The BBC has acquired Kabul, a six-part fictional drama set against the real-life events of August 2021 in Afghanistan. Produced by 24 25 Films and Cinétévé in collaboration with the European Alliance, the series will be available in full on BBC iPlayer from Sunday, 2 August, before beginning on BBC Four at 9pm on Saturday, 15 August. The drama opens in Kabul on 15 August 2021 as American troops withdraw and the Taliban enter the city. The Nazany family, like many other civilians, is forced to flee through fear of retaliation while the threat of an ISIS attack continues to grow.
Against this increasingly desperate situation, French police officers, Italian diplomats, German military personnel and American intelligence services must attempt to coordinate the evacuation while also trying to protect their own lives. As the city closes in around them, the countdown to escape begins.
The international cast includes Darina Al Joundi, Shervin Alenabi, Vassilis Koukalani, Hannah Abdoh, Jonathan Zaccaï, Gianmarco Saurino, Jeanne Goursaud and Eric Dane.
Nick Lee, Head of BBC Programme Acquisition, says: “Kabul is a tragedy of the highest stakes. A warzone story which is propelled by the real ticking clock of the evacuation that was just five years ago this summer. Global politics remain complex, but Kabul dramatises the biggest view of history through the smallest window of a human family.”
Robyn Hurd, SVP UK and Scandinavia Sales and Coproductions at Mediawan Rights, called the series “a powerful and deeply human story” set against events that continue to resonate around the world.
Kabul was directed by Kasia Adamik and Olga Chajdas, with Olivier Demangel, Thomas Finkielkraut and Joey Lavy writing the series. Fabienne Servan-Schreiber, Charlotte Ortiz, Matthias Weber and Thibault Gast produced, while Sandrine Paquot served as executive producer.
For CultureCues, Kabul sounds like a timely and emotionally difficult drama, with its focus on one family giving audiences a human way into the wider events of the evacuation. The international cast and real-time pressure at the centre of the story should make this a powerful addition to BBC Four’s drama line-up.
Kabul will be available on BBC iPlayer from Sunday, 2 August and begins on BBC Four at 9pm on Saturday, 15 August 2026.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.