Shamayil Alenez: “Past Action”… Leaves Us Hanging with a Question! Written by Munira Al-Abduljader

Translated by: Shamayil Abdulaziz Alenezi  

What happens when your life is held captive by a video? This is the central theme of the series Past Action, written by Alia Al-Kazemi and directed by Abdullah Boushehri, featuring Shujoun Al-Hajri, Mahmoud Boushehri, and Ali Kakouli. The show is available on Shahid platform

The story focuses on Barak, a man who preys on women through blackmail. Posing as a lover, he manipulates his victims and secretly records them, later demanding 50,000 in exchange for their silence and dignity. While the title clearly refers to events from the past, viewers will quickly notice the series is filled with flashbacks, particularly involving the relationship between Hind and Saud. These constant flashbacks seem to serve as filler content, despite the show’s limited run of just eight episodes

One puzzling aspect is Barak’s repeated demand for 50,000 from each woman for every incriminating video. Given that most of these women don’t seem wealthy, it raises the question of how they could afford to pay such exorbitant amounts multiple times

:Plot Reaction

When Barak tries to blackmail Anoud, he’s taken aback by her unexpected reaction. Rather than fearing exposure, Anoud uses the situation to push for a quick marriage, even involving the police. By doing this, she turns the tables, revealing that Barak has unknowingly fulfilled her wish to marry him. The series presents Anoud as a model for women in similar predicaments, showing Barak’s growing admiration for her strength and making her the one woman he can no longer manipulate

Another victim of Barak, Noura, takes a different path. Initially playing the role of a victim, she later exacts revenge by targeting Barak’s sister. With the help of Issa, who is romantically involved with Barak’s sister, Noura orchestrates her revenge through blackmail. Issa uses a video to blackmail Barak’s sister, ultimately driving her to suicide

:Gaps in Logic

A key flaw is the illogical nature of Noura’s revenge. She hands over the money to Barak without any clear proof of blackmail, and there is no compelling reason for her drastic actions. Despite her scheming with Issa, she faces no consequences, and no one discovers her involvement, even after Barak kills Issa. Additionally, the relationships between characters often lack coherence. For example, Hind’s husband starts getting close to a female colleague at the clinic, then takes her to an apartment where his friend and a foreign girl are staying. After receiving videos of Hind, he divorces her and marries his colleague—an abrupt and illogical turn of events

:Dramatic Awakening

Throughout the series, Barak seems indifferent to his sister’s struggles. Even when she enters the police station after a confrontation with Issa, Barak shows no concern for her well-being or her talk about karma. His personality is defined by exploiting women’s vulnerabilities, making it hard to believe that he would suddenly develop a conscience or regret his actions

Although Past Action tackles the important issue of blackmail, the series falls short in its execution. The portrayal of such a serious issue could have been more grounded in reality, with more thoughtful, believable character development English Language and Literature-Kuwait University