Saagar Kote
Netflix’s ‘To Love, To Lose’ or ‘Ayrilik da Sevdaya Dahil’ centers on the unique connection between two individuals who come from different worlds. Afife Jale, a screenwriter and diner owner, crosses paths with Kemal Yaniklar, a member of a local loan shark family. Afife is in a difficult position, not finding approval for her scripts with television networks and suffering financially due to the diner’s losses. Her already chaotic life gets worse when she learns that her mother owes a large sum of money to Kemal and his family.
Kemal initially strives to collect the debt from Afife at any cost, but meeting her leads to unexpected feelings. As the two traverse the line between enmity and friendship, they realize that love is not an easy emotion to deal with. To come to terms with their realities, Kemal and Afife may have to question their own views. Created by Yavuz Turgul, the Turkish drama series is a nuanced and layered exploration of familial ties, love, the magic of stories, and the convergence of business and romance. SPOILERS AHEAD.
To Love, To Lose is a Poignant Navigation of the Convergence of Love and Business
‘To Love, To Lose,’ written by Yavuz Turgul, Kurtcebe Turgul, and Nilgün Önes, is a heartwarming tale of complexities. Although a work of fiction, it explores the unusual meeting of romance and economics in urban reality. The core of the show is the connection between Afife and Kemal, who come from very different families and economic backgrounds. Afife values her freedom and her family, but Kemal feels an obligation to his own family. While love and affection come naturally to Afife, Kemal’s life is defined by duty and familial expectations, leaving little to no room for emotional vulnerability. Despite Kemal and Afife being imaginary characters, their realities in the show capture the various aspects of human emotions. Kemal’s character dynamics and his relationships with his family members reflect issues in the business world.
Though the series doesn’t make moral statements, it shows how an obsession with money and profit can alienate people from love. On the other hand, Afife has enough love in her life, but has no money to save her. She doesn’t value money as Kemal does, but is forced to work for it as it becomes a question of survival. When these two philosophically opposite characters converge, it leads to various emotions that reflect human fragility, the need for genuine human connection, and the meaning of life. In the narrative, love is not treated as just a means to make the story more intriguing, but as a consequence of character arcs.
The show organically builds a complicated tale of love between Afife and Kemal, without diluting their economic differences or morals. Along with these two characters, the ways in which other characters interact with them also add to the commentary on class differences, financial independence, and a sense of injustice in society. All in all, ‘To Love, To Lose’ is a fictional story that meaningfully captures the essence of human emotions within the realities of a world full of competition.
To Love, To Lose Depicts Turkish Urban Realities in the Shadow of Crime
‘To Love, To Lose’ is a grounded story that delves into survival and crime in Turkish urban settings. We learn more about the hustle and bustle of Istanbul through the eyes of Afife and Kemal. The economic realities of the middle class clash with the privileged lives of the upper classes, often leading to tension. The show also sheds light on the fights for human rights within the city, particularly those related to women’s rights. In the narrative, crime plays a major role in the lives of ordinary citizens, mainly due to the system of loans and debt. Individuals depend on loan sharks, instead of banks, to help them out during times of desperation. This leads to a system of control and domination wherein the lenders wield significant influence over the actions of the borrowers.
Afife’s experiences with debt and financial dependence symbolically represent the struggles of others like her. However, even the loan sharks are humanized in a unique way in the story. They, too, are depicted as people who have to stick to their methods in order to survive the competition. Without controlling the borrowers, the lenders lose their influence in society and find no easy way to pursue other opportunities. In a way, economic factors become cultural elements, driving people towards isolation or unity.
Interestingly, on both sides of the class divide, family plays an important role. Without the support of family, it becomes difficult for individuals like Kemal and Afife to lead a normal life. Individualism takes a back seat to favor a collectivist approach to life. In conclusion, ‘To Love, To Lose,’ while being a fictional story with imaginary characters, portrays social realities with cinematic visual styles and dramatic narrative flavors.
