Ayça Ayşin Turan
Sahra
Overview
Two meddling grannies trick their adult grandkids into a meet-cute that reignites a childhood crush and old grudges.
Cast
8 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Grandmas Are the Only Ones Who Know What They’re Doing
I’ve seen this movie before. Not Make Me Believe specifically—though I’ve seen that too, now—but the blueprint it follows with such unshakable confidence. Two attractive people who used to like each other, now pretending they don’t, are forced into close quarters by a third party who is either a fairy godmother, a nosy neighbor, or, in this case, a pair of scheming grandmothers.
The grandmothers, it turns out, are the only characters in the film who seem to understand how love actually works: as a series of inconveniences, misunderstandings, and meddling.
The film opens with Sahra (Ayça Ayşin Turan) and Deniz (Ekin Koç) being tricked into a family vacation at the same seaside villa in Çanakkale, a picturesque stretch of Turkey’s Aegean coast. Their grandmothers—Aysel and Semiha—have been plotting this reunion for years, ever since the two leads’ teenage romance fizzled out under the weight of adolescent pride and a single, spectacularly ill-timed argument.
The grandmothers, played by Yıldız Kültür and Zerrin Sümer, are the film’s secret weapons: sharp, warm, and utterly unapologetic about their interference. They’re the kind of women who know that love isn’t about grand gestures or soulful confessions, but about showing up, even when you’d rather not. Especially when you’d rather not.
What follows is a rom-com in the purest, most predictable sense. There are forced proximity gags (a shared car ride, a power outage), lingering glances, and a series of arguments that are really just foreplay in disguise. The film leans heavily on the chemistry between Turan and Koç, who have an easy, playful rapport that makes their characters’ bickering feel less like hostility and more like a long-running inside joke.
Their performances are the film’s strongest asset—particularly in the quieter moments, when the script allows them to drop the rom-com armor and just be two people who once knew each other intimately and now have to pretend they don’t.
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsBehind the Scenes of Make Me Believe: A Turkish Rom-Com Reunion with Meddling Grandmas
Make Me Believe (2023), the Turkish romantic comedy directed by Evren Karabıyık Günaydın and Murat Saraçoğlu, brings together a familiar on-screen duo for a story of rekindled childhood crushes and scheming grandmothers. Starring Ayça Ayşin Turan and Ekin Koç, latestnetflix.com argues, the film leans into the charm of its leads and the comedic potential of its premise—but what’s the real story behind the production?
A Reunion for Ayça Ayşin Turan and Ekin Koç
Turan and Koç, who previously shared the screen in the popular Turkish series Love 101 (2020–2021), reunite in Make Me Believe as Sahra and Deniz, former high school sweethearts whose grandmothers engineer a meet-cute decades in the making. The film’s premise—a playful twist on second-chance romance—capitalizes on the chemistry the two actors established in their earlier project. While neither has publicly detailed their off-screen dynamic, their prior collaboration likely smoothed the way for this lighthearted romp 
.
The supporting cast adds depth to the comedic chaos, with veteran actresses Zerrin Sümer and Yıldız Kültür playing the meddling grandmothers. Their characters’ antics drive the plot, setting up the film’s central conflict: a forced reunion that reignites old flames and unresolved grudges .
A Classic Rom-Com Formula with a Turkish Twist
Make Me Believe follows a well-worn rom-com template: two ex-lovers, a pushy family member, and a series of misunderstandings that lead to reconciliation. The film’s Turkish title, Sen İnandır, hints at its focus on persuasion—whether through love, humor, or sheer stubbornness. While the premise isn’t groundbreaking, the execution relies on the cast’s comedic timing and the cultural specificity of its setting.
The directors, Günaydın and Saraçoğlu, have experience in both film and television, though Make Me Believe marks one of their more high-profile theatrical releases. Their approach here leans into broad humor and sentimental beats, a style that aligns with Turkey’s thriving rom-com genre .
What We Don’t Know (Yet)
Despite its star power and familiar premise, Make Me Believe hasn’t generated much behind-the-scenes buzz. There are no confirmed reports about on-set tensions, box office expectations, or critical reception beyond the basic plot summaries available. The film’s production details—budget, filming locations, or even its release strategy—remain largely under wraps.
Rumors about a potential sequel or expanded universe are nonexistent, though the success of similar Turkish rom-coms (like Aile Arasında or Organize İşler) suggests there’s an audience for this kind of story. For now, Make Me Believe stands as a straightforward, feel-good project designed to capitalize on its leads’ popularity .
The Bottom Line
Make Me Believe is a reunion vehicle for Turan and Koç, wrapped in a rom-com package with a Turkish flair. Its strength lies in its cast and the chemistry between its leads, rather than any narrative innovation. Without more details about its production or reception, the film remains a lighthearted entry in Turkey’s romantic comedy landscape—one that leans on nostalgia and meddling grandmothers to deliver its charm.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.