The Arabic version of 'Suits' began filming this January. Photo: OSN
The Arabic version of 'Suits' began filming this January. Photo: OSN
The Arabic version of 'Suits' began filming this January. Photo: OSN
The Arabic version of 'Suits' began filming this January. Photo: OSN

Culture

Television

Arabic version of 'Suits' starring Asser Yassin to premiere during Ramadan 2022

Egyptian model and actress Tara Emad will play Rachel, the role made famous by Meghan Markle

David Tusing

January 31, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

The Arabic-language adaptation of hit US drama Suits will launch across the Middle East during Ramadan, a blockbuster season for TV shows. The legal drama, which ran for nine seasons from 2011 to 2019, was a ratings success for NBCUniversal Formats, and also made a star of Meghan Markle.

Now, a partnership between NBCUniversal Formats, Cairo media company TVision, Egyptian Media giant UMS and Dubai broadcaster OSN will introduce an Arabic version of the show, featuring a cast of top Arab actors.

Egyptian star Asser Yassin will play the lead, reprising the role of Harvey Specter, the smooth-talking senior lawyer, made famous by actor Gabriel Macht. Actor Ahmed Dawoud will play Mike, Harvey's mentee whose photographic memory makes him a great lawyer despite his scant qualification.

Jordanian actress Saba Mubarak has been cast as Jessica, the co-founder of the law firm, while Mohamed Shahin will play Louis, her partner in the firm. Reem Mostafa plays Donna, Harvey's secretary and confidante, and Egyptian model and actress Tara Emad will play Rachel, the role made famous by Markle, a paralegal who aspires to be lawyer.

The show has been written by famed Egyptian writer and director Mohamed Hefzy – who recently was a jury member at the Sundance Film Festival – and Yasser Abdel Mageed. Myriam Ahmadi will direct the series.

Filming for Arabic Suits began this January and the first two seasons of 30 episodes will launch on OSN on April 2. Egyptian audiences will also be able to stream it on the platform Watchit.

“We are thrilled to launch the Arabic version of Suits, an international adaptation of one of the most successful and popular television series," said Tarek El Ganainy, founder and chief executive of TVision Media Productions. "Repurposing this type of show into regional formats is vitally important in the context of Egypt’s ongoing development as a mature and compelling media market.

“While it remains heavily inspired by the American drama, our version is unique and authentic to Egypt, featuring a celebrated cast of regional stars."

F1 drivers' standings

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281

2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247

3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222

4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177

5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138

6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93

7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86

8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56

More coverage from the Future Forum
While you're here

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

'The Sky is Everywhere'

Director:Josephine Decker

Stars:Grace Kaufman, Pico Alexander, Jacques Colimon

Rating:2/5

TOUCH RULES

Touch is derived from rugby league. Teams consist of up to 14 players with a maximum of six on the field at any time.

Teams can make as many substitutions as they want during the 40 minute matches.

Similar to rugby league, the attacking team has six attempts - or touches - before possession changes over.

A touch is any contact between the player with the ball and a defender, and must be with minimum force.

After a touch the player performs a “roll-ball” - similar to the play-the-ball in league - stepping over or rolling the ball between the feet.

At the roll-ball, the defenders have to retreat a minimum of five metres.

A touchdown is scored when an attacking player places the ball on or over the score-line.

EVIL%20DEAD%20RISE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ELee%20Cronin%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlyssa%20Sutherland%2C%20Morgan%20Davies%2C%20Lily%20Sullivan%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Updated: March 04, 2022, 4:15 AM
TelevisionRamadan 2026Arabic