Egyptian Screenwriter Mohamed Abdelmalek: “I Left Medicine for the Art of Storytelling”

Egyptian screenwriter Mohamed Suleiman Abdelmalek shared his journey from studying medicine to writing television dramas during a professional workshop titled “Writing the TV Series Script” at the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair.

Abdelmalek said his passion for storytelling outweighed his medical career, describing screenwriting as “a form of dissecting the human soul rather than the body.” Drawing on over fifteen years of experience, he discussed the evolution of Arab drama and the growing impact of digital platforms on writing and audience engagement.

He emphasized that a screenplay is the foundation of any production, bridging creativity with practical execution, and that the biggest challenge for writers lies in expressing deep emotions with few words and crafting natural dialogue that reflects real life.

Born in Kuwait in 1979, Abdelmalek is best known for acclaimed TV works such as “Raqam Maghoul” (Unknown Number), “Mamalik al-Nar” (Kingdoms of Fire), and “Bab al-Khalq.”