External Links
Maria at IMDb
| Maria | |
|---|---|
| Genre | TV drama series |
| Created by | Lulu Hassan |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by | Julian S. Mwanzele |
| Starring |
|
| Theme music composer | Ibrahim Chitayi |
| Opening theme | Binti Kichaa |
| Country of origin | Kenya |
| Original languages | |
| No. of episodes | 374 |
| Production | |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 25 minutes |
| Production companies |
|
| Original release | |
| Network | Viusasa |
| Release | 10 October 2019 – 18 March 2021 |
| Related | |
| Zora | |
Maria is a Kenyan prime-time romantic television drama directed by Julian S. Mwanzele [1] . It stars Yasmin Said [2] depicting the eponymous character, alongside Brian Ogana and Bridget Shighadi, in their first television series. It premiered on 10 October 2019, and the last episode aired on 18 March 2021 after 374 episodes. [3] The series aired weekdays on Citizen TV in its 7:30 PM time slot EAT (UTC +03:00) and on Viusasa.
The romantic drama camps around three characters— Maria, a prepossessing adopted ghetto girl; Luwi, the firstborn son of the wealthy Hausa family and Sofia, his wife whose motive is acquiring her connubial family fortune.
The fictional story follows the life of Maria Yasmin Said. Having never met her parents, she is raised by her foster mother, Naomi, who sadly passes away soon after. Maria is then adopted by William Hausa, a wealthy man from the city’s affluent suburbs, where she meets Luwi, the family’s eldest son. Despite being legally betrothed to Sofia, Luwi falls deeply in love with Maria. She eventually learns of his feelings and reciprocates. After divorcing Sofia, Luwi proposes to Maria.
However, their blissful romance turns sour when Maria discovers that William, Luwi’s father, played a role in her own father’s death and the acquisition of his fortune. Matters worsen when it is revealed that Victor is not William’s biological son. Victor banishes the entire family from their home, indulges in reckless behavior, and eventually loses his sanity. It is later uncovered that Victor is both Sofia’s paternal and Luwi’s maternal half-brother, adding a dramatic twist to the story.
William survives a near-fatal accident but soon becomes entangled in a conspiratorial scheme with his house manager, Meja, which leads to Sandra’s imprisonment. Feeling betrayed, Sandra who has always been secretly in love with William vows revenge. Although Maria once considered suing William for his past crimes, she eventually shows compassion and forgives him. Luwi proposes to her a second time, and she accepts, setting the stage for their wedding.
On the wedding day, tragedy strikes when Brenda, intending to shoot Maria, accidentally kills Sofia instead. Meanwhile, Silas proposes to Vanessa, leaving Maggie heartbroken as she has long been in love with him. William, on the other hand, is arrested, convicted, and sentenced for his crimes.
Months later, Maria and Luwi, now newlyweds, are expecting their first child. As they tour the Maasai Mara, they celebrate their love and look forward to a bright and promising future together.
Source: [6]
| Pilot episode | Finale episode | Average | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air date | Rating | Air date | Rating | |
| 10 October 2019 | 31.8% | 18 March 2021 | 36.8% | 29% |
The reruns of weekday episodes of the show aired every Saturday at 4 PM EAT (UTC +03:00) until 20 March 2021.
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Kalasha Film & TV Awards | Best Lead Actress in TV Drama | Yasmin Said | Won | [7] |
| Best TV Drama | Maria (TV series) | [7] | |||
| Best Lead Actor in TV Drama | Brian Ogana | Nominated | [7] |
Maria at IMDb
