Kuwaiti television often leans on social drama to explore questions of morality and consequence, but A'wam Aldhalam stands apart for the simplicity of its premise. Based on the true story of writer Badr Al Mutairi, the Ramadan series follows a man whose life is derailed by a wrongful conviction, examining not only the failings of circumstance, but also the endurance required to survive them.
The series opens with a sense of promise. Badr, played by Hamad Al Omani, is preparing for marriage when he is abruptly arrested on drug-related charges. The evidence against him, rooted in identity fraud, appears convincing enough that law enforcement cannot reasonably be faulted. The result is a portrait of injustice without a clear villain, where systems function as intended yet still lead to devastating outcomes.
Directed by Egyptian filmmaker Mohamed Salama, the eight-episode drama benefits from its concise structure. The narrative moves with purpose, focusing on the physical and psychological toll of imprisonment. Badr’s time behind bars becomes a study in resilience. He creates strong bonds with unlikely characters, as he grapples with the erosion of his identity and the uncertainty of his future.
Being an innocent man thrown in with the criminals, he is immediately singled out and targeted for abuse. He finds allies through his family name and his good nature. Before long, he must defend himself from attempts on his life as he gets caught up in the politics of prison gangs.
Beyond the prison walls, the series finds its emotional weight. The writer's engagement dissolves under the strain of accusation, his family is left to navigate the social fallout, and his own brother begins to question his innocence. These moments avoid the heightened melodrama often associated with Ramadan programming. Instead, the series leans into quieter tensions.
Al Omani anchors the series with a measured performance that captures both vulnerability and resolve. His portrayal displays the many ups and downs Al Mutairi experienced as he attempts to leave prison unscathed before going after the truth. Supporting performances expand the scope of the suffering, showing how one mistake caused a ripple that affected the lives of many.
What ultimately distinguishes A'wam Aldhalam is its grounding in lived experience. Al Mutairi, whose wrongful imprisonment forms the basis of the story, appears in a brief cameo. In a quietly affecting exchange, he tells the actor portraying him that “this too shall pass”. The line lands with particular weight, not only within the context of the narrative, but also as a reflection of the resilience that defines it.
That resonance is deepened by the knowledge that Al Mutairi died in January, just weeks before the series aired. The closing montage acknowledges this loss, shifting the focus from fiction to reality as it shows his interactions with the cast and crew. It is a rare moment of transparency that reinforces the human story at the centre of the drama, and the generosity involved in telling it.
The show does not lay the blame on anyone but the criminal who stole Al Mutairi’s identity and caused his imprisonment. After leaving prison due his good behaviour and a programme that rewards those who memorise the Quran, Al Mutairi tracks down said criminal and aids in his capture.
He decides to confront him in prison to try and make sense of the situation. What he finds is a cold and unashamed evil. The kind of person who is not at all sorry for what he caused, and the lives he affected. Justice prevails eventually, and Al Mutairi's name is cleared of all wrongdoing, allowing him to resume his life, but it can never be truly normal again; he carries a weight with him from the horrors he’s seen.
Al Mutairi previously shared his story in a book and a podcast, both of which have made him a popular figure in Kuwait. A’wam Aldhalam is already one of the most watched shows on streamer Shasha and continues to garner attention from social media chatter. The legacy of the wrongfully imprisoned man lives on.
