Netflix’s latest Arabic original is a tale of revenge that aims to subvert all expectations. It draws inspiration from the streaming platform’s hit Mexican series, Who Killed Sara?, but instead of being merely an Arabic adaptation, Echoes of the Past is a reimagined version that has been tailor-made for the region.
The series stars Egyptian actor Asser Yassin as Yehia, a man who sets out to uncover the murder of his sister, played by Huda El Mufti. Over eight episodes, the show reveals the family's dark secrets in a whirlwind of suspense and during the course of the series, everyone becomes a suspect.
“The story is very gripping,” Yassin tells The National during a Netflix event on the sidelines of Jeddah’s Red Sea International Film Festival. “Instead of doing it across three seasons, we did it in only eight episodes. And that’s actually a challenge. The writing is great. The cast, I have an all star cast. It was an amazing journey. I'm really proud of this project.”
One aspect of the series that Yassin is particularly fond of is how it offers a modern take on the theme of revenge, which is a popular trope in film and television.
“The revenge theme has been done for years,” Yassin explains. “It's about entertaining people to watch something gripping, but at the same time, it's sending a message that once you start to only think about revenge, that is when you fail yourself. This is when you betray yourself. That’s the story of Yehia.”
Yassin says he was excited to take up the project – mainly because he was certain of Netflix’s quality standards, but also because he was keen to work with director Al Sadeer Massoud.
“I’ve always respected Al Sadeer’s work,” Yassin says. “His visual atmosphere is quite intriguing for me. It’s new to me and it suits Netflix.” The actor, who is famous for his roles in Suits and Bi 100 Wish, says he spent considerable time with Massoud, going over the script and analysing the character of Yehia.
"I enjoyed it," he says. "And it's an ongoing search to find where you're going with it, until you’re ready in front of the camera.”
AlRawabi School for Girls star Rakeen Saad also has a major role in the series, taking on the role of Leila, Yehia’s younger sister.
“Leila is the youngest girl in the family,” Saad tells The National. “When the incident happened, she was really young, so she can't really remember it.”
Yet, the story of her sister’s murder grips her all the same. In some ways, Leila is a representation of the series's audiences, Saad says.
“She's a curious person. She wants to know the truth, and she she wants to know everything,” she says. “When I was reading the script, I was like, ‘I want to know what's gonna happen’. Who killed her. It was like me and Leila, both of us, we want to know who killed her. I feel like it's also how the audience is going to be.”
Saad says preparing for the character was different from her other roles, namely in how she had to train in rowing, as Leila is a professional in the sport. “I'd never even thought about learning rowing,” she says. “It was difficult. Being able to balance the paddles, you need a lot of muscles.”
Like Yassin, Saad says she is excited to see how audiences will react to Echoes of the Past. Even for those who had seen the original Mexican series, the concept may be similar, but the roster of characters and the plot line has been developed with the region in mind. "It is the same concept, but it was more adapted to us, and to our culture."
Echoes of the Past is now streaming on Netflix
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Cagliari v AC Milan (6pm)
Lazio v Napoli (9pm)
Inter Milan v Atalanta (11.45pm)
Sunday
Udinese v Sassuolo (3.30pm)
Sampdoria v Brescia (6pm)
Fiorentina v SPAL (6pm)
Torino v Bologna (6pm)
Verona v Genoa (9pm)
Roma V Juventus (11.45pm)
Parma v Lecce (11.45pm)
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
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Types of policy
Term life insurance: this is the cheapest and most-popular form of life cover. You pay a regular monthly premium for a pre-agreed period, typically anything between five and 25 years, or possibly longer. If you die within that time, the policy will pay a cash lump sum, which is typically tax-free even outside the UAE. If you die after the policy ends, you do not get anything in return. There is no cash-in value at any time. Once you stop paying premiums, cover stops.
Whole-of-life insurance: as its name suggests, this type of life cover is designed to run for the rest of your life. You pay regular monthly premiums and in return, get a guaranteed cash lump sum whenever you die. As a result, premiums are typically much higher than one term life insurance, although they do not usually increase with age. In some cases, you have to keep up premiums for as long as you live, although there may be a cut-off period, say, at age 80 but it can go as high as 95. There are penalties if you don’t last the course and you may get a lot less than you paid in.
Critical illness cover: this pays a cash lump sum if you suffer from a serious illness such as cancer, heart disease or stroke. Some policies cover as many as 50 different illnesses, although cancer triggers by far the most claims. The payout is designed to cover major financial responsibilities such as a mortgage or children’s education fees if you fall ill and are unable to work. It is cost effective to combine it with life insurance, with the policy paying out once if you either die or suffer a serious illness.
Income protection: this pays a replacement income if you fall ill and are unable to continue working. On the best policies, this will continue either until you recover, or reach retirement age. Unlike critical illness cover, policies will typically pay out for stress and musculoskeletal problems such as back trouble.
Empty Words
By Mario Levrero
(Coffee House Press)
'Champions'
Director: Manuel Calvo
Stars: Yassir Al Saggaf and Fatima Al Banawi
Rating: 2/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Nations League
League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Specs
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On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
