The Tailor, the Turkish Netflix series, is all about dysfunctional family dynamics with over-the-top theatrics. Many topics have been explored through this show, and somehow it managed to become interesting and engaging by the end of the second season. The story of a long-standing friendship between the two protagonists and the ups and downs they go through because of a misunderstanding forms the crux of the show. The misunderstanding reaches a point where it creates a big rift, an argument, and a reconciliation. But where does the character Kiraz fit into this saga?
From the beginning of The Tailor, it is established that Peyami, one of the leading fashion designers in the city, is struggling with his issues. Right at the start of the show, we’re shown the death of Peyami’s grandfather, who was his mentor and father figure and helped him with tailoring, because of which he became a renowned fashion designer. Since his loss, Peyami probably felt lonely because he was never that close to his grandmother or his biological father, Mustafa. Mustafa is a mental health patient who tends to behave like a child, and because of that, Peyami purposely stays away from him. From a very young age, Peyami was ashamed of revealing who his father was, and it stayed that way long after he became an adult.
Ever since his grandfather‘s passing, he has longed to seek out his mother, who, according to his grandparents, abandoned him and his father and never bothered to look back. Peyami never wanted to meet his mother, but he always wanted to know who she was and understand the reason behind her abandoning her family. He also feels the mother had some responsibility towards him and his father. This is just a narrative that has formed in his mind because his grandparents made him believe the worst about her.
Peyami had a distorted picture of his father and mother’s wedding, and that is the only piece of evidence he has to locate her. After his many encounters with Esvet and realizing she is close enough for him to talk about his abandonment issues. This is when, for the first time, he discussed his quest to find his mother. Peyami anonymously joined a Turkish music group because he found a contact that would lead him to his mother. He is not sure what kind of information or justification he expects from his mother, but there is an inherent need in him to find out more about her. So far, he has not been told her name either. Mustafa’s father was also not a fail-safe option because he was never in a state to talk about her.
Soon, the viewers are finally introduced to the woman who seems to come by every time Peyami performs with the group. Someone he has contacted has informed the woman that Peyami is looking for her. The said person turns out to be Peyami’s friend from the group, Osman. The woman is not showcased much in the first season because her short appearance is good enough for the viewers to conclude that Peyami’s search for his mother might finally come to an end and the mother and son will have a happy reunion. But things never work out the way everyone wants. It takes time to rebuild a relationship and answer many uncomfortable questions to finally establish trust between two people. It is very unlikely that this elderly female figure is willing to speak to Peyami, nor does he intend to make his mother a part of the family if he ever gets to meet her.
In the second season, we get to see more of Kiraz because, in this installment, his grandmother isn’t around to be an obstacle to her. It is conveyed through several scenes in this season that Peyami’s grandmother is no more, and it seems he is not as jolted by her absence as he was after his grandfather passed. Through one of the flashback sequences, Kiraz is shown to be back on the show, and as a nurse, she tends to an injured Peyami, who was shot in the chest in the season one finale. Kiraz turns up weeping because she is very close to believing that Peyami might not live long.
Kiraz decides to finally get close to her son by joining him as a cleaning lady at his company. As Kumru, she can see him daily. Maybe his brush with death made her finally change her mind and choose to get close to him. Mustafa recognizes her when she visits Peyami’s home, but she is thankful that no one is willing to believe him. But deep down, she is aware Mustafa was right and was quickly able to recognize her because of the amount of time they spent together. This was an indication that maybe what Peyami heard from his grandparents was wrong.
There was only one person who believed Mustafa, and that was Esvet. He gave her the ring which Kiraz asked him to save before she left. To confirm her identity, Esvet follows Kiraz to her apartment with the ring. Kiraz recognizes Esvet from Peyami’s workplace. Esvet goes all the way looking out for her because she wants to give Peyami closure. She was not sure if Peyami would be happy or upset, but he had the right to know that his mother works in his proximity.
Osman is also confronted by Peyami because, for the first time, he notices his presence in his parents’ only wedding picture that he possesses. Osman and Esvet decide separately that it is almost time for the mother and the son to meet and have a talk. Kiraz was not ready to talk yet, but she finally revealed his grandmother’s death made her seek him out. She only wanted to take a look at her son and the achievements he had made so far. She never had any intention of disrupting his life. But this time around, she also did not want to sugarcoat the lies that had been propagated to him by his grandparents. Kiraz reveals that ever since she was sold into marriage to Mustafa by her family, his mother made their lives hell by pressurizing her to give them an heir. Having a child was their only goal, and the parents did not care about Mustafa and his wife. What Kiraz experienced was emotional and physical abuse, which was not revealed to Peyami. Kiraz did not let him know before because she was not sure if he would be ready to hear the other side of his grandparents that never came out while they were alive.
Peyami’s life is truly shaken, but with this revelation, he is willing to believe Kiraz and let her be a part of his life. On the night of his fashion show, Peyami introduced his father to the world. His mother is reunited with his father; they love each other, and it was a tiny glitch in their destiny that separated them. Now that Kiraz is back in their lives, there is no reason to not bring them back together. Kiraz was elated to have Mustafa in her life because she had always loved his pure-hearted nature. It’s a little bit late, but Kiraz finally has her family.
