MBC Group offers free Shahid VIP subscriptions to new users

The group is offering new users a one-month free VIP subscription starting Friday, March 20

'Born A King' documents the true story of 13-year-old Faisal, the young son of the first King of Saudi Arabia, who in 1919 is sent on a diplomatic mission. Courtesy King Faisal Center for Research andShow more

The Middle East Broadcasting Centre (MBC) is offering new users free VIP subscriptions to its streaming service platform, Shahid. The group cited the current outbreak of the novel coronavirus and the directives in the region to remain indoors as the motivation behind the decision.

“Given the current circumstances, Shahid wants you to stay safe but also be able to enjoy your time, while you #StayAtHome,” the broadcasting company said in a statement. To enjoy a free one-month subscription of Shahid VIP, users must sign up between Friday, March 20, and Sunday, April 5. This promotion is exclusively available to new users in the Middle East region. Once the free subscription has ended, it will roll over into a paid subscription that starts at Dh20 per month or Dh174 per year.

Shahid VIP grants access to Shahid’s premium library of family entertainment, including exclusives on Shahid Premieres and Shahid Originals, as well as Arabic movies fresh off the big screen and live broadcasts from the MBC channels in HD quality. There is also content for English speakers as well.

In January, the group partnered with Disney and Fox to bring more than 3,000 hours of content to the biggest streaming library of Arabic content, including blockbusters by Disney and Marvel subtitled and/or dubbed in Arabic.

Shahid also offers a catalogue of MBC's own shows, such as Beirut Bride, Project Runway Arabia and The Voice Arabia, as well as dubbed or subtitled foreign content, from British TV shows such as Top Gear to Hollywood action, Turkish soaps and Korean romcoms.

If you’re unsure where to start with your free VIP subscription, we’ve set up a recommendation list to beef up your watch-list.

Our recommendations on what to watch on Shahid:

'Born A King'

The 2019 film Born a King (Wulida Malikan) documents the true story of Faisal, the son of the first King of Saudi Arabia. In the frenetic post-WWI atmosphere, 13-year-old Faisal is sent to a diplomatic mission by his father in 1919 on a politically precarious trip lasting five months. He ultimately becomes the hugely popular King of Saudi Arabia (1964-1975), implementing modernisation and reform.

'The Wolf in the Heart'

Al Theeb fi Al Qleeb (The Wolf in the Heart) marks Saudi comedy icon Nasser Al-Qasabi's return to theatre after 30 years. The play tells the story of an accountant who is accused of embezzlement and seeks to prove his innocence.

'Tears of Joy'

Domoa Farah (Tears of Joy) is a Khaleeji social drama that explores what happens when a holiday abroad turns into a nightmare for one Kuwaiti family, who lose their daughter in one of Georgia's most dangerous forests.

'Every Week Has A Friday'

Egyptian drama thriller Fe Kul Esboa Youm Gomaa (Every Week Has A Friday) tells the story of Laila, a girl with a mysterious past forced to live with a mentally challenged man named "Emad", in his house where a series of gruesome crimes happen every Friday.

'Blood Oath'

Ahd El Dam (Blood Oath) is an action, suspense, drama that revolves around a man who mistakenly murders the daughter of a notorious drug dealer, which results in him forced into many situations and dilemmas to protect the ones he loves.

'Frozen'

The family-favourite Frozen is now available on Shahid, as part of MBC's partnership with Disney. When the newly crowned Queen Elsa accidentally transforms her home into a land of infinite winter and flees, her sister, Anna, joins forces with a snowman, an iceman and his reindeer to track down her sibling and convince her to return home and break the spell.

'Captain America: Civil War'

Most of your favorite Marvel movies are now available to watch on Shahid with Arabic subtitles. Captain America: Civil War pits Iron Man and Captain America against each other. The future of the Avengers is threatened as one group stands by with a government's decision to control their powers while the other opposes it.

'Tolkien'

As a young student, J R R Tolkien finds love, friendship and artistic inspiration among a group of fellow outcasts. Their brotherhood soon strengthens as Tolkien weathers the storm of a tumultuous courtship with Edith Bratt and the outbreak of World War I. These early life experiences later inspire the budding author to write the classic fantasy novels The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

'Life of Pi'

This is another inclusion as part of MBC's tie-in with Fox. The cinematic adaptation of the Canadian philosophical novel, by Yann Martel, won four Oscars in 2013. The story follows Pi Patel as he finds a way to survive in a lifeboat that is adrift in the middle of the ocean. His fight against the odds is heightened by the company of a hyena and a male Bengal tiger.