JEDDAH — Viu revealed the details of its latest Saudi original “Doon”, the first crime-action thriller show set in the Kingdom.
The well-known Saudi social celebrity, Bader Saleh, makes his debut in Saudi drama with the new Viu original playing the role of Adham, a loyal childhood friend and accomplice of Ahmed, being played by young Saudi actor Azzam Al Namry.
The first episode of Doon was unveiled at an exclusive event in Jeddah, on Friday attended by prominent performers and creators from the industry.
Doon tells the story of a poor young man who resorts to crime with the aim of saving his half-brother who is faced with a death penalty after being framed for murder. Taking justice into his own hands, he works with a team of friends to prove his brother’s innocence and bring the truth to light.
Viu partnered with Saudi production companies Millimeter Productions and Qubba Media while also enlisting the help of 'script doctors' to create the Kingdom's first of a kind original series. The show will be available on the Viu streaming video service from Jan.24.
The idea behind an original show such as Doon, is to create compelling content for Viu’s core target audience, represented by younger millennials and Gen-Z viewers.
Both production partners worked with the Viu team in a six-month timespan to produce the show in a unique format from other than traditional Arabic shows. The result is a series of ten 35-minute episodes packed with action, suspense, drama and comedy, said the video on demand provider.
'Doon' features a fresh young cast onscreen comprising of Al Namry in the lead and Naif Al-Thofairy, who plays his half-brother. Bader Saleh, rap singer Ahmed Sadam AKA Al Young, actors Sara Al-Yafei, and Moayed Al-Thagafi, make up the team of friends and accomplices while Faisal Al-Dukhi plays the role of the antagonist.
Speaking at the event and about Doon, Al Namry said: “It is very exciting to be a part of a project that is packed with suspense, conspiracy, and drama. Video on demand has opened up new opportunities for the abundant youth talent in the region. It is truly a privilege to have worked with the team at Viu, the cast and crew, to bring this fascinating character to the screen.”
“We are extremely excited to introduce our audiences to yet another Saudi original, Doon. With every original in the Kingdom, we are trying to break the norm of traditional Saudi TV shows by commissioning shows that resonate with the younger Arab audience.
“We know there is high demand for Arabic out-of-the-box originals that reflect the everyday lives of Arab society. The unique script of this show falls into our overall global strategy of producing distinctive originals in every region we operate in as well as providing opportunities for local talent to thrive,” said Wesam Waleed Kattan, vice president content & brand marketing, Vuclip MENA.
