Last Updated on April 9, 2023
Those of you familiar with the Kurt Seyit ve Sura series on Netflix have likely found your way here because you’re captivated with the period drama, and want to know the true story behind the TV series.
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But if you love period drama and haven’t seen “Kurt Seyit and Shura” yet, you are in for a treat. Perhaps you missed it on Netflix because it’s listed under Turkish Drama and is subtitled. But don’t let that deter you: viewers who hit ‘play’ are often left in awe by Kivanc Tatlitug’s acting in the moving romantic story of a Turkish lieutenant and the daughter of Russian nobles who fight for their love against forces of family, social expectation and historical events of the early 20th century.
“Kurt Seyit and Shura” has a way of staying with viewers for weeks after their 46 episode binge. (“Kurt Seyit & Sura” left Netflix US on December 26, 2019, but the amazing news is that all episodes are now available to stream as part of the Filmbox Prime Video Add-on Channel here. And there’s a free trial in case you want to binge the whole series!)
“Kurt Seyit & Sura” is AVAILABLE to STREAM
Today Willow and Thatch talks with Nermin Bezmen, the author of the bestseller Kurt Seyt and Shura, the story of her grandfather that inspired the TV series.
She’s answering questions submitted by our very own Willow and Thatch readers. I hope you enjoy this glimpse into the true story of Kurt Seyit and Sura and then read the book, so you can immerse yourself in the story, told only as Seyit’s granddaughter could.
The book is now available in English: you can order Kurt Seyt & Shura in English here.
Please note: there are spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t yet watched, you may prefer to read 7 Reasons to Watch Kurt Seyit & Sura, watch, and then come back here.
Welcome, Nermin! Let’s get right to our Q&A.
Nermin Bezmen: Thank you for giving me the chance to share my thoughts with your readers.
It’s our pleasure. Thank you for answering the following questions submitted by our readers, and to Tolga Savaci, who played the character Yahya Bey in the period drama, and answers a question as well.
Reader question: I saw the series on Netflix and I am currently reading the book. It is beautiful! When you were writing the book did you ever think that one day it would be adapted for a TV series?
NB: I started my research in 1987 and it took me four full years dedicated to finding out as much as I could about the characters and the time period of the saga. The first three sequels of the saga Kurt Seyit & Shura, Kurt Seyit & Murka, and Mengene Göçmenleri (The Immigrants of Mengan) were published right after each other, in 1992, 1993, 1994. They all hit the best seller lists immediately.
Many TV and movie producers have been after the story from the first day it hit the charts and it though it excited me, I had put so much love, affection, passion and also years of painstaking research, sleepless nights, and had shed so many tears over Kurt Seyit & Shura, that I simply could not hand it over to someone I did not completely trust.
So I waited.
Yes, I always had hope that one day some producer who would take the story into her/his heart would approach it with the great passion that it deserved.
Ay Yapim was the perfect producer to shake hands with for this project. Finally the series was realized and now it is travelling all around the world side by side with the book.
Reader question: This is the best TV series I have ever watched. Did you have actors in mind that you wanted to portray your grandfather and Shura? How much influence did you have in making the series? All the actors were just perfect in the parts they played.
NB: I didn’t want to interfere with the casting and Ay Yapim is a very serious, professional, prestigious production company. Also, I don’t follow any TV series, so I wouldn’t have had any idea of who to cast. I just had to trust the producer. But, honestly I was on the edge until I learned the names of the actors. I just knew that I would not like any actor with a scandalous life, or with unnatural looks take part in my story. But they were all perfect. They all loved the characters they were playing, and they all traveled back in time to adopt their roles in the most perfect way.
Reader question: Did the actors read your book to prepare for their characters, or did they just stick to the script?
NB: The producers and the script writer knew all the sequels almost by heart, and some of the actors had already read the book. The rest did not have much time to do so after they were chosen for the project.
Everything went very fast and we were immediately in the shooting process and there was only time left to read the script and practice the lines. In any case, the script is the “Bible of the story” after the production is under way.
Reader question: Can Tolga Savaci, who played the character Yahya Bey talk about what it was like to be in the series? (Tolga had been a superstar of Turkish TV series and movies for over three decades; he was like what Kıvanç is today, and was the lead male actor in seventeen series and twenty-three films made for the cinema.)
TS: I’ve been in several series but being a part of the series of my beloved wife was delightful.
Reader question: Was your grandfather Kurt Seyit Eminof able to keep any mementos from the Crimean war, such as a medal, clothing or a ring that is still with your family now?
NB: There is a whole chapter about this in the book. Yes, my grandpa had quite a few medals, merits that he was given, some from the Czar himself, also a valuable family ring and a special monogrammed watch from the Czar as a gift, too. When he escaped to Turkey, he brought all these and his rubles in a down pillow that was a souvenir from his childhood. Unfortunately when he wanted to buy the laundry where he was working with Shura, the rubles of the Tsarist Russia were devalued and he had to sell all his mementos at the Covered Bazaar in İstanbul… with tears in his eyes and an ache in his heart for they were the only objects that connected him to his past. From that group of mementos, only one remains and that is the pillow which my mom had given to me when I was little and I still dream on it, the dreams of my grandpa which were interrupted.
There was also a lovely chest in typical Russian style ‘Khokhloma’ given to him as a gift on his 12th birthday by the last Czar, Nicholas II, which he had to leave behind, buried under a tree in Alushta. Who knows who has it now?
But although it seems that nothing is left from my grandpa, I believe I have the most valuable and priceless piece from him; and that is his life story.
Reader question: My grandfather was a guard in the Tsars Army. I was told you had to be of a certain height, look, weight etc. to be his guard. Is that true?
NB: Yes. My grandpa entered the St. Petersburg Military Academy at the age of twelve. Following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, he was trained to be a very good horse rider, athletic and strong and bold above all. He also had an interest and talent in learning languages, philosophy, poetry, and art to embellish his military education and charming looks.
Reader question: Did Seyit have to join the Turkish rebellion and leave Shura alone and unprotected for days and months?
NB: My grandpa was already smuggling arms and ammunition to the Atatürk Independence Army while he was still in Crimea. At one point he had to escape in the same boat with the arms he prepared. I know that he also continued to work underground when he was in Turkey but he kept those details to himself. But him “leaving Shura unprotected for days and months” is a fabrication which was created for the scenario. He was always a free soul but never abandoned his loved ones or the ones who depended on him, exposing them to ferocities and danger.
Reader question: After all the drama and heartache they went through why didn’t Seyit fight for Shura? Why didn’t he propose to her?
NB: From what my grandma told me there was no hint whatsoever that Kurt Seyit and Shura had ever discussed getting married. If they did, that was not something my grandpa shared with his wife.
I’ve interviewed many other White Russians who actually lived at the same period of time, and I realized that most of them were frightened to bond themselves to a person (no matter how much they loved each other), or to a place. They never knew what the future held. Not getting married, but living together as a couple, was very common among those immigrants at the time.
Let’s not forget that for years all the White Russian émigrés kept hoping that one day they would be able to go back to their motherland. That is why they did not give away their passports, they did not spend their rubles. And they knew that going back might easily separate or divide them from their loved ones again.
In 1990s, while I was doing my research, seventy odd years after the revolution, there were still many White Russians who had never gotten married to their partners, and most of them chose not to have children or to own any real estate.
Other than that, sometimes sharing such great traumas, full of bloodshed, heartaches, immigration, surviving, yearnings, struggle can tire and wear out one’s heart, mind and soul. Sometimes lovers can end up with nothing but a sore and tired psychology. They start hurting each other just because they are a reminder of turmoil they went through, as much as they are of the great, happier times.
Reader question: Is it true Seyit took his own life?
NB: Yes, it is true. During one of his business trips to Anatolia the train was stuck for a day in the middle of nowhere under a heavy snowstorm. He gave his coat, hat, and scarf to a lady with two kids to keep them warm. He was sick when he came back. Being an athletic and strong healthy man all his life he did not take it seriously. Then when it got worse, he was stubborn not to take care of himself and he contracted tuberculosis.
This was during World War II, when everything was scarce and the country was in dire straits. Very soon he could not work. He had unbearable pains, he could not breathe. His medical bills started accumulating. My grandma put away her fur coat and designer wardrobe and started working in a factory where they were manufacturing ladies’ silk stockings. When he started coughing blood and the doctors told him that it was the end, he could not see himself waiting for death in bed, watching his wife trying to keep up with the burden of this tragic life for months to come. It was not a life-style for a man like Kurt Seyit; it was very insulting and hurtful.
Kurt Seyit did not have a delirium. On the contrary, his suicide was very well planned and executed. And with his execution he set his wife free of the hopeless torture of every day life his illness had been causing. As I said, he liked challenging life and death also. He simply said: “Okay death, you wanna take me? I’ll go before you come! I win again!”
I know, for some of the fans of the series; Kurt Seyit’s suicide is connected with his remorse over Shura’s departure. While this may be more romantic and also for some it is the kind of punishment Kurt Seyit deserved for sending her away. But so much water has passed under the bridge by this point. Twenty-two years had passed and Murka and Seyit had already shared so much love. What I told you above was the soul reason for Kurt Seyit’s suicide.
Reader question: Why did Seyit marry Murka? And why so quickly? Was it really related to his father’s wish?
NB: Kurt Seyit was the kind of man who chose to challenge fate when life was unpleasant. Even his stubborn way of choosing to end his own life proves that. He was also a man who thought fast, made decisions fast, some due to his character, some to his military education. But he could also be hasty in his decisions if he felt he was cornered, no matter what the outcome would be.
His psychology behind marrying Murka is a reflection of this character.
His father’s wish was not the fundamental reason for his decision, but feeling lonely, misunderstood, out of place, yearning for his homeland, loved ones – also desperately searching for a new place that would make him feel at home and knowing that his love with and for Shura was only hurting them – all brought him to a point where he just dove into a new direction.
Reader question: I heard that years later Seyit wrote to Shura. Did he? What did he say? Did he never grow to love his wife?
NB: I know that Kurt Seyit and Shura corresponded for some time and I know from my grandma that even after the first few years of their marriage grandpa was still thinking of Shura, and became nostalgic about her. But he loved Murka, too. He teased and spoiled her, cared for her, tried his best to bring out the strong woman in her and he went out of his way to make life as comfortable and luxurious as possible for his wife and daughters. Although, like most other White Russians, he was determined not to own any real estate, he bought a lovely house and made it a gift to my grandma when he got sick, because it was something she desired very much.
Reader question: Did Shura ever find happiness?
NB: Shura, after quite a few disappointments and some harsh times, finally had a happy marriage with a very kind gentleman. They had a daughter in America. What is important is that she was loved and worshipped by her husband. Of course they too had their ups and downs, but they stuck together.
Reader question: I am wondering how faithfully the story follows the lives of the real people? Are there any major changes or added main characters? How true is the movie to the actual events?
NB: This book is not a memoir and it is not a biography, either. It is a novel based on a true story. When you narrate a voyage in time there is no way you can put aside some fictional additions.
In a historical saga, even after long and painstaking research, there are still gaps and to make the characters and events come alive. As an author you have to fill those gaps with proper, necessary characters, events, and dialogues, so they all become connected and start to breathe. But to do this right, you have to become very familiar with the psychology and the times of the characters so you don’t do or say anything they would not.
All the main events, main characters in the novel are true. On the other hand, the TV series has a whole different kind of approach and dynamic. You can never adapt a literary work to the screen page by page. It is not possible physically, financially, or logically for the language of the series. So fabrications, and alterations come in. For example:
In a television series you’ll likely want a protagonist (hero) alongside your antagonist (villain) so there is a constant duel that keeps the watchers at the edge of their seats. (That is why Petro’s fate and timing was very different in the series from the truth. In the book , you are more satisfied with his end.)
You also need cliffhangers and intrigues to be woven into the relations to keep the viewer waiting for the next episode. (The characters in İstanbul like baroness, Ayşe, Petro, Billy was all fabricated for this.)
In the novel as an author you can write pages of what your character is thinking, how he is seeing and understanding things, how is he going to decide, what his or her secrets are, etc. But in the series, you cannot tell anything unless you show it. So, you need a constant character who the hero shares his inner thought with. (That is why Celil was brought to İstanbul in the series whereas in real life he stayed in Russia.)
In the novel as a writer I can narrate while I keep traveling between places and times in each chapter. But in the series, there is no way to build all the sets, rent all the locations and hire all the actors from the beginning to the end of thirty, forty episodes. It is not realistic. So you kill some of them off before they actually die and make some of them stay longer for the reasons above.
So, one should watch the series as a feast to the eye and ear, and read the book as a literary work of art, and enjoy both but not expect them to be identical.
Reader question: I would like to know more about Guside and Celil, please. Were they real people? I loved these characters as well as Yahya Bey.
NB: Güzide never actually existed. She was made up for the series, to ruin Yahya’s life. Celil was real and he was the best chum of Seyit. Tatya was real, too. But she did not have a baby, and she did not die in Alushta. The couple did not make it to İstanbul or anywhere else as far as I know so far, though I am still searching for them. They both stayed back in Alushta and that is the last time we have heard from them.
Yasef Zargovich was another real person and a character in the book. Although he had joined the Reds he was a great help in arranging Kurt Seyit’s escape, unlike in the series.
Yahya was also another character, who was in real life a cousin and also a close friend and Kurt Seyit’s partner in a few business ventures. His life was completely altered for the script and the details fabricated. In reality, Yahya was married to a beautiful German woman and lived a very long and happy life. He was always there when Kurt Seyit was ill, and when Shura was in İstanbul a week after my grandpa’s funeral, she stayed at Yahya’s Hotel and found out about Kurt Seyit from him.
Reader question: Was Seyit really kidnapped on the day he was supposed to marry Shura?
NB: No, this was created for the series.
Reader question: When Seyit fell off the cliff with his horse in the TV series, was it an embellishment based on the 2015 film The Revenant with Leonardo DiCaprio, or did that actually happen?
NB: That was a real event. For me, this part of my grandpa’s adventure has been one of the most captivating parts of his story, ever since my very early childhood years when I listened to my grandma’s stories. And this novel was published in 1992, long before DiCaprio’s film.
Reader question: I read somewhere that Petro did not go to Turkey as the show depicts. What really happened?
NB: Petro came after Kurt Seyit and his family. Since he knew the Eminoff family and the area he was in charge of penalizing them! My grandpa, finding out about his presence in Alushta and his evil motives, got a hold of him, made him dig his own grave in the forest and shot him to death in it.
Reader question: Did Shura meet Seyit’s wife Murka in reality?
NB: Yes, they did meet at Kurt Seyit’s business office. It was originally through my grandma that I knew what Shura looked like. When I received her photograph years later, after I had already written the novel, I was speechless, and was in tears for she was exactly the same lovely woman who I had narrated according to my grandma’s description.
Reader question: This story hits close to home for me, in many ways. I loved it! Is there any possibility of continuing the story as a TV series?
NB: At the moment there is no such project. But the producers have ended in such a way that if someone else wants to go on with the saga, there is no reason why they could not.
Reader question: Is the book Shura going to be translated to English? Do we find out what happens to her? What about Seyit ve Murka?
NB: This saga consists of six sequels so far. In each one of them one of the main characters’ life (keeping parallel to the other’s lives also) is narrated. Kurt Seyit & Murka is second in line and then comes Shura – Paris Years, where I wrote about her first three years there. And there will be one more abut her American life. But their printing depends on if the sales of Kurt Seyit & Shura will cover the expenses, which were huge, for the professional translation and editing.
Mengene Göçmenleri (The Immigrants of Mengan), Dedem Kurt Seyit & Ben (My Grandpa Kurt Seyit and Me), and Bir Harp Gelini (Wartime Bride) complete the saga for the moment.
Reader question: I am looking for the book in French and I went to a library in France last week but they did not know about this book. Does a French or Spanish translation exist?
NB: Not yet. But besides English, this book has been translated to eleven other languages and mostly together with the second sequel Kurt Seyit & Murka.
Reader question: Is Shura buried in California? Under what name?
NB: Yes, she is buried in California as Alexandra (Sandra) Nash and her mother Ykaterina Nicholaevna is also buried there side by side with Shura.
Reader question: What happened to Seyit’s brother that was still alive?
NB: Mahmut, the one who stayed behind with his wife had another tragedy under the Stalin era. The rest of the family were tortured, killed and those who survived were sent to Siberia and then to Ozbekistan.
Osman, the youngest brother, who was shot by the Bolsheviks on the shores of Alushta during the escape was not dead as my grandpa had thought.
Only a few months ago I had a call from Alushta. During a very shocking (in a pleasant way) phone conversation with the new generation of my family members, I learned that Osman had actually not died. He was saved by a fisherman and hidden in his hut for months until he recovered from his near fatal wounds. He survived that death only to then live a very adventurous and tragic life. That is another book to narrate. And his son who told me all about this died the very next morning after our phone call, as if he had waited to go until he shared this missing puzzle piece with me…
Kurt Seyit & Sura is AVAILABLE to STREAM
You can order the book Kurt Seyt & Shura in English here.
About the book Kurt Seyt & Shura: An instant best seller since its debut in 1992, Nermin Bezmen’s Kurt Seyt & Shura is a classic of contemporary Turkish literature, a sweeping romantic drama set around the time as the splendor of Imperial Russia is obliterated in the wake of the Great War. Bezmen tells the story of two star-crossed lovers fleeing the wave of devastation wreaked by the Bolshevik Revolution– and does so with great sensitivity: one half of this couple who sought refuge in the capital of the dying Ottoman Empire was her grandfather.
English-speaking fans will now be able to read the true story of this great love affair, which triumphed over so much adversity yet failed to overcome human fallibility. Kurt Seyt: The son of a wealthy Crimean nobleman, is a dashing first lieutenant in the Imperial Life Guard. Injured on the Carpathian front and later sought by the Bolsheviks, he makes a daring escape across the Black Sea. Too proud to accept payment for the boatful of arms he hands over to the Nationalists, he faces years of struggle to make a new life in the Turkish Republic rising from the embers of the dying Ottoman Empire.
All he has is his dignity and love. Shura: An innocent sixteen-year-old beauty enchanted by Tchaikovsky’s music and Moscow’s glittering lights, falls in love with Seyt. A potential victim of the Bolsheviks due to her family’s wealth and social standing, she is determined to follow her heart and accompanies Seyt on his perilous flight over the Black Sea. Their love is the only solace to their crushing homesickness for a land and family they will never see again, two lovers among hundreds of thousands of White Russian émigrés trying to eke out a living in occupied Istanbul.
About Nermin Bezmen: Nermin Bezmen was born in 1954, and raised in Turkey. Her first brush with literature came in 1991 when she published her collected poems in a volume entitled Love that Awakens. She was already an accomplished journalist as well as a TV Hostess when she, after 8 years of researching her roots in the Crimea, Russia, Prussia, Romania and France, wrote her first historical real life saga. It is focused on the suffering, aspirations, obstinacy, proud arrogance, patient endurance, deep love and painful longing of her ancestors: Kurt Seyt & Shura, published in 1992, became a national bestseller, as did her second novel, Kurt Seyt & Murka. Her third and fourth novel are entitled The Immigrants of Mengene and The Wings of My Mind respectively.
About Kivanc Tatlitug: The extraordinary talent and swoon-worthy good looks of Turkish actor Kivanc Tatlitug have made him the biggest star in the Middle East for nearly a decade. His popularity in North America soared when Neflix began offering Kurt Seyit ve Sura in late 2016. If you would like to find out more about Kivanc Tatlitug or connect with nearly 45,000 other English-speaking fans, join us on FB, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.
If you enjoyed this post, you may also like the Period Films List – the best costume dramas, heritage films, documentaries, period dramas, romances, historical reality series and period inspired movies, sorted by era and theme. You’ll also want to read 5 Reasons to watch The Road to Calvary, another historical romance on Netflix. Also see our review about Kurt Seyit & Sura here.
RACHEL
July 19, 2019 at 7:05 am (5 years ago)Beautiful show of history. Very sad and upsetting ending. In my opinion the ,netflix version, story shows how prejudice, lies, jealousy and ignorance conquered all. How one man destroyed a young woman who gave up everything for a man whom she believed loved her. The story made me feel strongly for Sura. How she abandoned her family for Seyit. How she risked everything for Seyit. Sura waited for him. She proved she loved him. It made me despise Seyit. The story shows how Seyit was ” apparently” going to choose Sura over his family. But he never actually had to. The story shows his prejudice parents died before he actually had to make that choice. Sura made that choice. She actually went through the process of leaving her family behind for Seyit. Yet, this story is supposed to show how both Seyit and Sura sacraficed their family to be together. What upsets me even more is Sura wanted what Seyit had in the ending with Murvet. Seyit made false promises to Sura. The lies that Seyit fed to Sura and exspected her to still trust him. In my opinion, If you truly love someone, you don’t lie or hide things from them. Murvet knew more of what Seyit was doing then Sura. Also the story shows that Murvet knew Seyit still loved Sura. Yet she still married him. If she was such a good woman, then how could she marry a man who was, supposedly, in love with someone else? Murvet was also upset and hurt that Seyit was still in love with Sura after they were wed. Murvet showed anger and jealousy towards Sura. Why? Murvet knew Seyit cared more for Sura. Sura never went out of her way to hurt Murvet. Murvet was okay with hurting Sura though. Murvet should have only been angry with herself. I don’t care for Seyit and Murvet. I dont believe Seyit ever really loved Sura. I believe he loved the idea of them being together. But never really loved her. He was selfish and deceitful. In my opinion the story should not be called Seyit and Sura. I feel the title portrays a story of of two people who loved eachother yet It made me feel only Sura’s love Seyit. I feel the title should be called Seyit and Murvet. Or just Seyit. I believe that Sura should not have been in so much of the story sense the writer knew that Seyit would end up with Murvet. In my opinion. This is not a love story. Its a tragedy.
Samira
July 27, 2019 at 8:35 pm (5 years ago)I agree with you, this story its tragedy not love, I regret watching it.
Sheryl
July 9, 2019 at 7:26 pm (5 years ago)I am pleased to see that I am not alone in being consumed by this series, Seyit & Sura. I was devastated by the ending tho. How can such an intense love be walked away from? Makes no sense, other than that of a self destructive act. I started losing interest in the storyline the minute Seyit even considered being with Murka, but, when he married her, I was deeply disappointed. I held on to the bitter end because I was sure he would end up where he belonged, with Sura. The acting was superb, captivating storyline with the above exception, and, I loved the historical background as well. While I understand this is the author’s right to tell her family story as she wishes. For the TV series, they could have adapted the storyline to where Seyit and Sura could realize their happy ever after, together. Making this series the greatest love story ever told. I believe the viewers would have been more satisfied and uplifted, rather than feeling let down and dissatisfied.
Rachel
July 19, 2019 at 7:12 am (5 years ago)I completely agree. This doesn’t seem like the greatest love story ever told because the ” great love” they are apparently showing the viewers, ends in tragedy and defeat. This could easily be considered the greatest Tragedy love story ever told.
jo arguedas
July 7, 2019 at 2:40 pm (5 years ago)jo Arguedas: I am an American of English-Spaniard nationality. I loved this saga well written but thoroughly disappointed at the finale.I have to divide the series from the book.two different versions.The truth as told in the book I do not completely believe because it is the narrative account of Murvet, the authors grandmother, whom Seyit had only seen in a picture and the day of the arraigned wedding.Was Murvet the wright wife? not according to the book.He did not love her, fondness maybe.He wanted a home who could not have with Shura who was was his true love and suffered greatly for it after she left for Paris.His life was never complete again. The series is a fabrication of the writers and producers.Therefore lets just enjoy the beautifully acted by Kivo and Farah Zeynep and the rest of the cast, the history, costumes and music which is the soul of the series.No offense to any one but this is what I got from this beautiful/tragic saga.Thank you Nermin Bezmen.I am looking forward to read your next books.Congratulations.
Emilia Lozano
May 20, 2019 at 3:37 am (5 years ago)I have enjoy every minute
The story is like no other
An because it has been translate in to Spanish you have fans alover Latino America
I have family in Mexico and are like me in love with the actors Shura is so lovely and hin so handsome
Thank you for sharing your family story with the world
Your fan
For ever
Valerie Lintern
May 4, 2019 at 12:47 am (6 years ago)Adored this series loved seyit I have watched it twice . The music haunted me for weeks . Yes would love more with murka thought she was beautiful .
Susan Patterson
April 27, 2019 at 8:56 am (6 years ago)I absolutely loved the story and yes please do the others in English because I would certainly love to read them
Judith Topol
April 19, 2019 at 11:04 am (6 years ago)But Surta and Seyit could never have gotten married because wasn’t she Christian and wasn’t he Muslim? Talk about two elephants missing from the living room, religion wasn’t even mentioned. But what a great story anyway…once I got the picture that Seyit and Sura weren’t going to get together after all (somewhere around episode 20) I had to stop watching I was so devastated (I read a spoiler online). The story was so compelling I must have thought it was happening to ME..hahahaha. In a few weeks I picked it back up again, and Seyit/Murka made waaaay better sense. Thank you dear author for such a fabulous story.
Kelli Samson
June 27, 2019 at 6:17 pm (5 years ago)I could not believe that Seyit and Sura were not going to ever marry. I too was so devastated that one night I couldn’t even sleep. It seemed so unfair, especially for young Sura. Seyit made so many snap decisions that seemed to always be nonproductive for them both. We are still watching the series – – we are on Episode 40, and now that I know Sura & Seyit won’t ever marry, I am just so darn frustrated. Sura was stronger than Seyit in her love and perseverance. It is so sad to me. Murka is a beautiful woman, but she is not Sura, and that injustice haunts me. P.S. Most of the actors/actresses are just beautiful/handsome and that, or course, makes it even harder to bear.
Flo
April 8, 2019 at 3:30 pm (6 years ago)Poor Sura,
By today’s definition she and Seyit were just “friends with benefits.” Though Sura expected more, it seems that Seyit was conflicted about marrying Sura early on. Sura was simply not the proper girl to take home to his Turkish family. He clearly loved Sura, continued to correspond with her for sometime after marrying Murka, dreamed of Sura for years to come even to the point of talking about his love for Sura to his and Murka’s grand children. What other explanation could he have for ignoring all of his feelings for Sura and marrying the Turkish girl that he didn’t know?
Valerie Lintern
April 8, 2019 at 5:56 am (6 years ago)What a story loved it best film in a long time a love story with no sex scenes brilliant , fell in love with seyit hope we will see more maybe seyit and murks just loved her .
Em
July 24, 2019 at 11:56 pm (5 years ago)I think Seyit was unfair to shura regardless of what may have happened he knew she loves him no matter how but I believe he allowed his guilt to lead him away from the person he said he loved. I also believe he just made the best of his mistakes and just focused on his marriage because he was a Muslim and that’s required
Samira
July 27, 2019 at 8:57 pm (5 years ago)He got what he deserved, he never explained anything to her, but yet they could make series way better and they could end up together at least in series. if this is the case then change the name of title to, Poor girl Sura,
Zo
April 4, 2019 at 9:39 pm (6 years ago)In reading the interview it is disappointing to learn that the storyline strayed from the truth i.e. Osman did not die and his buddy Ceceil (spell check) did not leave Russia. Introducing characters who did not exist was not necessary and, I wonder why the author did not stick to facts.
Sam
July 27, 2019 at 9:00 pm (5 years ago)Thank you, after all its not true, why not lie then about sura and him staying together forever
Norminda
March 9, 2019 at 5:20 pm (6 years ago)SPOILER ALERT: How can Seyit say that she love Sura until her dying breath but did not even marry her after everything that that shes done for him? Sura is the tue heroine here and she was not treated fairly. I feel so much for Sura. I cried so hard on the scene when Sura was boarding the ship to Paris..thus is what happen after everything… I dont believe Seyit truly loves her. Very sad…
Barbara Anderson
March 15, 2019 at 8:45 pm (6 years ago)Such a beautiful love story. So sad they had To part. Will there be a continued episode of the last part of their life.
rey
July 6, 2019 at 12:04 pm (5 years ago)i feel the same way , it is heart breaking. Shura was a lovely, dedicated woman. Her life was Seyit. It is inconceivable to me , cause of his stubbornness and pride , he crushed a woman who gave her life to him. the story haunts me too and shall stay with me forever. Their love is a testament to true love.
URPIANA KOKLONIS
February 24, 2019 at 9:03 pm (6 years ago)I loved the story. I hope I could read the entire saga in english someday.
Verena
April 25, 2019 at 10:40 am (6 years ago)Yes do! The book is very interesting and reports the exact story.
You can find it on Amazon in English
Allana Bartilet
February 23, 2019 at 4:47 pm (6 years ago)Please sign me up for the newsletter
Mary
February 13, 2019 at 12:52 pm (6 years ago)What is the English translation for “zbogum, Mojave’s Sura” and “zbogum Mojave’s volgena
Trudy Townley
January 26, 2019 at 7:33 pm (6 years ago)I came across this film on Netflix by chance and gave it ago. As I love romantic movies this was the perfect film . More so when I discovered it was a true story. I did get irritated with the bad people who wanted to cause trouble. I really hoped that they got back together, but I also saw why he fell in love with his wife. I thought the actors were also gorgeous all of then. I will definitely recommend this to everyone.
shi
January 16, 2019 at 12:58 pm (6 years ago)I know this is unpopular opinion, but I feel Murka was a better choice for Seyit. Hecwas a very prideful man, and Murka was raised inva culture tgat unserstood this man pride, so it was easier for her to live with. I think Sura toward the end was coming into her own as a woman… and although never mentioned Seyit didnt mesh well with the new Sura after he left Prison. Sura endrd up questioning his every move after tgat, and
Maureen Cockayne
January 8, 2019 at 6:53 pm (6 years ago)I would love to have a poster of Kurt Seyit and Sura but have had no luck in finding one. I loved the series so much i would love to have a reminder on my wall.
Ingrid Schubert
January 8, 2019 at 1:59 pm (6 years ago)I, too, loved, loved, loved the series on NetFlix. I didn’t want it to end, so as soon as I finished the 46th episode, I started watching it all over again. I have to admit, I fell in love with Kurt Seyit and was angry at Sura for always starting an arguement whenever they met toward the end of their relationship.
Kathleen Osterhout
January 4, 2019 at 2:52 am (6 years ago)I enjoyed this series immensely – I did not want it to end. Fascinating to learn some history and insights into Russia and Turkey life in this time period. I was so enthralled with Kurt Seyt & Shura – I wanted them to live happily-ever-after – but I know, from my own life – it often does not always turn out that way.
Was wondering, did these two actors maintain a friendship after filming? Hope so. Must now pick up the book. Thank you for this beautiful production – I loved it!
adry
December 26, 2018 at 8:34 pm (6 years ago)thx for the q/a! i love this story.
By any chance do you know they were speaking russian between them or turkish? cos in the series, it is a bit weird that we don’t hear any russian speaking, I know the casting is from Turkey, but nevertheless.
And all the letters after they split, are they published?
cant wait to read the book, hope can read them all one day, do you know what languages we can find ALL the saga? thx
Maggie
December 21, 2018 at 9:36 pm (6 years ago)I fell in love with the characters and this story. However, I was so heartbroken with the ending. I wish it would’ve had a happy ending by having Sura and Seyit stay together. I had to search on the internet to mend my heart by reading what others had to say about this story, and how they were able to cope with their own heartache.
Karla
December 18, 2018 at 2:29 am (6 years ago)Horrible ending, waist of time ,crazy stupid
Mia
December 11, 2018 at 3:16 am (6 years ago)Thanks k you so much for sharing this with us (especially in English). I am currently watching the series but the stress was so much I needed to find out the rest to prepare my heart . I appreciate the author’s passion to share this story objectively and creatively. It is not a typical romance and breaks my heart everytime I watch a new episode. This was beautifully directed and my appreciation for this period in history has grown immensely.
Vivienne
November 15, 2018 at 5:10 am (6 years ago)How destructive some parents or cultures can be. These two people in a normal situation would have married and been very compatible. It
was obvious from the beginning they would never have the lives they deserved with each other. Perhaps lessons can be learned from this tragedy.
raqui
November 13, 2018 at 7:10 pm (6 years ago)J’ai regardé la serie et j’ai été très émue, effectivement j’aurai préféré que Seyit et Sura se marient. leur amour était très fort. Je pense que Seyit a aimé Murka mais d’un autre amour, c’est plutôt de l’affection qu’il a eu pour elle. et chez les musulmans la bénédiction des parents est très importante. Etant musulmane je le comprends. Il y’a plusieurs forme d’amour mais un seul grand amour et pour ma part c’est Sura son grand . Je me suis retrouvée dans cette histoire car j’en ai vecu une de ce genre, c’est très dur et on a une sorte de frustration avec laquelle on vit jusqu’à la fin de nos jours.
Theresa
November 13, 2018 at 6:20 pm (6 years ago)I finished watching the final episode today, after binging on Netflix for several days. After finding this website (delighted!) and reading the interview with the author and granddaughter of Kurt Seyit, I understand this is based on a real life character. I hadn’t realized that Sura was just 16 when she met Seyit. Fascinating! Such a beautiful series. I love the sets, costumes, historical aspects and, of course, the acting! I much prefer the foreign films on Netflix and Kurt Seyit and Sura did not disappoint. Getting swept up in their story and the romance, the fine acting and cast, gave me a wonderful escape! Like many who left comments here, I struggled with the ending and found it heartbreaking. Love did not conquer all in this stroy. I felt so broken for Sura, so young and brave to have weathered all the obstacles. Will be ordering the book and most likely watch the series again. I am enjoying the website, thank you!
Karen
November 5, 2018 at 1:50 pm (6 years ago)I feel so much pain by learning that they never got married, that they didn’t even end together, after suffering so much and the passion they had, my heart aches so much. Destine played a lot with their life defiance and the struggle they had to go thru my body shake for the sadness I felt. I have no words to describe what am feeling am not able to finish watching or reading the end because I know at the end they departed ways. Its just my humble opinion. am crying as am writing these words. I just wished for a happy ending I guess but in real life a few live a happily ever after. or am just a dreamer.
Pamela
March 20, 2019 at 1:20 am (6 years ago)SPOILER ALERT
Karen,
Hopefully after I write all of this, it goes to you.
I need therapy after watching this series.
I’m with you about the sadness.
I just finished last night and feel this hollowness and dissatisfaction.
I have never wanted to comment about a show like this, but
after 46 parts they’re family.
I found all the obstacles keeping them apart so frustrating.
(In Turkey) They’re torn apart constantly, and then when they do meet,
the other doesn’t know the other side of the story. It drove me crazy when, for example, he tells her to leave Turkey after she keeps saying to say things that will keep her there. That seemed unrealistic. I wanted to ring his neck, when he made it such a big deal he had slept with someone else. He lets that fester and destroy their love. Seemed a little unrealistic. There were many times I audibly “yelled” at him and when she got argumentative I wanted to cover her mouth. It’s rare I do this.
Except for when they first meet at the laundry business, every scene after was negative. She stays after all the hardship, and then writers portray her as bitchy. Also didn’t Sura know Petro was Seyit’s nemesis? That seemed weak and not believable, also that she would stay in the same house. She wants him back, so why make every scene after that she just alienates him? It seems to me they could have had a few more loving scenes, since they were making it up.
How about Arshey (sp)? Seyit lives in the same house with her after
she was one of the main reasons S and S become distant? He wanted
to hit her before.
My point is there were inconsistencies in the story that got in the way of me fully enjoying it. I understand that a there has to be tension and surprises, but having only one or two scenes where it’s positive between them the last number of shows made me want to contact the writer and say this does not make for a good drama.
There were many surprises though that kept it interesting.
It also irritated me when he’s burying Petro he dosen’t say something like,
“And this is for all the times you’ve separated us and ruined our love.”
At the very end when Seyit is told about a letter and makes a slightly nasty comment
about Sura (Is it an angry letter from Sura?, that didn’t seem a fitting way to end the series. That’s his last comment!!! Probably like you, I hated seeing Seyit and Murvet being intimate. I know he marries her. It seems there were more scenes between
them than S and S. I loved the romance in Russia. Unsatisfactory they didn’t make
any mention of Sura’s life when she left.
What bothered me the most about this series, is Seyit and Sura were hardly together. I kept waiting for more scenes. With all the other actors their time spent together was minimal.
The title should be, Seyit Spends Little Time with Sura.
If you get this, thanks for listening!
Jummai Ahmed
July 26, 2019 at 12:31 pm (5 years ago)I agree with you100%. Your feelings are valid. Very disappointing end. True love should always prevail, always!!
Shirley Marshall
November 4, 2018 at 12:14 pm (6 years ago)This was such a great love story. YOU were so involved in it you could not stop watching and you wanted it to last forever. I loved that he married Murka it brought out the honor and dignity one has for the family. That part of the story should have been touched on more. that he did honor his promise to his father in the end. I love there no disgusting sex scenes it was just a very well done love story. HIS father was right in telling him you don’t marry women out of your bloodline.. Such a beautiful story so glad you shared it with the world.
Peg
April 11, 2019 at 5:58 pm (6 years ago)It seems the Eminofs lived in Russia for generations so why not marry a Russian. I think it was wrong for Seyit’s father not to accept Şura. Perhaps things would have been different if he did. The heart doesn’t care about nationality or religion, you can’t help who you fall in love with.
It was just such a sad ending.
vivian kinney
October 8, 2018 at 3:07 pm (6 years ago)I am addicted to the Seyit and Murka part of the series. I believe Seyit really loved Murka more than Sura. My interpretation was Sura became more of an obligation and the fact that he fell in love with Murka during the time he still thought he loved Sura.
elaine
July 6, 2019 at 6:36 pm (5 years ago)Sura, in the end was too turbulent. Seyit’s decision to marry the serene, but surprisingly feisty Murka, was exactly right. Life with Sura would have been far too stormy and probably have led to heartbreak again in the end.
Ohana
July 24, 2019 at 7:33 am (5 years ago)Do not agrée.once Pétro out of thé picture, trouble between séyit and Sura is gone. Petro was poison, cancer, évil, for thé couple. Hé succéder killing Love and trust between seyit and Sura.. i find that they didn’t fight enough to find out thé truth. Évén though I like Murvet caractère, didn’t,t agrée on seyit marrying her.
puzzled
July 18, 2019 at 3:48 pm (5 years ago)Just curious as to how you feel this way? He had to practically stay drunk to cope, and continued to fantasize about her…
Also he was more concerned with her safety, getting her on the ship so that he may continue life. Yet she was who was anchored in his heart. Murka /Murvet according to Nermin spent a lot of time crying alone because of Kurt’s nostalgia of Sura.
Help me to see your view because I’m trying to like her and I can’t lol! I want a rewrite! Haha
Cindie Rathbone
September 26, 2018 at 6:10 pm (6 years ago)I loved the series of Kurt Seyit ve Sura, Kivanc was made for that role, so handsome and excellent actor I have watched it so many times I have lost count. I never wanted it to end. It was the best series I have ever watched, so many emotions the actors brought out in you made you feel they were apart of you. When Seyit buried his parents I cried with him.
Anita Latulippe
September 26, 2018 at 10:59 am (6 years ago)Thank you Nermin for sharing your life and that of your loving grandparents with the world…I have watched KSS four times now and learn more each time..Everything about this episode was absolutely wonderful from the scenery, costumes, the brilliant acting and the story was beautiful. I learned so much from this episode and am now hooked on everything I can find that has Kivanc in it or a Turkish storyline..looking forward to the English translation of your following books which I found KSS to be an excellent read.
Anita Acquah
September 11, 2018 at 6:26 am (6 years ago)I love period dramas and have a special love for Turkish ones such as Magnificent century, Lovebird and Kurt Seyit ‘ve Sura. I was very excited to find Fahiye in the series so much so that I jumped out of bed to wake my sister up and tell her. Thank you so much for this interview and for sharing this beautiful story with us. I am a British African women and I am captivated. A special thank you to Netflix for showing these programmes as I would have never heard of them.
Pamela
May 1, 2019 at 1:00 am (6 years ago)Why is it so hard to find the next seasons on these shows like Magnificent Century
Daniel Alford
September 2, 2018 at 7:20 am (6 years ago)On which episode was Osman shot? Can anyone give me a number or help me limit my search?
Thanks.
Lynne Raiser
August 16, 2018 at 8:28 pm (6 years ago)This is my favorite series ever! It grabbed me and held me fast. I watched it over 4 days and nights doing little else. I can’t wait to read the book. PLEASE translate the next one! Maybe we could raise $$ for it on the internet? How much would a translation cost?
Rene Bybee
July 18, 2018 at 12:07 am (6 years ago)This series has become my favorite of all time. Thank you for the interview. I love learning more about these fascinating people. Real life is so much better than fiction.
Nadia
July 15, 2018 at 2:32 am (6 years ago)I watched the series on Netflix and fell in love with the characters and the true story. When will your book Seyit & Murka English edition be published?
Veronica Charmian McDaniel
November 20, 2018 at 6:06 pm (6 years ago)Wonderful, enthralling story. I am a gtreat lover of Doctor Zivargo, the original with Julie Christy.
I too would love to read the second and third book, in English, please. Thankyou for all your hard work and time given to this great story. You must be so proud of your heritage!
Sumaya Paruk
June 14, 2018 at 8:36 am (6 years ago)Lovely to hear the real story behind the series. However I am a bit confused about their nationality/ethnicity – if they are White Russian, why do they have Turkish names?
claudette c. sireilles
May 22, 2018 at 11:17 am (6 years ago)I loved the story. I watched it three times. I was also born in Istanbul turkey and it made me home sick to see all the familiar places. Wow, what a love story. My congratulations to the author. It was good to hear them speak Turkish. Give us more of the same.
bb
April 29, 2018 at 7:15 pm (7 years ago)the most beautiful story I ever come accros
Mary Wallace
April 14, 2018 at 4:41 pm (7 years ago)It was a breath of fresh air to be able to watch this without the intimate scene’s showing them together. Our controler is worn off from fast forwarding to the next scene.
Claudia Pittet
November 2, 2018 at 10:23 pm (6 years ago)How can I ask a question and get an answer from Kurt and Sura story?
Chris F
March 25, 2018 at 8:10 pm (7 years ago)I too have fallen under the spell of Seyit & Sura. It’s a magnificent story similar in part to Dr. Zgivago. The entire cast for the TV series were glorious. This story challenges any American productions. I also would love English translations of the subsequent stories/books. These characters have stepped into history with a fascinating hold on our imaginations.
Mary
March 16, 2018 at 11:58 pm (7 years ago)I was intrigued that in the interview Ms Bezmen spoke of Shura coming to Istanbul one week after Kurt Seyit’s death and staying at Yahya’s hotel. I wonder why she came to Istanbul in the middle of WW11, it would have been dangerous to go to Europe at that time. Is it just my romantic soul imagining her wanting to see him when he was so sick? And if so, how did she know he was dying? Just curious…Maybe if you ever have another Q/A you could ask her that for me. Thanks for the opportunity to comment.
Klaudia
March 1, 2019 at 5:33 am (6 years ago)I’m also wondering about that. Anybody knows the answer???
Sonia
March 8, 2019 at 4:10 pm (6 years ago)I’m an black woman I just recently found this on Netflix. OMG. I fell In love with the whole story. However, I can’t help but feel sorry for Shura. After all she suffered for him He married another so quickly. I do understand that the things that can happen in life can significantly change your relationship. But I’m sure she felt so betrayed I can’t help but wonder did she ever truly find a love that at least equaled what she thought she had with Seyit. I know I’m late but I think about her
Ginger Monette
March 12, 2018 at 8:10 pm (7 years ago)Great interview! Thanks so much!
Erica P
March 14, 2018 at 10:46 pm (7 years ago)Please translate the other books into English!
Kevan R Moragne
March 26, 2019 at 2:10 am (6 years ago)My name is Kevan, I am a Black woman of French and Portuguese ancestry. I loved this story. It was beautifully directed and the characters were all great actors and actress and good looking. It was very sad that Shura and Kurt Seyit never married after being so deeply in love. I could identify with the Father and Mother not wanting Seyit to marry a non-Turkish girl, because I married an Italian and went through a similar situation, but they changed for the better after my son was born.