Reportage: Heart of the City’s Kerem Bursin & Leyla Lydia Tuğutlu

In the Turkish drama Heart of the City (Bu Şehir Arkandan Gelecek), Ali, a sailor who witnessed his father murder his mother, falls in love with a ballet dancer named Derin, who yearns to be free from her oppressive family. The Ay Yapim production made its debut in prime time earlier this year on ATV in Turkey. It is being sold internationally by Eccho Rights as both a finished series and format.

Kerem Bursin and Leyla Lydia Tuğutlu, who portray Ali and Derin, respectively, sat down with TV Drama’s Mansha Daswani to discuss the show and their characters. They also share why they think Turkish drama has been so successful around the globe, noting that the multicultural country is a bridge between the East and West.