ALBAWABA - Uğur Güneş and Burak Özçivit have become the focus of a casting controversy.
The controversy surrounds ATV's highly anticipated new drama Güneşin Doğduğu Yer (The Place Where the Sun Rises), a big-budget Tims&B production that is set to be filmed in Adana.
The series was originally expected to begin filming in mid-June. However, plans suddenly changed. Turkish media reported that production was postponed until June 25, sparking questions about what was happening behind the scenes.
Shortly afterward, reports emerged that lead actor Uğur Güneş had left the project before filming even began. Güneş had been preparing to play Kenan Kozan, one of the central characters in the story. The role is that of Celadet's son, a powerful figure in the Kozan family. Turkish actress Sibel Taşçıoğlu is set to play Celadet.
According to reports from Turkish media, Güneş and the production company were unable to reach a final agreement during the contract stage. Sources claimed that differences regarding terms and conditions ultimately led to his departure from the series.
Soon after news of his exit broke, another surprise followed.
Several outlets reported that Burak Özçivit, who recently completed a six-season run on ATV's hit series Kuruluş Osman, entered talks to take over the lead role. Reports indicated that Özçivit was in the final stages of signing on to portray Kenan Kozan.
The story became even more controversial when entertainment reports claimed that Özçivit had been highly impressed by the script and personally expressed interest in joining the project. While these claims have not been officially confirmed, they quickly spread across Turkish media and social media platforms.
Attention then shifted to Uğur Güneş's social media activity.
Following the casting change, the actor shared a message that many interpreted as a reference to the situation.
"Neither Mecca nor the dervish lodge can cleanse a violated right," he wrote in a post that rapidly circulated online.
Shortly afterward, he shared another message that read, "Doymadın doyamadın" ("You were never satisfied"), creating even more speculation among fans and entertainment commentators.
Although Güneş never mentioned Burak Özçivit by name, many social media users interpreted the posts as indirect criticism of the developments surrounding the series. Some suggested that the messages might have addressed an entirely different issue. Neither actor has publicly commented on the speculation.
The upcoming drama is written by Yıldız Tunç and tells the story of Kenan, a member of one of Çukurova's most influential families, and Tina, a German woman whose life becomes intertwined with his. The project is considered one of ATV's biggest productions for the new television season.
For now, the production is under scrutiny as viewers await Burak Özçivit's official signing and whether either actor will publicly address the escalating controversy.
