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Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Menna Shalaby Will No Longer Participate in Ramadan 2024 Drama Marathon


Mon 22 Jan 2024 | 06:01 PM
Menna Shalaby
Menna Shalaby
Yara Sameh

Egyptian actress Menna Shalaby will no longer participate in the Ramadan 2024 drama marathon.

She was initially set to participate in the marathon with an untitled series produced by Lebanese producer Sadiq Al-Sabbah.

"I will not participate in the Ramadan drama marathon this year. I'm on congé (which means vacation in French), as well as busy shooting my upcoming films," Shalaby told Onetv Lebanon.

The actress participated last Ramadan with the TV series "Taaghere Gaw".

It also starred Mervat Amin, Sherine, Eyad Nassar, Ahmed Malek, and others.

Mariam Abou Ouf helmed the series from a screenplay by Muna al-Sheemi.

"Taaghere Gaw" follows the many crises Sharifa (played by Shalaby) faces including her mother's (Sherine) addiction to tranquilizers and alcohol as well as her attempted suicide.

It also features Eyad Nassar as a university doctor and Amin as her aunt Zozo.

The footage follows Sharifa's crises in her life in Beirut, Lebanon, including her mother's addiction and insistence on seeking help for her at all costs. It also showed Sharifa seeking help from Nassar's character, and introduced Issam Omar, as a young man looking for an opportunity to gain money.

Shalaby, born on July 24, 1981, is the daughter of former belly dancer and actress Zizi Mustafa. She is one of the brightest actresses among the younger generation of Egyptian stars.

The actress showed a passion for acting from a very early age, no doubt due to the exposure to the industry her mother’s fame provided.

Shalaby made her film debut in “Al Saher” (The Magician) as Nour in 2001. She scored her next role alongside prominent actress Layla Elwy in the 2004 film “Baheb El Seema”.

Since then, she co-starred with many talented actors and directors such as renowned director Youssef Chahine in the film “Heya Fawda” (2007), Ahmed Abdallah in the film “Microphone” (2010), and Yousry Nasrallah in the film “Baad el Mawkeaa” (2012) about the infamous Battle of the Camel during the January 25 uprising.