The Talking Stages

Aim

Create a mini-series that follows Laila, a soon to be 30 year old Muslim woman who is fed up by her non-existent love life.

The Story

The Talking Stages is a comedy web series revolving around Laila, a 29 year old who is feeling the pressure of turning 30 with her career going nowhere and a non-existent love life. While her age mates swap stories of exes and heartbreak, Laila hasn’t even made it to the “talking stage.” Determined to take control, she sets out to change that, one first date at a time.

Each episode follows Laila on a new date in a café, but will she be able to separate the frogs from her prince?

Shot in a mockumentary style, The Talking Stages explores dating and marriage through a British Muslim lens, blending humour with honest, rarely seen perspectives.

Why support this project?

The Talking Stages is a passion project, brought to life by a team of British Muslims who genuinely care about telling this story with honesty and humour. We’re putting everything we can into making it happen, but we need your support to bring it to life at the quality it deserves.

Your contributions will help cover essential production costs, from equipment and locations to feeding our cast and crew, so we can focus on creating something meaningful. By supporting us, you’re helping champion a story that comes from the heart and giving space to voices and experiences that aren’t often seen on screen.

Laila has reached 29 and has never had a serious talking stage. She decides enough is enough. Each episode, she’ll be meeting someone new, but will she be able to separate the frogs from her prince? 

Web series is a comedy about Laila, a 29 year old who is approaching ‘30’ and her cousin Samira who runs a café. Each episode Laila meets someone she’s set up with by her friend or by Samira. There are six episodes in the series, each episode ranging from 6–8 minutes.

The project is shot in a mockumentary style (similar to The Office or Abbott Elementary) and it’s a comedy that explores dating and marriage from a British Muslim experience.

Inspiration

The Talking stages is mainly set in the cafe Samira works in. It is owned by Samira’s Dad. We will be using the Colombian Coffee Company which is in Angel. There is also one scene which will need to be filmed at a restaurant, potentially Adulis in Oval. 

The Cast

'Laila' - Hajar Abdullah
Writer and Creator of 'The Talking Stages'

Hajar is the writer and creator of The Talking Stages, and will also star as Laila. Her work has earned her a place at the Paramount Storytelling Summit and a longlisting for the Slick Funds Awards. This is her debut project, with more currently in development.

'Harris' - Kazeem Taiwo

Kazeem Taiwo is a London-born actor and former model who began his career on the runway walking for brands like Dolce & Gabbana. Kazeem has trained as an actor across both the UK and the US, studying at leading institutions including the Identity School of Acting and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. He continues to develop his screen craft in Los Angeles, training with the Margie Haber Studio and the Ivana Chubbuck Studio. His screen work includes small features in major productions like ‘Barbie’ and Bong Joon-Ho’s ‘Mickey 17’.

'Samira' - Basma Hamde
Executive Producer

Basma is a London based Actor, with 5 years of experience in Film & HETV as an Assistant Director. Her credits include 'Narnia', 'Deadpool & Wolverine' and 'Bridgerton'. Basma is passionate about facilitating the telling and showcasing of stories created by people from the global majority on the big screen. This is her debut project as Executive Producer & Actor, she will star as "Samira" in the series. 

The Team

Yusra Gilani Ahmed
Director

Yusra is the Director of The Talking Stages and has six years of experience in the film and television industry. She is passionate about telling authentic and relatable stories, particularly for people of colour. She has worked as an Assistant Director on major productions including 'Barbie', 'Wonka', and HBO's 'Harry Potter'. Yusra is committed to making the industry more inclusive and accessible, especially for women who wear the hijab, and hopes to help create a more representative future on screen.

Isra Gilani
Producer

Isra is a Producer with over 5 years experience in film and HETV, having worked as an Assistant Director on productions such as 'Wicked', 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice', 'Wonka' and 'House of the Dragon'. With a background in internationally relations, she brings a global and politically informed perspective to her approach. She is the founder of the BAME Film Network and works on various youth outreach projects, encouraging diversity of thought and engagement in media and politics. 

Yasmine Tohme
Director of Photography

Yasmine Tohme is a Lebanese filmmaker based in London, whose work explores themes of shared humanity and cross-cultural understanding. Working across directing, producing, DPing, and editing, she has developed projects in the UK, the US, and Italy. Committed to harnessing the power of storytelling as a force for positive change, Tohme hopes to shed light on the complexities of Arab identity.

Nasrin Hoque
1st Assistant Director

Nasrin is an Assistant Director with 11 years in the film industry, having worked on projects like 'The Thomas Crown Affair', 'Deadpool 3', 'Jurassic World 4: Rebirth', and 'Blitz'. She’s passionate about pushing for more representation in the industry and is keen to work on more projects led by and featuring women of colour.

The Budget

Timeline

Pre-Production: February - May 2026

Shoot dates: June 2026

Post-Production: July - August 2026

Screening: September 2026 

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 30th June 2026 at 8:45pm