“Our end is one end; either in prison, mental institutions or death,” said Ahmed, a recovered drug addict and representative of the public relations committee of Narcotics Anonymous Egypt (NA).
Taht El-Saytara (Under Control), the TV series which was screened during the month of Ramadan, tackled the topic of drug addiction and soon became the talk-of-the-town.
Three years worth of research provided scriptwriter Mariam Naoum and director Tamer Mohsen the necessary information to deeply depict the lifestyle of drug addiction; the mental, social and psychological effects on its users and social circles, along with a portrayal of the treatment process, including its struggles and benefits.
Taht El-Saytara focuses on Mariam’s (Nelly Karim) struggle with drugs when her past comes back to haunt her, causing her relapses after nine years of recovery. Yet, with the support of her long-time friend and ex-drug addict, Sherif (Hany Adel), she pulls herself back together. In parallel, the series dynamically portrays the stories of other drug addicts from different social circles and ages, such as Ali (Mohamed Farrag) and Hania (Jameela Awad), throughout which their paths unpredictably collide with Mariam’s.
Professional psychiatrist and scientific advisor of Taht El-Saytara, Dr Nabil Elkot, participated in an acting role as the couple's therapy counselor during the series. Elkot was also responsible for preparing the actors for their roles.
Elkot told Ahram Online that the director Tamer Mohsen contacted him asking to prepare the actors.
"We got several recovering addicts, young and old, with different stories to represent the series. We conducted different workshops that included the actors’ participation and exposure to the recovering drug addicts’ group meetings. The director made sure that every scene was related to a recovered drug addict. It is built on real examples, and the series reveals only a portion of how it actually is in reality,” Elkot explained.
Thirty episodes gave the filmmakers an opportunity to go into the deepest truth of the drug addiction, embedding it within Egyptian social realities.
With the topic rarely being tackled or discussed in the mainstream media, Taht El-Saytara triggered a variety of responses, with viewers from all generations and walks of life expressing their opinion on the series and the message that it carries.
