That lack of true edge influences the production as well, because the actors don’t really have anything they can get their teeth into.
Poor Afzal (Izik Cohen). He’s at his wit’s end. Almost can’t attend to business. An immigrant from Pakistan and a self-made man, he owns Atlanta’s biggest cab company. The trouble is Zarina (Alma Dishi), his eldest daughter. First she went and fell in love with a Christian boy – but he put paid that in double-quick time. Now she’s writing a book. A woman, writing a book, when she ought to be having babies, really! He’s got to get her safely married. Fortunately Zarina likes Dad’s choice and is duly married to Elay (Michael Moshonov). And then That Book comes out. A blasphemy some call it. A book that examines women and Islam, a book that humanizes the Prophet Muhammad. Please! Isn’t the Koran enough? Thank goodness Mahwish (Yasmin Ayoun) is an obedient Muslim daughter, safely married to childhood sweetheart Aroun. But who’s Manuel?
