abu dhabi is one of the seven member states of the united arab emirates. it's rich in oil resources and very affluent.

tv dramas produced in abu dhabi are growing in popularity throughout the arab world. the dramas focus on every day life in the emirate. they take on scenes that are often taboo, such as problems with domestic workers. a scene in which a man was shown crying in public created a stir. these dramas are produced by abu dhabi tv, and achieve consistently high audience ratings.

in this episode of "asia insight" we take a closer look at the boom in tv dramas in abu dhabi. abu dhabi tv is located in the center of uae's capital city. it was established 45 years ago and exclusively aimed at domestic audiences. however, in 2000 it launched five specialty channels covering news, sports, and other dramas. it also introduced satellite broadcasting, enabling viewers around the world to tune in.

the drama channel is the most popular. one of the first programs to be brad cat was worry and panic. the series comically depicts trials and tribulations of people's every day lives. almost every household in abu dhabi hires a maid. one episode comically depicts anger at her making making eyes.

>> before dramas were educational, designed promote

and discourage wrong doing. however, ratings have surged since the introduction of the new kinds of dramas. an outdoor set, ten kilometers from downtown abu dhabi. during the month of ramadan, muslims fast and this results in more time at home in front of the television. in 2014 the observance will start at the end of june. this drama is being written by popular screen writer who had written the immensely popular "worry and panic" series.

>> the drama, now in production, is set in the 1950s, before the discovery of oil, when the people of the emirate were nomadic desert dwellers who kept donkeys. they were kept as modes of transportation and beasts of burden. in this scene, lazy sons lie to their hard working father. they have ropeded in a neighbor to back up their story. this is the father and his

neighbor. these are the two sons.

the neighbor in this scene is played by habib al attar, a well-known actor who leads a

remarkable dual existence. this is habib's other workplace. after studying theater at a university in egypt, he joined at the uae's ministry of culture at the age of 24. he currently heads the department of cultural renaissance. in abu dhabi, the majority of citizens are public servants. habib works from 9:00 to 12:00 and after taking a three-hour lunch break, he returns for another two hours or so in the

evening. he takes time off to film. even so, he earns an annual salary of $200,000. his staff also work in the entertainment industry. ♪

habib discovered his love of acting 25 years ago when he joined a drama group in high school. he then went onto pursue a professional career. with the sharp increase in domestically produced dramas, the attitude towards actors here has started to change. habib says his brother is now his biggest fan. it's 4:00 in the afternoon. the long lunch break is over.

habib visits this rehabilitation center for the disabled. he has organized an exchange event, bringing disabled people and local children together to enjoy painting and making crafts. but he's soon surrounded by a crowd of people. the mothers appear more interested in meeting a famous actor. >> after the discovery of oil in the late 1950s, abu dhabi

experienced rapid economic development, giving birth to a highly privilegeded society. the state's population today is 1.5 million, but only 20% are abu dhabi citizens. many foreigners work in the industries or are hired in the homes, supporting their affluent lifestyles. this residential area is very up market, even by abu dhabi standards. an avid drama fan lives here. yashin abudullah is retired and in his 60s.

his house is surrounded with lush greenery. a lover of animals, he owns many birds and fish. yashin previously worked for a government corporation, but is now enjoying the life of leisure. he employs many worker who is look after and assist the grounds. >> yashin's love of drama led him to install his own home

theater. he likes to relax here and watch his favorite shows. during their long lunch break, yashin's civil service friends join him to watch dramas. home grown dramas are a popular form of entertainment and an indispensable part of this leisurely lifestyle. the people of abu dhabi are strict muslims, and they still wear traditional garments. men are clad in white kondura

while women wear black abaya and cover their hair and skin. this is a popular lady's boutique. it sells many colorful outfits. in public, women wear only black. but at home women can change into the colorful and traditional clothes. this boutique is particularly popular as it sells those featured in certain tv shows. shop owner eman al suwaidi is also a renowned designer. through the introduction of a business acquaintance, she's been making tv costumes for five

years. >> these sell for as much as a thousand dollars. the owner says she sells more than 300 every month.

>> abu dhabi tv has evolved leaps and boupds since the launch of the drama channel in 2000. the number of episodes produced every year has increased five fold. . currently around 500 episodes are broadcast. the station continues to produce hit shows, focusing on subjects that have long been taboo. a romantic drama about a man who sees the love of his life marry another man aired in 2011. ♪ >> in arab society, men are

expected to be strong, and crying in public is regarded as unacceptable. still the drama won over viewers by showing that it sometimes actually happens. >> crying eyes is a drama series about polygamy. muslim men can marry up to four women. the lead, played by habib, falls in love with a young subordinate at his office and gets engaged to her, in spite of having a pregnant wife at home.

>> polygamy is rarely been treated as a problem in muslim society. in this story, the wife pressures the husband, and he's driven sick with worry. habib himself has two wives. haifa hussein is his second. she is a popular actress from bahrain.

the couple married six years ago after appearing in a tv drama together. habib has four children with his first wife.

>> the government of abu dhabi has decided to support the film production industry. it's invited a u.s. film academy to set up a branch in abu dhabi. the school offers one-year courses in acting, filming, and editing. all eight of the staff are westerners and have worked in hollywood. some 20 of the students are uae citizens and receive government support. most of the students will join

the tv industry after they graduate. >> the school's principal is imad deir atany, an industry veteran of many years.

>> it's 8:00 in the evening. after finishing his day job, habib heads for the sack. with ramadan fast approaching, he's busy shooting three different dramas at once. this story depicts three siblings who grow to hate each other as they quarrel over the assets of their recently deceased father. many families in abu dhabi are extremely affluent, and inheritance disputes are a major social problem.

>> the producer of this program is ahmad aljasmi, who also produced the highly successful "worry and panic."

>> habib's scenes are scheduled to start filming at 10:00 at night. if all goes well he should be done by 1:00 in the morning. habib placed the bereaved sibling's scheming uncle, who is trying to steal their inheritance. in this scene, the uncle is concerned that the siblings have discovered their father's will and pays them a visit.

the shoot wraps at 1:00, just as planned. finished. finished. abu dhabi. >> action. >> these new styles of drama in abu dhabi are extremely successful. and they are set to become even more popular in the years to come. !x??z77

♪ hello there and welcome to "newsline." it's thursday january 22nd. i'm catherine kobayashi in tokyo. japanese government leaders on a race against time. they are using all resources available to try to have two nationals believed to be captured by islamic state released. and they're promising the militant group that millions of military aid promised to the middle east is solely for humanitarian purposes. >> translator: we will use the trust and all the channels cultivated in the middle east. we will try every means available.