AlRawabi School for Girls,’ created by Tima Shomali and Shirin Kamal, is a Netflix original Arabic series, the second on the site, in which we watch the world of modern-day Arab women come to life. This teen drama series, starring up-and-coming talent, reworks ‘Mean Girls’ and ‘Get Even,’ following a group of outcast teenage girls seeking revenge on their school bullies. They turn everyone’s lives around in unexpected ways as part of their quest to implement takedowns. So, shall we see if the fascinating story of ‘AlRawabi School for Girls‘ was inspired by true events?
Is AlRawabi School for Girls Based on a True Story?
No, the story of ‘AlRawabi School for Girls‘ is not based on fact. Even though it is an adolescent drama that touches on universal themes such as bullying, alienation, companionship, and final understanding, the producers and program writers did not base it on a personal or group experience. Even the main characters – Andria Tayeh, Noor Taher, Joanna Arida, Yara Mustafa, and Rakeen Saad – had no part in the original concept. They did, however, add their own tiny subtleties to make all of the moments feel more authentic and genuine.
The fundamental goal of this series, which it achieves, is to educate young Arab females that individuals like them exist in the entertainment industry, not to accentuate the aspect of revenge. “It was vital for me to tell the tale of these young girls because I thought we hadn’t seen it in-depth,” Tima Shomali, who also serves as the director and co-creator, told Arab News. This age group has so many secrets, insecurities, connections, and loves, and their secrets, insecurities, relationships, and loves have always been a mystery.”
“I wanted to give a brief insight into social concerns like cyberbullying, the distance between families and their daughters, and the gap in social discussion in general,” she continued. For this, the Jordanian actor and writer sat down with several young women from all origins and cultures in the name of the study, only to learn that every woman faces the same challenges at different stages of her life. It’s just that the majority of them are discovered while they’re teenagers.
Tima has always aimed to provide a platform for women like her, allowing them to recognize that now is the moment to stand up for themselves. “I’ve wanted to undertake a project that talks about women’s tales from the perspective of women for a long time,” she said in an interview with The National. I also wanted to accomplish it with a female-led team. As we began writing a high-school drama, it became clear that this was the assignment I had been looking forward to.”
Even Rakeen Saad, who plays Noah, said that she was motivated by this atmosphere of strength because the behind-the-scenes staff was mostly made up of women. In short, even though ‘AlRawabi School for Girls‘ is as fanciful as it can be, it is still authentic because we are all people with the same desires and objectives in life, regardless of our origins or personal experiences. We all want to be seen and heard, therefore it’s only natural that we can identify with at least one of the characters in this simple yet powerful show.
