CAIRO: Muslim Brotherhood Political Bureau Chairman Esam El-Erian criticized the portrayal of the Brotherhood in "Nasser, a biographical TV series currently being aired, according to Ikhwanweb.com. The drama follows the life of Egypt's charismatic former president Gamal Abdel Nasser. El-Erian criticized the dramatic serial for not mentioning the role of the MB during the nationalist movement against British occupation and in the 1948 Palestine War. Instead, he said, it represents Brotherhood leaders as moody, narrow-minded individuals who place personal interest over public good. The show also suggests that the MB cooperated with the monarchy to plot against the then-popular Wafd party, he said, disregarding the "heroic roles played by members of the MB in the resistance. MB Deputy head Mohamed Habib told Daily News Egypt that he has not seen the show because of his busy Ramadan schedule of religious observance as well as dealing with escalating issues in Egypt's political scene. At the same time, he said, it would have been better to portray a historically factual picture of the MB and its role in society during the Nasser era, represented with a degree of impartiality. Many of the decision makers and eyewitnesses of the time are still alive and their addresses are widely known, Habib said, so drama producers and movie makers have no excuse for the lack of historical precision. Historical accuracy is a cornerstone of informative scientific works in general; therefore useful and valid information must be sought. Hamdy Darwish, who writes for the arts section in Al-Masry Al-Youm daily, agreed that the show is slightly biased and there are some historical inaccuracies, however, he said it is expected that in dramatic works - especially biographies - historical facts take a backseat to the portrayal of personality and character. There are still around 13-15 episodes left in the show and it remains to be seen how the MB will continue to be portrayed as events unfold. Every work has its pros and cons, he added.
