Review of Afghan Star (2008) by Mike M — 22 Mar 2009
Cleaves closely, if divertingly, to the established "Spellbound" template of tracking a handful of contestants as they compete for the show's $5,000 top prize... Marking very cannily uses the show as a pretext to get into the living rooms of those watching it, and test just how far the format's notional liberalism, bringing together as it does previously warring tribes, can push against decades of deep-rooted conservatism.
When one contestant, Setara, takes off her headscarf and - zounds! - starts dancing, the reaction is immediate and outraged: "She is a loose woman... she deserves to be killed!" Eoghan Quigg, you sense, had it easy.
This review of Afghan Star (2008) was written by Mike M on 22 Mar 2009.
Afghan Star has generally received positive reviews.
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