OSAMA Anwar Okasha, one of Egypt's best screenwriters, died at a Cairo hospital Friday at the age of 69, his family members and friends said. Okasha died of complications from liver cancer at Wadi el-Nile Hospital, they said. Late Okasha became an Egyptian icon in the 1980s and 1990s with his very popular TV dramas like El-Helmiya Nights, Honey and Tears, The White Flag and Mrs. Hekmat's Conscience. Strong women were often the main characters of his works. His novels have made him a TV stand staple for three decades especially during the holy fasting month of Ramadan. But before his career in writing took off, the Gharbia Governorate native worked as a teacher and an administrator at Al-Azhar University. Okasha started as scriptwriter for the Egyptian TV and radio stations by the age of 30. Working as a screenwriter, Okasha wrote many films including Blood on the Asphalt and his masterpiece The Death Squad, showcasing Nour el-Sherif, Maali Zayed and Mamdouh Abdul Aleem. In 1980s and 1990s, he turned to the fledgling television industry as screenwriter for Amira in Abdeen and followed up by many hit TV series that offered a deep glimpse into the Egyptian society. Okasha was buried yesterday in the afternoon.
