On Monday, Google Doodle celebrated the 89th birthday of the late Egyptian actress Karima Mokhtar who was known as the “Mother of Egyptian Cinema” for depicting maternal characters in cinema, theater, and TV drama.
Attyat Mohamed al-Badry was born on Jan. 16, 1934, in the Upper Egypt governorate of Assiut.
Mokhtar earned her bachelor’s degree in theater in 1963, but her family was reluctant to let her pursue a career in acting.
She did make an appearance on radio in the 1950s on the popular Egyptian children’s show Baba Sharou.
It is believed that her marriage to film director and actor Nour Eldemerdash helped her pursue her silver-screen dreams.
A natural and charismatic performer, Karima successfully auditioned to present on “Baba Sharou,” a children’s radio program. This helped her land her first film role in Thaman El-Horeya (The Price of Freedom). After starring in Al-Hafeed (The Grandson) as a young mother of seven children, Karima established her ability to depict maternal characters, which she’d soon become famous for.
Karima continued her success with films like Amira Hobi Ana (Amira My Love) and Al-Shaytan Ya'ez (The Devil Preaches). She then explored other mediums like television and theater. Karima received acclaim for starring as a wife and mother dealing with familial turmoil in the play El-Eyal Kebret (The Kids Have Grown Up). Later in her career, she took on one of her most famous roles in the popular Egyptian soap opera Yetraba Fi Ezo (May He Grow Up Prosperous). Karima won Best Actress at the Cairo Arab Media Festival in 2007.
Leaving behind a legacy of strong and sympathetic performances, Karima helped revolutionize the Egyptian film industry and paved the way for future generations of actresses.
Monday's Google Doodle is visible across the Mena region.
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