Şahsiyet (2018, Onur Saylak)

Sahsiyet, which precisely translates to Persona is a conventional cat and mouse nail-biter between two distinct personalities on the outside, but behind its simplicity there lies a lot of themes, intricately embedded that gives us a glimpse of the sociology of modern Turkish society.

My first ever Turkish show begins with an impeccable and breathtaking five minutes opening sequence, tracking the past events of the show followed by a unique and visually powered title credits, all encapsulated meticulously in a mere half a dozen minutes.

Haluk Bilginer of Winter Sleep fame is the centre of attraction here. This is the second performance of him I've witnessed and it is somewhat arduous to comprehend him as he doesn't have a single bone of his previous character left with him. Though he plays a same age individual, his face and body language exhibit emotions that are poles apart. 

Bilginer plays Agah, a retired magistrate who has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and has a bundle of chores to finish off before he forgets them altogether. Nevra, the other central character stands on the opposite side of the spectrum. She's a newly appointed cop who has eradicated the moments of her early life from her memory.

Numerous significant themes are explored amid the show. Be it the bigotry and sectarianism of the society or the consequences that women suffer due to the imperious and robust nature of men or even gender stereotyping in the workplace. Predominant issues like coercion, oppression and turmoil, as well as household dynamics are alluringly examined through fully fleshed out characters and a tinge of light humour.

The writing is brilliant in every aspect and though it feels lengthy at times during the middle episodes and slogs through due to the long runtime, being verbose. But as mentioned, the written material is so good, that it is worth the wait as all comes down the wire and culminates in a gut-wrenching way.

The most striking aspect of the show is its nerve-wracking sound design, which keeps up the velocity of scepticism flowing throughout. Despite being a low budget expedition compared to other popular shows, Sahsiyet boasts of some otherworldly aesthetics. The abundant usage of light and the choices of colour palettes may feel a bit too much occasionally but it's so glamorously put together, the flaws rather get camouflaged.