Hercai: My Guilty Pleasure

Note: This is something I wrote during the pandemic, when everyone was on lock-down.

Everyone has a guilty pleasure, and I admit I have many in my life, usually in the form of a book, TV show or movie.

My latest guilty pleasure however is unlike any other – it is a Turkish drama entitled “Hercai” (translation: fickle). This show falls under the category of a Turkish dizi, which can be described as a “sweeping epic” with a run time of over two hours.

I had already watched a couple of “dizi’s” before I came across “Hercai”, in which my cousin recommended to me.  When I heard it was over 50 episodes, I was reluctant to start watching, however due to the lockdown, it wasn’t as though I had a lot do in my spare time. 

So, I gave it a shot.

It took me less than 3 weeks to catch up, bearing in mind I had a few days off during the Christmas holidays.  The tag line reads, “The story of impossible love, born out of revenge.” It’s not your typical romantic comedy, so if you’re looking for some laughs or a “feel good” story, this is not the show for you.  It contains some dark elements – the men all carry guns as accessories, and they don’t hesitate to use them.  There is some violence which takes place, while focusing on countless customs and traditions at the same time.

Hercai takes place in Midyat, in the Southeast of Turkey and away from the city lights of Istanbul, and centers around a young couple who fall in love, despite the impossible circumstances.

Miran Aslanbey is introduced to us as a handsome, confident and charismatic young man; Reyyan Shadoglu is a sweet, slightly naïve and compassionate young woman.

Miran lost his parents at a young age and was raised by his grandmother, Azize.  She tells him stories of Hazar Shadoglu, who according to her, killed his parents and convinces Miran throughout his life to take revenge against Hazar. 

Reyyan is Hazar’s daughter, an innocent in this story of revenge, and falls victim to Miran’s revenge scheme.

The plan is simple: Miran, having gained the trust of the Shadoglu family for the last two years, asks for Reyyan’s hand in marriage, with the intention of dishonoring her and her family. 

Reyyan is reluctant to say yes to him at first, but soon finds herself falling in love with Miran.  She believes in Miran’s loving words and falls for his charming personality.

They soon marry, and the morning after the wedding, Miran leaves Reyyan, who is heartbroken and shattered.  The scene in which Miran leaves her is difficult to watch, however both actors are mesmerizing, and we immediately feel sympathy for Reyyan, while hating Miran at the same time.

It should be noted however, that as Miran is walking away, with Reyyan begging and screaming at Miran not to leave her, tears stream down his face and he keeps repeating to himself, “don’t turn around, don’t turn around”.  He doesn’t turn around, and the damage has been done.  Reyyan has been betrayed and is a disgrace to her family.  Miran has fulfilled his revenge scheme.

Here’s the kicker: even though Miran has dishonored and humiliated Reyyan, he has fallen in love with her.  He immediately regrets what he did to Reyyan and is ashamed of himself.  His grandmother had told him repeatedly to “cool his conscience” and reminded him to focus on his parents and how they suffered at the hands of the Shadoglu family. But it turns out to be for naught; Miran’s world has completely shifted, and he can’t stop thinking about Reyyan.

What Miran and Reyyan go through is a long journey, where both learn about what loyalty, trust and family truly means to each of them.

Azize, Miran’s grandmother, continues to influence him, always making sure that Miran remains loyal to her.  It becomes obvious that his grandmother is a master manipulator; she has lied to her grandson from the very beginning, and she is guarding many secrets, which slowly unravel as the show progresses.

As I was becoming more immersed in this show, I was surprised at the way Miran relentlessly pursued Reyyan; she of course wants nothing to do with him and rejects him several times.  However, Miran does not stop, and even goes as far as kidnapping her.

This dizi provides a fascinating character study, which I find both riveting and enthralling.  Reyyan shouldn’t love Miran, but she does.  Miran wasn’t supposed to fall in love with Reyyan; she was a means to an end, but it becomes obvious that Miran no longer feels that way.

As the viewer, I understand that Reyyan loves Miran, and why she rejects him.  Miran does not back down, and slowly, she begins to realize that Miran regrets what he did.  He promises her that he will make it up to her and offers her a lifetime of happiness. And because of that, I am a huge Miran/Reyyan fan, and desperately want them to be together!

The bottom line with Reyyan is that she loves Miran.  Even though her family despises him, she finally succumbs to her feelings and agrees to marry him – this time, for real.

Here’s another thing I admire about this show – they don’t shun away from what Miran has done, and the writers make sure the viewers don’t forget about it either.  At one point, Miran breaks down, realizing that what he did to Reyyan was truly horrendous and gives a heartfelt apology to Reyyan, asking for her forgiveness.  Reyyan, seeing that Miran is regretful and sincere, forgives him.

The chemistry between the two leading characters is worth noting; many times, they don’t need to say anything; the looks exchanged between them says so much.  They endure a lot of bumps in the road, but their love for each other remains genuine.

I should also mention the scenery of Midyat is breathtaking; it’s an ancient city which exists among the ruins, rolling mountains in the background, with magnificent mansions which appear on my screen.  The walls within these mansions contain just as many secrets as Miran’s grandmother, Azize Aslanbey.

I’ll be honest – I’m a sucker for sweeping romances, where boy meets girl, boy likes girl, boy chases after girl.  This show does not follow this formula, but that doesn’t make it any less riveting or addictive.

Some who watch this may not understand the whole concept of family and honor, and why the patriarch has complete autonomy over his family and is never questioned.  The customs and traditions in which Turkish people follow are very similar to my Albanian customs.  For example, in the first episode Miran takes his family and goes to ask for Reyyan’s hand in marriage, something which is practiced within the Albanian culture as well.

Families all live together under one roof - they live in gigantic mansions, so they all have plenty of space, however they all still manage to get in each other’s faces!

You’ll find many confrontations in the courtyard between family members, and somehow, the whole family converges to hear what the latest argument or shouting match is about – it’s almost comical! 

I enjoy character development as well.  Reyyan starts out as a woman who is quiet and reserved, always keeping her head down.  She gradually matures into an outspoken woman, who stands up for herself, particularly against her domineering grandfather.

Miran began as a loyal grandson, determined to enact his revenge but he learns that his conscience and integrity are far more valuable, as is the love he has for Reyyan.

A lot of drama and angst in this show, but I eat it up and I absolutely love it!   There are also some emotional scenes; my family give me funny looks when they see me watching and crying my eyes out!  And that’s because the writing is SO good and so authentic that I just can’t help myself!

The acting is superb, and the background music is unique and is prominent to the storyline, as well as the characters.  

This dizi has me hooked, and I’m not the only one.  The unique storyline has made “Hercai” an international success, with high ratings and over a million subscribers on YouTube.

With everything that’s going on with lockdowns and social distancing, “Hercai” has been a guilty pleasure that was welcomed by me from the very start.  It’s nice to have that time to distract myself, immerse myself in this drama – sure it’s over the top, but don’t we all need an escape every now and then? 😊