the parents but also with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), which should focus less on protecting the interests of the government and ruling political party, and more on protecting the interests of the people who in the case of Pakistan are mostly uneducated and to a great extent influenced by irrational religious zeal. It only needs a well calculated push for them to go over the edge, and this serial might well be it.

Ertuğrul is an extremely well written, well directed production. The story keeps you riveted, the cast is captivating, the scenes and costumes are beautifully choreographed and re-created. And, Turkey being a friendly country, this series with a very Islamic thrust is something the public here will relate to very easily and intimately.

But Ertuğrul while it is truly a brilliant production, is also dangerously open to misunderstanding. As a story it is straightforward and similar to many other stories: a hero and his companions pitted against the odds. It is when you get into the dialogue that the problem arises, for example when one of the major characters is raring to go ‘kill the unbelievers,’ or when someone says they can’t wait until all the non-believers are dead. And so on.

Like other stories, this one needs to be understood in the context of the history of the time, and of those particular surroundings. Diriliş is based on the life and conquests of the Turkish hero Ertuğrul, and the conflict between his people, the Muslim Oghuz Turks– and the Mongols, the Byzantine Christians, and the Crusaders who called themselves Knights Templar. It was the aim of Ertuğrul and his people to carve out a homeland for themselves in this area. For this they needed to defeat their enemies who were none of them Muslim. At least the large groups were not. There were traitors, but that is another story.

There is no shortage of people looking to use religion for their own nefarious ends (useful phrase) in Pakistan, and Ertuğrul will come in very handy there. It will be used much as the Quran (an extreme example) is used, out of context to justify violence and persecution, because this is an extremely violent show. No episode is without sword fights, very gory ones. Children walking into the room will see people being beheaded, and blood flying across the screen as a matter of course.

Do we want our children to see such things? Particularly when the violence is accompanied by shouts of “Allah u Akbar”. Is it possible to explain to a child what the situation is, and what the conflict, revenge, and violence is all about?

Ertuğrul also has some great messages:

“I will protect the oppressed even if he is my enemy. But I will not forgive the traitor even if he is my brother.” Ertuğrul

“We must show mercy to those in need, and come to their aid, regardless of their faith or nation.” Hayme Ana (Ertuğrul’s’ mother)

“We will earn coins, but we will not be slaves to what we earn.” Al Arabi.

And Asilahan when asked why someone was becoming the leader of the tribe when he was not related by blood to the previous chief says: “It is not about blood. It is about merit.”

And many other things. Such as the way the men treat their women, with respect and honour, but without undue protectiveness. The women in this series are strong, many of them are leaders and quite fearless. They work, they ride, they give opinions. There is no prudish nonsense in here. Men confer with women alone in a tent. No chaperon necessary, not a sleazebag in sight.

But there is no getting around the violence. This is definitely a series for adults only. There is documented evidence that watching violence on television leads to an increase in violent behaviour among children– and these violent children will be the adults of tomorrow.

Ertuğrul is a series that is best watched by those who have the capacity to realise that the past cannot and should not be picked up and placed as is into the present.

Is the common man in Pakistan capable of understanding this, particularly if he is led to think otherwise?