The actors of the Farah series, Demet Özdemir and Engin Akyürek answered the questions of Episode International. A struggling mum, family dramas and, of course, love… The most important thing to get all this right is harmonious teamwork and, of course, believing in your character with all your heart. It goes without saying that this has been achieved in the Farah series. In our warm conversation, Özdemir and Akyürek shared insights about the key to success in their inner world and working environment. You will feel this as you read. Enjoy reading.
Akyürek: Farah has its own language and own narrative style
What does the Farah series mean to you?
First of all, Farah is a different kind of work in terms of its story and what it wants to tell, it has its own language and its own narrative style. I love the universal codes of stories. As an actor, it is also different from the projects I have been involved in before. Farah invites you into its own world. All the characters touch each other in a fateful way, like a projection of the world we live in, and each character represents someone we know in our own world.
What were the most motivating story elements to accept the project?
Farah is really the story of characters who touch each other in different ways, telling that even in despair there can be hope. On a personal level, I love stories of change. Farah has a fairytale world as well as a real story. It was also effective that I wanted to play Tahir, but overall I love where the story takes me and the audience.
While Tahir was a more negative character at the beginning, as the story continued, we realised that he was a character who supported Farah and changed his own life as well. What were the characteristics that influenced you the most about Tahir?
I always feel that the characters I portray are alive somewhere in real life, even if I have never met them, I check whether their feelings, expectations and pains are real or not. Tahir is a man who grew up without parents and tried to raise himself in the dark world of the mafia. Tahir is the character whose change we feel the most. Everything changes when a woman and a sick child enter his life; he questions himself and his world. I think this is very powerful; the fact that a man who is a killer experiences this gives us a story and a situation. With Farah, he questions everything he believes in. He feels that there are good things, love and hope. With Kerimşah, he reaches out to his childhood; it is as if he wants to make peace with the child he has lost. As Tahir believes in Farah and loves her, we, the audience, move from darkness to light.
There are intertwined stories, family dramas, plenty of action and of course love in Farah. As an actor, writer and viewer, what do you think are the reasons why Farah is being watched and loved?
Farah has managed to combine many genres… The starting point is interesting, the events and the course of events are not easily predictable, and the original characters are the first things that come to mind.
Tahir’s relationship with Kerimşah and his love for him were also very popular. How do you feel as an actor during these scenes?
We all have a child inside us; we can go on living with a child who has not grown up, who has been hiding, who has been sulking. Kerimşah is like Tahir’s childhood; when he heals him, it is as if his own childhood is being healed… Rastin also contributes a lot to the success of these scenes, I think he is a very special talent. His innocent look, which is good for us, seems to represent the childhood of all of us… If the relationship between Tahir and Kerimşah were not such a powerful one, the story would always be missing something.
Akyürek: Farah is not an easy character
Your partnership with Demet Özdemir is also followed with attention, how is it on set? What would you like to say about Demet?
I am very happy to know Demet as a person. Apart from being difficult, the character of Farah is not an easy character to carry and maintain as a holistic character. Demet did it very well and Farah told us what she was feeling. I can say that she has added a lot to me, both as a human being and as an actor.
You have viewers in many countries around the world and they are eagerly watching Farah or waiting for it to be aired in their countries. What would you like to tell them about Farah?
Farah’s journey around the world is beginning, which makes me both excited and happy. I feel the journey and the audience’s reactions will be good. One of the good things about our work is that it will meet a worldwide audience. They will see a beautiful work, full of excitement, action and human stories.
This content was published in the Content Americas Edition of Episode
