JEDDAH, 12 May 2006 — Five artists and 20 crew members of Malaysia are involved in the filming of a play in Saudi Arabia for screening it back home in the coming months.
The play is titled “Cinta Madinah” (Madinah in my heart), which is a sequel to the first play produced and filmed in the holy cities last year.
“We started shooting the play two weeks ago and hope to complete our effort within the next week,” Dar Al-Salam Arab Holding Company CEO Abdul Hameed ibn H. Al-Shareef told reporters at his office here yesterday.
“Aside from focusing on the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, the element of tourism has been added to the play,” he said and thanked the Ministry of Information for its support and assistance in filming the play.
The play, with 16 episodes, will be in Malay and Arabic with English subtitles.
The Malaysian group shot their first play in the holy cities last year. “The, play in 20 episodes, evoked tremendous response in Malaysia when it was screened during last Ramadan,” said Abdul Rahim ibn Abdullah, Malaysia-based Middle East consultant, who is currently on a visit here.
“While the holy cities were in focus in the first play, our play this time is additionally focusing on the Kingdom as a tourist destination, as the tourism sector is now opening up,” Abdul Rahim said. According to him, 200,000 tourists from the Middle East — 54,000 of them from the Kingdom visited Malaysia, and the numbers are expected to increase this year and in 2007, which is being observed as a “Visit Malaysia year.”
“And that’s why we’re shooting our play this time in tourist places like Taif and Abha as well,” he said, adding that the play will also aim to focus on the cultures and lifestyles of Muslims in Malaysia and the Arab world.
The project is being supported by Al-Husam Group in Jeddah and Makkah, and by Al-Ansar Group in Madinah.
According to Abdul Rahim, many Malaysians including some Arabs, who have made Malaysia their home will watch the play.
Meanwhile, Malaysia is hosting an International Islamic Fair at Putra World Trade Center in Kuala Lumpur from June 9-11.
Seven Saudi exhibitors are taking part in the show, which will showcase products and services of special interest to the Muslim world.
