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May 27, 2012

HBO finds its Afghan Star

by Brad Trechak, posted Aug 11th 2009 2:03PM

HBOSlumdog Millionaire really opened the floodgates in terms of entertainment from the Middle East. But now, rather than the focus being on India, HBO has acquired the rights to the Sundance award-winning documentary Afghan Star. The story is about four finalists, two men and two women, competing in an American Idol type show in Afghanistan, thus showing how United States invades a country in several stages, first militarily then with its pop culture.

The plot does sound somewhat familiar. If it were Who Wants to be a Millionaire rather than American Idol, it would be a carbon copy of Slumdog rather than the variation of a theme that it is. I wonder, will the cast dance at the end?

The concept does sound interesting and I wouldn't mind catching it if it happens to be rentable after the broadcast (sadly, I don't have HBO). Do you think you'll catch this documentary when it is shown?

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Rita

Uh... neither India nor Afghanistan are in the Middle East. I can understand the Afghanistan confusion, but India? Someone needs to go back to school or get their eyes checked...

BTW both "Idol" and "Millionaire" are originally British shows, not American.

September 01 2009 at 12:46 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Bubbameister33

American Idol was based on Pop Idol.

August 11 2009 at 6:24 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Daune Calovini

Yes, huge difference. Slumdog Millionaire is a fictional account of a kid's life in India, played against the backdrop of a TV game show. Afghan Star is a documentary about four real kids trying to win a TV reality show.

I saw a little about the film, when it was out in a limited theatrical release, saw a few reviews. The theme here is more about how the westernization of Afghanistan continues to cause problems for the younger generation. If I'm not mistaken, one of the girls competing kind of bounces a little when she's singing and it's a huge scandal, because she's seen as "dancing" by the Taliban. Her life was threatened, by forces in power, in the real world, not a movie.

So, I don't really see the parallels, but to answer your question, I do plan to rent Afghan Star. I don't/won't subscribe to HBO. (still bitter about Deadwood).

D

August 11 2009 at 5:22 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
ColinXL

^Shaun come on. Its an obvious typo. So what?

August 11 2009 at 4:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
1 reply to ColinXL's comment
Shaun

How can associating "Slumdog Millionaire", which takes place in India (as the author notes), with the Middle East be considered a typo?

I was just hoping that the mistake would be corrected, so that readers don't come away thinking that India = Middle East. (which would be a shame... )

August 11 2009 at 5:13 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Shaun

"Slumdog Millionaire really opened the floodgates in terms of entertainment from the Middle East."

Floodgates? What other examples are there? I admit that I don't keep up with the entertainment industry too closely, but I can't think of any other examples of "Middle Eastern" entertainment that has been released since Slumdog....

Also, how is Slumdog Millionaire "Middle Eastern" entertainment?!?!?! My family is from India, and I have never been referred to as Middle Eastern....

See map at link below for a map of Middle East:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:GreaterMiddleEast3.png

Please do not spread ignorance...

August 11 2009 at 2:43 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
GameJerk

Uhmm you do realize that Slumdog Millionaire wasn't a Documentary right?

August 11 2009 at 2:38 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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