Urdu 1’s Upcoming Turkish Drama ‘Kosem Sultan’ to be the Next Big Thing After ‘Mera Sultan’?

The trend of Turkish dramas started way back in 2012, with the forbidden love fable, Ishq-e-Mamnu on Urdu 1, taking our entertainment arena by storm! Several Turkish soaps have hit our screens since then, quite astoundingly overshadowing some of our great Pakistani serials.

Last year, Urdu 1’s Kaala Paisa Pyaar created a major buzz amongst the audiences, with viewers glued to their TV screens to watch Elif & Omar’s love story unfold. Adding to this list is the new upcoming periodic drama serial ‘Kosem Sultan’, based on the life of the only powerful woman who rule the Ottoman empire alone. The serial features the fan-favorite, Ishq-e-Mamnu starlet, Beren Saat.

Nothing much about the soap has been revealed as of yet, however, the powerful teaser depicts an overpowering Turkish historical saga, quite similar to Geo Kahaani’s very popular ‘Mera Sultan’.

Watch teaser of Urdu1 Kosem Sultan below:

As Turkish history reveals, Kosem Sultan (1590 – 2 September 1651) was the most powerful and successful woman in the history of the Ottoman Empire. She was one of the most celebrated and prominent names in the Sultanate of Women.

Donning a majestic blue silk gown and a diamond crown, the very popular Turkish actress looks stunning as ever in Kosem Sultan’s avatar! The drama seems to hold the typical ingredients of love, lust, heartbreak, hatred, revenge, suspense and thrill associated with Turkish periodic fiction soaps.

We can’t help but draw comparisons with the historical fiction tale, Mera Sultan– the four season tale of the Ottoman Empire and its 10th king, Sultan Suleman. The serial left quite an impact on people’s minds, still etched strongly in their memories.

Mera Sultan ruled the television screens for quite a long time, becoming one of the most viewed Turkish dramas. Urdu 1 is popular for airing addictive Turkish tales and keeping us hooked; is Urdu1’s Kosem Sultan going to live up to the legacy? I think so!

Urdu 1 Drama Kosem Sultan: Beren Saat’s Transformation from Anastasia to Kosem Will Leave You Inspired!

Kosem Sultan is proving to be just as magnificently intriguing as we had anticipated. The story is progressing really fast with some stellar performances that are bound to keep you hooked! From the starting credits to the cliffhangers at the end of the drama, we can’t help but love the show.

BEREN SAAT’S JOURNEY FROM ANASTASIA TO KOSEM SULTAN IS EMPOWERING

The drama series sheds light on the reign of King Ahmed, the second eldest son of King Mehmet. The opening episode of the series revolved around the capture of Anastasia on the orders of Queen Mother Safia. Anastasia, having lived a sheltered life knew little of the world beyond the comfortable life that her father had built for his family.

But she had a rebellious streak of nature in her, which was evident from the beginning. When she was initially captured she was able to escape for a brief moment and convince a young soldier named Alexander to find her and help her escape from the castle.

Anastasia was taken to the castle as an intended concubine for King Ahmed. Once at the castle, she was given a new name and identity, which she vehemently opposed.

After countless punishments that were intended to subdue her, she finally realized that the only way out was through. A completely evolved Anastasia now returns to the palace as Beren Saat and has King Ahmed blindly cast under the spell of her beauty!

A timid and meek personality before, Anastasia, now a totally transformed, mature and empowered person has been given the title of Kosem Sultan- therefore, Beren Saat has been chosen to play the lead role for a more impactful performance.

Anastasia was a fearless young woman, who was headstrong and determined to return home. Over the years, she remained just as fearless. It was her nature that shaped the powerful personality of the fearless lady monarch that ruled the Ottoman Empire.

THE REIGN THAT SHAPED KOSEM SULTAN’S PERSONALITY

To understand the true effects of his reign on our beloved Kosem Sultan we must understand the kind of man that King Ahmed was. For he was one of the many focal people who will have a huge influence on the Queen and will ultimately shape her personality.

King Mehmet, upon ascending to the throne, slayed all of his siblings and their families so that he had no contenders for his throne. The killings were made public especially for the benefit of his young sons. He wanted them to understand that one day this burden will also lay upon their shoulders and that they must have the heart to protect their legacy by killing off their siblings.

Later on, certain circumstances coerced King Mehmet to kill his eldest son and this cast a shadow of fear over Prince Ahmed, who believed that his father would kill him one day too.

Glad tidings came for Kind Ahmed as his father was mysteriously killed by poison and he ascended to the throne. He went against tradition and declared that his younger brother will be sheltered from any harm and will live out his days peacefully.

While this caused immense pleasure to the prince’s mother, King Mehmet’s mother Queen Mother Safia, undermined this decision and tried to convince Ahmed to kill off his sibling. She later declared that upon the birth of Ahmed’s first son, though, the king’s younger brother will be killed off.

The  man that helped Kosem Sultan become the woman she was, was sensitive and considerate. Kosem Sultan did in time genuinely come to care deeply for him.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM KOSEM?

Kösem Sultan earned a reputation of being the most devious and dangerous of the valide (mother) sultans (1623 to 1651) in the Ottoman Empire. Her immense tenure lasted through her sons’, Murad IV and İbrahim I’s reigns and her grandson, Mehmed IV. She has lesser influence over governmental affairs as she was inclined towards ensuring her sons became Sultan.

Now, as a member of the palace, Anastasia who is now known as the revered Kosem Sultan has many more obstacles to face. Where each new tragedy and obstacle strengthens her resolve and ultimately helps her rise to power against all odds. We cannot wait to see how the story unfolds.

Urdu1's Kosem Sultan has the audience smitten

 The channel brings a brilliant historical drama for the audience

Fatima Niazi Nov 17, 2016 08:29pm

Even though Pakistani dramas are creative with commendable story lines, the fact is the audience likes to watch serials presented by different countries. This is why when Pakistani dramas couldn't work their magic a decade ago, Indian channels grew in strength. And let’s not even forget all the years we spent following a senseless soap opera like Bold and the Beautiful! The main reason people want to watch shows from different countries is because each nation has their own sets of tradition and these serials possess the power to transport people into a completely different world. Hence, we weren’t surprised when the trend of Turkish dramas took Pakistan by a storm after Urdu1 initially introduced the concept in 2012 with Ishq-e-Mamnu.

Seeing a number of viewers Turkish dramas with Urdu dubbing roped in, more shows were launched by channels including the likes of Mera Sultan and Fatima Gul. If you couldn’t get enough of those serials, you are in luck as Urdu 1 has now aired the periodic drama Kösem Sultan. The show is based on the life of the only powerful woman who managed to rule the Ottoman empire alone. The serial also stars the fan-favorite, Ishq-e-Mamnu actress, Beren Saat.

Well, the trailers of Kösem Sultan were enough to leave us enthralled and the serial itself turned out to be better than what we expected. Here’s a bit of history on Kösem Sultan before we move on to the drama.

The lady that ruled the Ottoman empire

 

According to history, Kösem was a powerful force to reckon with during her rule. She was the favourite consort and later, the legal wife of Ottoman Sultan Ahmed I. Kösem lived in the Ottoman Empire during the reign of six sultans, Ahmed I, Mustafa I, Osman II, Murad IV, Ibrahim, and Mehmed IV. After her death, she was known by the names "Vālide-i Maḳtūle" (murdered mother), and "Vālide-i Șehīde" (martyred mother).

 

The serial that has everyone hooked

If the history of Kösem Sultan left you impressed, you can’t begin to imagine the impact the serial will have on you. The first episode opened up with an introduction of Sultan Ahmed as a child, the tragedies he saw while his father ruled, and the compassion he developed despite being a royal. The attention to the set design and aesthetics is spotted from the first shot as we get to see luxurious castles and beautiful fields.

Here’s how the plot builds up in the first episode. Ahmed is the son of a ruthless and cruel king who killed his brothers the minute he attained the throne. Ahmed and his brother, on the other hand, grew close and promise each other they will never follow the footsteps of their father. However, young Ahmed could never have predicted that his father will get his brother murdered after a few years.

The devastated Ahmed could do nothing but dream of a normal life away from the castle and the politics of the royal. Unfortunately, there’s a twist in the plot when Ahmed’s father dies and the throne is entrusted upon him.

Unwilling to rule and go forth with the cruel decisions the past kings had made, Ahmed is pressurized by his family to suppress his compassion. Being the sensitive soul he is, Ahmed refuses to be manipulated by his mother and grandmother and begins to take decisions from his heart. The first move was to grant life to his adolescent brother, Prince Mustafa. This leaves his family and advisers baffled, but Ahmed is bent on ruling the land with peace rather than spreading fear.

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Believe it or not, his character is one you will fall in love with immediately. No wonder so many ladies are tuning into the serial every day, they just can’t get enough of Ahmed. The story from here builds on to the introduction of Kosem Sultan, a lady who is sent to be the consort of the King. How Kosem Sultan comes into power is a journey we have to wait for.

The serial set in Istanbul is about power, royalty, war, and relationships. A must watch for anyone who wants to experience cinematic brilliance with a good storyline, impeccable acting, and mind-blowing costumes. Tune into Urdu1 to watch the brilliant serial every day at 9 pm from Monday to Friday!