When I started watching “Secrets & Sisterhood: The Sozahdahs”, I couldn’t help but compare it to “The Kardashians”.
There are similarities in terms of how the 10 Muslim-American sisters – Shaista, Halimah, Khadija, Rabya, Shakur, Muzlefa, Jamila, Siddiqa, Nooreya and Hamida Sozahdah – navigate life in Los Angeles.
They are beautiful, career-focused and family-orientated.
The elder sisters, who are referred to as “elders” by their younger siblings, are more traditional in their beliefs and lifestyle.
The younger sisters, who have successful careers, enjoy the freedom that comes with being exposed to a Western culture. They enjoy dating, partying and exploring.
A bit of background: their parents (their dad is late) fled a war-ravaged Afghanistan for a better life in the US in the 1980s.
While the “elders” understand the challenges that come with being immigrants, the younger siblings have never experienced the hardships and, at times, it creates friction within the family.
As with every family, the mother is the glue that holds them together. And it is no different here.
Of course, surrounded by so much oestrogen, there is no shortage of drama, especially with the various relationship dynamics within the “Wolf Pack” (they refer to themselves as such).
In the first season, there are several challenges that come up, with the sisters supporting one another through a pregnancy out of wedlock, an abusive relationship, trouble in a marriage due to substance abuse and a sister who is conflicted about exploring her sexuality.
The title of the show sums up the tone of the series, where forgiveness, love and respect anchor the Sozahdah siblings.
∎ “Secrets & Sisterhood: The Sozahdahs” is streaming on Disney+