Dark Rain Chronicles

Dark Rain Chronicles
Written by	Ahmed Tholal Ali Shifau
Directed by	Ali Shifau
Country of origin	Maldives
Original language	Divehi
No. of seasons	2
No. of episodes	14
Production
Cinematography	Ali Shifau Aaim Zamyr
Editor	Ali Shifau
Production company	Dark Rain Entertainment
Original release
Release	November 12, 2022 (2022-11-12)

Dark Rain Chronicles is a Maldivian anthology web series directed by Ali Shifau. The first season, comprising six revenge thriller short segments, premiered on 12 November 2022. All segments from the first season were directed by Ali Shifau with Shifau and Ahmed Tholal credited as the writers.

The second season consisting of eight segments focusing on love, premiered on 1 January 2024. Shahudha Mahmood joined Shifau in the second season, directing four segments and being credited as the writer for five segments.

Cast and characters

Season 1 (2022)

Assalaam Alaikum Adam Rizwee as Naail Sharaf Abdulla as Ahmed Mariyam Haleem as Hafeeza Ali; Naail's mother Ahmed Mohamed Ibrahim Shiyaz as Matheen Fathimath Latheefa as Ahmed's mother Ahmed Sunie as Matheen's friend Fureytha Ahmed Sunie as Lirar Aishath Yaadha as Ainth Mohamed Shivaz as Nafiz Fathimath Zuhair as Ainth's friend Rankolhaa Ismail Rasheed as Shareef Fathimath Sara Adam as Anoosha Mohamed Vishal as Adam Fainaz as Areesha Adam Rizwee as a customer

Surprise Ahmed Saeed as Azee Ismail Jumaih as Nadey Aminath Aseela as Liu Ali Nadheeh as Azee's subordinate Party Ali Shameel as Yasir Hamdhoon Farooq as Ahdhu Ali Shazleem Azmee Adam Naseer Ahmed Mohamed Izzak Mohamed Naail Nostalgia Ahmed Shakir as Nagidh Ahmed Sharif as Riyaz Adam Rizwee as a customer

Season 2 (2024)

Baiskalu Sheela Najeeb as Aafiya Ahmed Saeed as Razzag Aishath Razan Ramiz as Raniya Saamee Hussain Didi as Zihan Lemon Cake Nuzuhath Shuaib as Sama Ali Sharaf Abdulla as Rayaan Mohamed Aisha Ali as Sara Ali Mariyam Majudha as Riyana Mohamed Vishal as Shuhan Lafzu Roanu Hassan Manik as Hashim Ravee Farooq as Ali Zayan Aishath Yaadha as Minha Dejavu Mohamed Faisal as Azim Aminath Shuha as Saaya Sharaf Abdulla as Rayaan Mohamed

Dhemaa Abdullah Shafiu Ibrahim as Shah Maleeha Waheed as Shamha Ahmed Shakir as Shah's friend Fathimath Sara Adam as Mira Mee Loabi Ahmed Easa Aishath Yaadha Dhey Handhaan Mariyam Majudha as Riyana Mohamed Vishal as Shuhan Nuzuhath Shuaib as Sama Ali Maleeha Waheed as Shamha Dhuruvaan Jehunas Ahmed Sharif Aminath Aseela

Chapters

Series overview

Season	Episodes		Originally aired
			First aired	Last aired	Network
1	6		November 12, 2022 (2022-11-12)	December 19, 2022 (2022-12-19)	Baiskoafu
2	8		January 1, 2024 (2024-01-01)	February 26, 2024 (2024-02-26)

Season 1: Revenge thriller (2022)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Camera by	Original release date
1	1	"Assalaam Alaikum"	Ali Shifau	Ahmed Tholal	Ali Shifau	November 12, 2022 (2022-11-12)
Hafeeza, a patient suffering from short term memory loss, receives a fraud call from a desperate young man, Naail, impersonating as a staff from a Bank. The scammer cunningly transfers her life saving to his account. Hafeeza ultimately finds out about the scam and dies from the trauma. Few months later, Hafeeza's only son, Naail traces Ahmed and blackmails him to retrieve the money.
2	2	"Fureytha"	Ali Shifau	Ahmed Tholal	Ali Shifau	November 21, 2022 (2022-11-21)
Ainth, a housewife is constantly abused by her dominating husband, Lirar, a renowned comedian. Later one night, a fight ensues resulting Ainth stabbing Lirar on his neck by a scissor and cleverly disposing his body.
3	3	"Rankolhaa"	Ali Shifau	Ahmed Tholal	Ali Shifau	November 27, 2022 (2022-11-27)
Adam and Anoosha continues having casual sex. Adam starts having romantic feelings towards her while Anoosha insists them to remain only as sexual partners. During one such conversations, Adam declares he will murder any person who harms Anoosha. Contended, she invites a pervert, Shareef and Adam to a guest house which results the invitees sharing shame, confusions and anguish, while Anoosha receiving her long awaited revenge.
4	4	"Surprise"	Ali Shifau	Ali Shifau	Ali Shifau	December 5, 2022 (2022-12-05)
Liu, married to a manipulative and wealthy businessman, Azee, has an extramarital affair with Nadey, who insists her to poison Azee. On their anniversary, Liu attempts to execute their plan and everything goes smoothly as planned. However, as Azee falls to the ground, Liu tries to call Nadey but unable to connect to him. In a turn of events, she realized that Azee is several steps ahead of them in their ploy and there is no escape for them.
5	5	"Party"	Ali Shifau	Ahmed Tholal	Ali Shifau	December 12, 2022 (2022-12-12)
Yasir, a high-ranked police officer becomes a drug addict after the demise of his loving son. In his sever condition, Yasir goes to extreme measures to ensure that his son murderer receives the treatment.
6	6	"Nostalgia"	Ali Shifau	Ahmed Tholal	Aaim Zamyr, Ali Shifau	December 19, 2022 (2022-12-19)
Riyaz, is joined by a stranger, Nagidh, at a restaurant, who claims to be a classmate of Riyaz at fifth grade. During their interactions, Riyaz recollects his memories of their childhood and faintly remembers Nagidh as his classmate who was bullied by him and his friends, Naufal and Imad. Nagidh, currently working as medical trainee, get his opportunity to take revenge on his bullies by poisoning every one of them.

Season 2: Love (2024)

No. overall	No. in season	Title	Directed by	Written by	Camera by	Original release date
7	1	"Baiskalu"	Ali Shifau	Ahmed Tholal	Ahmed Zifaaf	January 1, 2024 (2024-01-01)
A contentedly married couple visits Sultan Park, indulging in memories of their childhood and the early days of their relationship. While there, they come across a young couple facing turmoil as the husband has forgotten their wedding anniversary due to his hectic schedule. Sensing an opportunity to help, the older couple intervenes, emphasizing that love can transcend any situation. As they share their own experiences, the middle-aged couple substantiates their statements in practice, offering the younger couple a reassuring perspective on enduring love.
8	2	"Lemon Cake (Part 1)"	Shahudha Mahmood	Shahudha Mahmood	Ahmed Zifaaf	January 8, 2024 (2024-01-08)
Sara returns to the city and crosses paths with Rayaan, her sister Sama's boyfriend, whom she has been avoiding. Sama discovers notes revealing Rayaan's struggle with depression but is too afraid to confront him, despite Sara's advice. Tragedy strikes when Rayaan overdoses on pills and is hospitalized. Sama stays by his side but is called away for an urgent meeting, reluctantly asking Sara to take her place for a short while, to which Sara hesitantly agrees.
9	3	"Lemon Cake (Part 2)"	Shahudha Mahmood	Shahudha Mahmood	Ahmed Zifaaf	January 15, 2024 (2024-01-15)
Sara, feeling hungry, brings food to the hospital, including Rayaan's favorite lemon cake. Sama notices Rayaan's gradual improvement due to Sara’s presence and convinces her to visit more often under various pretexts, always with a lemon cake in hand. Sara secures a scholarship placement, but this triggers a relapse in Rayaan’s mental health. Meanwhile, Sara is devastated when her colleague steals her presentation for the scholarship submission, driving her to contemplate ending her life. Before taking any drastic step, she stumbles upon an article where Rayaan credits her for giving him a reason to live, revealing that Sama is his best friend, not his lover.
10	4	"Lafzu"	Ali Shifau	Ahmed Tholal	Ahmed Zifaaf	January 22, 2024 (2024-01-22)
Hashim, an elderly man estranged from his family due to past mistakes, advertises for a caretaker. Zayan, a young man living in solitude after his mother's death, takes up the offer for a modest monthly fee. As they spend time together, they bond over shared activities like beach outings and watching classic films. Their conversations grow deeper, exploring Hashim's regrets and Zayan's memories of his late mother. In an emotional revelation, it comes to light that Zayan is Hashim's illegitimate son, bringing their connection full circle and offering a chance for redemption and healing.
11	5	"Dejavu"	Shahudha Mahmood	Shahudha Mahmood	Ahmed Zifaaf	January 29, 2024 (2024-01-29)
Saaya, an introvert, meets Azim, an accountant, while jogging, and they agree to have coffee if they cross paths again. During their meeting, Saaya feels a strong sense of déjà vu, which she admits has been happening since an accident that left her in a coma for weeks. She vaguely remembers similar conversations and incidents but can't piece them together. t’s revealed that Azim is her lover, whom she forgot due to memory loss from the accident. Determined to reconnect, Azim recreates their moments together, hoping to rekindle their love.
12	6	"Dhemaa"	Ali Shifau	Shahudha Mahmood	Ahmed Zifaaf	February 7, 2024 (2024-02-07)
Shah sells a PlayStation CD to Shamha, who is passionate about breaking gender stereotypes. They bond over shared ideals and fall in love, leading to Shah proposing to her. Shamha accepts but mysteriously leaves soon after, saying she has to go. Later, Shah meets Mira, an equally determined and independent woman with the same mission for gender equality. Their connection grows and starts a relationship. However, Mira soon discovers Shah's past with Shamha. Furious, the two women team up and attack Shah.
13	7	"Mee Loabi"	Shahudha Mahmood	Shahudha Mahmood	TBA	February 12, 2024 (2024-02-12)
14	8	"Dhey Handhaan"	Shahudha Mahmood	Shahudha Mahmood	TBA	February 19, 2024 (2024-02-19)
Shuhan and Riyana, a couple who met through social media dating, enjoy a blissful marriage until frequent arguments strain their bond. Unable to reconcile, Riyana leaves and requests a divorce, which Shuhan reluctantly agrees to. Three months later, Shuhan encounters Riyana again, only to discover she is blind. She confesses she had been diagnosed with conjunctivitis shortly after their marriage but left him, fearing she would become a burden. Despite her revelation that her illness is terminal, Shuhan vows to stay by her side. They share a bittersweet reunion before Riyana’s passing, leaving Shuhan cherishing her memories forever.
15	9	"Dhuruvaan Jehunas"	Shahudha Mahmood	Shahudha Mahmood	TBA	February 26, 2024 (2024-02-26)

Development

On 14 September 2020, on the occasion of Dark Rain Entertainment's fourteenth anniversary, they announced several projects including Dark Rain Chronicles, written and directed by Ali Shifau.[1] Filming for the last episode titled "Nostalgia" commenced on 20 July 2022, which was anticipated to be the pilot episode of the series. During the time, the team announced that the first season will consist of a total of five episodes, later adding another episode to the season.[2] Filming for the second episode titled Fureytha was completed in August 2022.[3]

Filming for the second season commenced in October 2023.[4] Presenter, Shahudha Mahmoodh was reported to rope in to direct two episodes of the second season, out of which the episodes titled "Lemon Cake" was confirmed to be written by Mahmood.[5] Script for this segment was completed in two days.[5]

Release and reception

In August 2022, Dark Rain Entertainment announced that first season consisting six episodes will premiere in October 2022.[6] The series was later pushed for a November release.[7] The first episode of the series titled "Assalaam Alaikum" was released on 12 November 2022 through Baiskoafu.[8] The six episodes of the first season received positive reviews from critics.[8]

The first series focuses on six stories of ultimate revenge.[9] The first episode titled Assalaam Alaikum featuring Adam Rizwee and Sharaf Abdulla, follows a protective son avenging a scammer for the death of his mother.[9] The second episode titled Fureytha features Aishath Yaadha as a helpless wife committing a heinous crime against her abusive husband.[9] The third episode Rankolhaa focuses on the sensitive child who has been molested by her step-father and her fruitful revenge years later.[9] The fourth episode titled Surprise narrates a manipulative, wealthy businessman and his revenge on his unfaithful wife.[9] The fifth episode titled Party features Ali Shameel as a drug addict father avenging his son's murder while the last episode of the series Nostalgia narrates the vengeance of a person bullied during childhood.[9]

References

1. Jaishan, Ahmed (15 September 2020). "New projects of Dark Rain". Mihaaru (in Divehi). Archived from the original on 21 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
2. Rasheed, Ahmed (24 July 2022). "Filming started for "Nostalgia" from DRE". MuniAvas (in Divehi). Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
3. "6 Episodes' project from Dark Rain". The Press (in Divehi). 22 August 2022. Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
4. Adhushan, Ahmed (29 November 2023). "Sharaf for the leading role helmed by Shahudha". RaajjeLive (in Divehi). Archived from the original on 1 December 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
5. "Shahudha: From being an RJ to a director". PSM News (in Divehi). 7 October 2023. Archived from the original on 1 December 2023. Retrieved 1 December 2023.
6. "Dark Rain Chronicles coming to Baiskoafu". Hurihaa (in Divehi). 23 August 2022. Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
7. Luba, Aminath (29 October 2022). "Dark Rain's Anthology to release next month; trailer is very different". The Press (in Divehi). Archived from the original on 22 February 2023. Retrieved 22 February 2023.
8. Jaishan, Ahmed (18 November 2022). "No more "Gudhan", awaiting Dark Rain Chronicles". Sun (in Divehi). Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
9. Hameed Adam, Ahmed (21 August 2022). "New contents coming to Baiskoafu". Avas (in Divehi). Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.