If there is a habit common in all of India, it is whole families glued to the TV watching the evening soap operas. Hindu, Parsee, Sikh, Christian and Muslim families all watch them avidly, whether they live in palaces or slums.
Yet the soaps always feature Hindu characters. None of the religious or cultural minorities has a central role, even though Muslims, for example, form 15 per cent of India's 1.2 billion population.
The director Gul Khan is changing this with her new serial Qubool Hai (I Agree), portraying a Muslim family in Bhopal in Central India. As a woman who has been in the television industry for a decade, Khan noticed that none of the protagonists was ever a Muslim, nor was the milieu portrayed Muslim.
Soaps showed Hindu customs and festivals such as Diwali and Dussehra, but Muslim festivals were invisible. Muslim culture was rarely seen on television.
But instances abound of Muslims being negatively portrayed, if not in entertainment programmes then in the news, where stereotypes flourish.
If the police arrest a Muslim man on suspicion of terrorism, they wrap his face in a kaffiyeh to avoid identification, conjuring subliminal notions of "militants" in the eyes of Indian viewers.
Muslim women tend to be shown in subservient positions. News channels sometimes project them as having no rights and no education.
In contrast, Zoya (played by Surobhi Jyoti), the main character in Qubool Hai, is a woman rooted in her faith and rich culture but liberal, progressive and very conscious of her rights.
"I wanted to clear up these misconceptions about Islam and the position of women. I hope my show, which represents a mix of traditional and contemporary themes, will remove those misconceptions," Khan told The Indian Express newspaper.
The series, which started on October 29 on Zee TV, explores the life of a young feisty woman through her relationships with two men, Ayaan and Asad, who are brothers and who are both attracted to her.
She is shown as a curious woman who questions dogmas and expectations and has strong opinions that she is not shy of expressing.
This unorthodox approach to life is the result of Zoya being abandoned by her father and being brought up by her cousin and brother-in-law. Ayaan and Asan, though, are more conventional.
"This is true of Indian society as it goes through rapid social change - women, whether Hindu or Muslim, are changing earlier attitudes and questioning society's expectations much faster than men," says Nadira Kureshi, an activist with a New Delhi women's rights group.
Jyoti says the role has been easy for her in that she and Zoya have many similarities such as a weakness for playing pranks and being untidy. "I am pleased that for the first time in a long while, the social setting is Muslim and there is none of the says-bahu [mother-in-law daughter-in-law] stuff that you get in most soaps. It makes the show very different," she says.
"Qubool Hai is like any other Indian soap in showing overdressed blingy women living in homes bigger and grander than the White House and amateurish acting, but the fact that Muslim culture is showcased - and in Bhopal, too - makes it fresh for Indian audiences," says the commentator Parsa Venkateshwar Rao.
About 30 per cent of Bhopal's 1.8 million population is Muslim - higher than most Indian cities - because it was ruled by Muslim nawabs for more than three centuries and by Muslim women rulers known as Nawab Begums for 100 years of that period.
This Muslim influence can be seen in the architecture, art, cuisine and customs of the city.
In fact, making Bhopal Zoya's home works perfectly as a vehicle for showcasing Muslim literature, music and language - the characters speak Urdu, the language spoken by many Indian Muslims.
"It's been fascinating to show the culture and costumes of a city like Bhopal but through the story of very contemporary Muslims who are like any other youth in India: cosmopolitan and modern. For me, it's a very realistic show," says Sukesh Motwani, the head of fiction at Zee.
Zoya ends up marrying one of the brothers and moving into a much more traditional family than she had hitherto known. This is when her struggle begins.
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
Name: Colm McLoughlin
Country: Galway, Ireland
Job: Executive vice chairman and chief executive of Dubai Duty Free
Favourite golf course: Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club
Favourite part of Dubai: Palm Jumeirah
RESULTS
2.15pm Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,200m
Winner Shawall, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Majed Al Jahouri (trainer)
2.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Anna Bella Aa, Fabrice Veron, Abdelkhir Adam
3.15pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner AF Thayer, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
3.45pm Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner Taajer, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
4.15pm The Ruler of Sharjah Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh250,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner Jawaal, Jim Crowley, Majed Al Jahouri
4.45pm Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner Maqaadeer, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Farasan Boat: 128km Away from Anchorage
Director: Mowaffaq Alobaid
Stars: Abdulaziz Almadhi, Mohammed Al Akkasi, Ali Al Suhaibani
Rating: 4/5
Results:
5pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic (PA) Prestige Dh 110,000 1.400m | Winner: AF Mouthirah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic (PA) Prestige Dh 110,000 1,400m | Winner: AF Saab, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 1,600m | Winner: Majd Al Gharbia, Saif Al Balushi, Ridha ben Attia
6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship (PA) Listed Dh 180,000 1,600m | Winner: RB Money To Burn, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh 70,000 2,200m | Winner: AF Kafu, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 2,400m | Winner: Brass Ring, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
'Nightmare Alley'
Director:Guillermo del Toro
Stars:Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara
Rating: 3/5
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cargoz%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Premlal%20Pullisserry%20and%20Lijo%20Antony%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2030%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company Profile
Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
Initial investment: $150,000
Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
What%20is%20cystic%20fibrosis%3F
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3ECystic%20fibrosis%20is%20a%20genetic%20disorder%20that%20affects%20the%20lungs%2C%20pancreas%20and%20other%20organs.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIt%20causes%20the%20production%20of%20thick%2C%20sticky%20mucus%20that%20can%20clog%20the%20airways%20and%20lead%20to%20severe%20respiratory%20and%20digestive%20problems.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPatients%20with%20the%20condition%20are%20prone%20to%20lung%20infections%20and%20often%20suffer%20from%20chronic%20coughing%2C%20wheezing%20and%20shortness%20of%20breath.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ELife%20expectancy%20for%20sufferers%20of%20cystic%20fibrosis%20is%20now%20around%2050%20years.%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Kathryn Hawkes of House of Hawkes on being a good guest (because we’ve all had bad ones)
- Arrive with a thank you gift, or make sure you have one for your host by the time you leave.
- Offer to buy groceries, cook them a meal or take your hosts out for dinner.
- Help out around the house.
- Entertain yourself so that your hosts don’t feel that they constantly need to.
- Leave no trace of your stay – if you’ve borrowed a book, return it to where you found it.
- Offer to strip the bed before you go.
Champion%20v%20Champion%20(PFL%20v%20Bellator)
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Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021
Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.
Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.
Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.
Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.
Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.
Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.
Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”
Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI.
