Biyograficim
Leyla and Mecnun (Leyla ile Mecnun)

Leyla and Mecnun (Leyla ile Mecnun) (translated)

TV Series · 2011–2023 · 65 people

Eflatun Film produced the Turkish absurdist comedy series Leyla ile Mecnun (Leyla and Mecnun), created and written by Burak Aksak and directed by Onur Ünlü. Set in Istanbul, it builds a surreal parody on the legendary love story of Layla and Majnun, layering absurd humor, science-fiction touches and situation comedy on top of the classic tale.

The show premiered on TRT 1 on February 9, 2011, and ran its first three seasons there until 2013, when it was taken off the air without a proper finale. Eight years later it was revived on the streaming platform Exxen, where seasons 4 through 7 were released between 2021 and 2023; in total the series spanned seven seasons and concluded with its 144th episode.

Ali Atay leads a cast that includes Ezgi Asaroğlu, Zeynep Çamcı, Müge Boz, Melis Birkan, Deniz Işın, Köksal Engür, Serkan Keskin, Cengiz Bozkurt, Ahmet Mümtaz Taylan and Osman Sonant. Widely praised by critics and the winner of several awards, the show has endured as a cult favorite thanks to its singular comic voice.

DirectorOnur Ünlü
Production companyEflatun Film
NetworkTRT 1

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Cast

Ahmet Mümtaz Taylan Ahmet Mümtaz Taylan Actor · 61 years old İskender Çınar Ali Atay Ali Atay Actor · 50 years old Mecnun Çınar Aslı Tandoğan Aslı Tandoğan Actor · 47 years old Eleanor Asuman Dabak Asuman Dabak Actor · 56 years old Pakize Atilla Şendil Atilla Şendil Actor · 63 years old Ömer Yedinci Ayşen Gruda Ayşen Gruda Actor · died at 74 Suna Turna Cemal Hünal Cemal Hünal Actor · 50 years old Cengiz Bozkurt Cengiz Bozkurt Actor · 60 years old Erdal the Grocer Cihan Ercan Cihan Ercan Actor · 42 years old Hidayet Karaibrişimlioğlu Deniz Işın Deniz Işın Television actor · 34 years old Leyla Çevik Doğan Akdoğan Doğan Akdoğan Actor · 39 years old Erdal Beşikçioğlu Erdal Beşikçioğlu Actor · 56 years old Behzat Ç. Erkan Bektaş Erkan Bektaş Actor · 54 years old Captain Esra Kızıldoğan Esra Kızıldoğan Actor · 46 years old Evren Erler Evren Erler Actor · 50 years old Ezgi Asaroğlu Ezgi Asaroğlu Actor · 39 years old Leyla Yılmaz İnanç Konukçu İnanç Konukçu Actor · 41 years old Kaan Çakır Kaan Çakır Actor · 49 years old Cengiz Han Kaan Urgancıoğlu Kaan Urgancıoğlu Actor · 45 years old Berkcan Köksal Engür Köksal Engür Actor · died at 77 White-Bearded Grandfather / Karabasan Melis Birkan Melis Birkan Actor · 44 years old Müge Boz Müge Boz Actor · 42 years old Şirin Atasoy Osman Sonant Osman Sonant Actor · 47 years old Thief Yavuz Özgür Çevik Özgür Çevik Actor · 45 years old Tolga Özlem Ulukan Özlem Ulukan Actor · 40 years old Sadi Celil Cengiz Sadi Celil Cengiz Actor · 43 years old Telat Abi Şafak Pekdemir Şafak Pekdemir Actor · 38 years old Nisan Sarp Aydınoğlu Sarp Aydınoğlu Actor · 46 years old Benjamin Selen Seyven Selen Seyven Actor · 40 years old Aysel Selin Şekerci Selin Şekerci Actor · 38 years old Serkan Keskin Serkan Keskin Actor · 48 years old İsmail Abi Sermet Yeşil Sermet Yeşil Actor · 49 years old Joker Şükran Ovalı Şükran Ovalı Actor · 41 years old Sena Tansu Biçer Tansu Biçer Actor · 48 years old Tuğba Melis Türk Tuğba Melis Türk Actor · 36 years old Ushan Çakır Ushan Çakır Actor · 42 years old Arda Akdemir Zeynep Çamcı Zeynep Çamcı Actor · 39 years old Nalan Kuruçim Nalan Kuruçim Actor · 55 years old Nurten Elifcan Ongurlar Elifcan Ongurlar Actor · 33 years old Bahar Naci Adıgüzel Naci Adıgüzel Actor Özge Borak Özge Borak Actor · 44 years old Pakize İbrahim Selim İbrahim Selim Actor · 47 years old Crew Ulaş Torun Actor · born 1982 Mehmet Usta Mehmet Usta Actor · 53 years old Yedek Kamil Kemal Başar Kemal Başar Actor · 63 years old Hikmet Çevik Umut Kurt Umut Kurt Actor · 45 years old Ata Erkil Goncagül Sunar Goncagül Sunar Actor · 56 years old Sabiha Timur Acar Timur Acar Actor · 46 years old Namık Nadir Sarıbacak Nadir Sarıbacak Actor · 49 years old Joker's Father Dilber Ay Dilber Ay Singer · 1956 – 2019 Turgay Tanülkü Turgay Tanülkü Actor · 73 years old Selen Uçer Selen Uçer Actor · 43 years old Feraye Derya Alabora Derya Alabora Actor · 67 years old Student Fatih Artman Fatih Artman Actor · 38 years old Harun Hasan Kaçan Hasan Kaçan Actor · 68 years old İhsan Bey Sinan Albayrak Sinan Albayrak Actor · 53 years old Sahte Tom Waits Ceyhun Yılmaz Ceyhun Yılmaz Actor · 50 years old Radyocu Güler Ökten Güler Ökten Film actor · 84 years old Sedef's Grandmother İdil Fırat İdil Fırat Actor · 54 years old Peri Halit Akçatepe Halit Akçatepe Actor · died at 78 Santa Claus / Nail Hande Doğandemir Hande Doğandemir Actor · 40 years old Şans Onur Ünlü Onur Ünlü Film director · 53 years old Zafer Algöz Zafer Algöz Actor · 65 years old Prodüktör Ekin Türkmen Ekin Türkmen Film actor · 42 years old Sevil Beste Bereket Beste Bereket Actor · 44 years old Zeynep Ünlü

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Through different eyes

Cinephile Looks at script, editing and directing choices; keeps a distance from formula films.

Directed by Onur Ünlü and written by Burak Aksak, this series builds its own language by laying surreal humor and science-fiction touches over a classic love story. Singular-voice work either enchants or exhausts; the critical praise and the awards it won suggest the language landed. For a cinephile the real test is whether the absurdity stays fresh across seven seasons. It should also be said that the style will not suit everyone: for anyone who dislikes surreal humor it may be a closed box. For boldness and originality, though, it is a rare example on Turkish television; writing and editing this self-assured feel refreshing next to formula-driven shows.

Series Binger A series devotee tracking character arcs, cast chemistry and season pacing.

A story left unfinished and revived eight years later is a rare event in TV: it was taken off TRT 1 after three seasons without a proper finale, then continued on Exxen from season four to seven and ended with its 144th episode. The cast led by Ali Atay may owe its cult status partly to that loyalty. Whether the gap changed the tone is the question a viewer will ask, and how much of the old magic the new seasons carry is open to debate. But a cult favorite that has survived this long is a story in itself.

Yeşilçam Nostalgic A viewer raised on the classics, looking for warm storytelling and strong acting.

Leyla and Mecnun is one of the best-known love stories in our literature, and rebuilding the classic with absurd humor and science-fiction touches may look odd, even irreverent, to a lover of literature at first glance. Still, critics have praised the show, and standing firm on a single comic voice is admirable. But anyone looking for the sorrow and moral depth of the classic may find more bewilderment than smiles. What to expect here is not a warm smile but an absurd laugh, and that is not to everyone's taste either.

These are not reader reviews: they are short editorial takes written from different viewer perspectives with AI assistance. Reader reviews are below.

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