Several top Egyptian actors turned from the small screen to radio last Ramadan, reports Kamal Sultan Top notch actors appeared on various shows aired this year, during Ramadan, and some of them had turned down lucrative television offers to work for radio. One such was Hani Salama, who turned down the television dramas Baligh Hamdi and Ibn Mot (Son Of Death) to take part in the radio show Hareb Ala Safar (Travelling Fugitive), which was aired in Ramadan on Birnamig Aam, The Public Program, the official radio flagship station. The lead female role went to Zeina, who also stayed away from television this year. Salama says he enjoyed working on Hareb Ala Safar with Zeina, Hassan Hosni and Ahmed Khalil. The show was written by Mohamed Galal Abdel-Qawi and directed by Safeyiddin Hossein. "I liked the script, because it was artistic and well written," Salama says. He played a lawyer whose life becomes complicated when he's chased by Mossad, the Israel security authority. Over on Sawt Al-Arab, Voice of Arabs, the regional arm of Egyptian radio, Hani Ramzi and Nicole Saba starred in Latif Zamanu (Smooth Operator), a drama written by Lenin El-Ramli and directed by Kamal Desouqi. "For years, I have been doing a radio show every year," Ramzi says. "Radio has a special flavour both for the actors and the listeners." Unlike television dramas which take months to complete, a radio drama can take only a few days. Nevertheless, Latif Zamanu has proved so popular with Arab audiences that it is soon to be turned into a television show, with the same stars. Nicole Saba says acting on radio was easier than acting on film. "On radio, an actress doesn't have to spend time worrying about her clothes, hair, and how she looks. She can just focus on her voice and performance," she says. This is the first time she has been heard on official Egyptian radio, although she has previously had parts on Nogoum FM. Ayyam Gamila (Lovely Days ), which was aired on Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, The Middle East, during Ramadan, is another radio show that is heading for the small screen. Starring Somayya El-Khashshab, Hassan El-Raddad, Ibrahim Yosri, Hassan Mostafa and Ghada Ibrahim, it was written by Ayman Salama and Ali El-Moseilhi. Khashab, who is no stranger to radio acting, says she liked the script, which is based on a true story. "It's hard to compare working for the radio and working for television," she says. "On radio, listeners use their imagination more, while the actors need to work harder to convey the events using only their voices." Turning radio shows into television dramas is nothing new. The late director Samir Abdel-Azim turned several of his radio shows into films and television dramas. His Laylat al-Qabd ala Fatmah (The Night Fatmah Was Arrested) and Afwah Wa Araneb (Mouths And Rabbits) began life as a radio drama. Wahid Hamed also adapted the popular radio shows A l-Ragul allazi Ad (The Man Who Came Back) and Al-Damm Wal Nar (Blood and Fire) for television. Menna Shalabi did two radio shows this year. She co-starred in Habibti Akher Haga (My sweetheart and beloved girl) with Fathi Abdel-Wahab, Ahmad Bedeir, Lotfi Labib and Abir Sabri. The show, directed by Islam Mahmfouz, was aired on Asharq Al-Awsat. Shalabi also co- starred with Hamada Helal in Shoghl Afarit (Ghost Business), which was aired on Nogoum FM. In Shoghl Afarit, Shalabi plays a jinni (genie) trying to help a family resolve their issues. Jordanian actress Maes Hamdan co-starred with Amr Abdel-Gelil in Demagh Harim (A Woman's Mind), which was aired on Al-Sharq Al-Awsat. This was her first experience in radio. "I got to work for radio because all my colleagues were raving about how much fun it was," Hamdan says. Mahmoud Hemeida, who has turned down all offers to work in television, co-starred with Omar El-hariri, Ayda Riyad, Mohamed Ramadan and Rehab El-Gamal in Ayyam al-Hobb wal Gonoun (Days Of Love And Madness). The drama, written by Emad Motawe and directed by Mohamed Ali, is based on Naguib Mahfouz's novel Yawm Maqtal al-Zaim (The Day The Leader Was Killed ) and was aired on Birnameg Aam,. Mohamed Heneidi partnered Tunisian actress Hend Sabri in Sahm al-Zeitun Telea (Olive Shares Are Up). Heneidi played the role of a young man who inherits a pickles factory from his father. His female cousin, who used to live in London, convinces him to expand and sell the company's shares on the market. The show was aired on Al-Shabab W' Al-Riyada (Youth and Sports). Sabri, who also appeared in the television drama serial Ayza Atgawwez (I Want To Get Married) during Ramadan, says she had fun working for radio. "I couldn't resist the chance to work for the radio as Mohamed Heneidi's cousin who had studied economics in London," she says. Ahmed El-Saqqa co-starred in the radio comedy Ashan Khater Masr (For the Sake of Egypt) with Ghada Adel, Inas Makki, Soliman Eid and Samir Mohsen. The show was written by Baher Duweidar and directed by Hossein Ibrahim. "I was supposed to make a television show this year with the Adl Group, but I was injured in an accident, and the shooting was postponed. So I decided to work for radio, which is very enjoyable," Saqqa said. Ahmed Helmi and his wife Mona Zaki starred in Yana Yanti (Me Or You), a show written for radio by Magdi El-Kadsh and directed by Alaa Khalaf. The show was aired on Al-Sharq Al-Awsat. Raghda co-starred with Busi, Sameh El-Sereiti, Haytham Mohamed and Hadi Hani in Haqiqat al-Awham (The Truth about Delusions). In this show, which was aired on Sawt Al-Arab, Raghda played the role of an American woman who is friendly with an Arab family, a relationship that was complicated when her son died in the 9/11 attacks. The show was written by Noha Ibrahim and directed by Yosriya Ali. Salah El-Saadani co-starred with Wafaa Amer and Liqaa El-Khamisi in Ana wal Habib (Me And The Beloved), a drama written by Amr Abdel-Sami, directed by Ismail Abdel-Fattah and broadcast on Birnameg Aam. What is remarkable this year is the increase in the number of shows and of big names appearing in them. One reason for this is that several private production companies have become involved in financing these shows. The most coveted broadcasting time for is just before sunset in Ramadan, the time slot taken this year by Shoghl Afareet and Baba Zaim Esaba (Father Is A Gangster) / According to polls conducted by radio itself, the shows have been very popular across the Arab world. Some, such as Ayyam Gamila, Sahm al-Zeitun Tala, Yana Yanti, Haqiqat al-Awham and Demagh Harim have been posted on several websites. In all 25 shows were broadcast last Ramadan, and there is good news for anyone who may have missed any of them. Radio director Intisar Shalabi has promised to arrange re-runs on various radio stations so as to give the public a chance to listen to them at their leisure.
