Today marks the 85th birth anniversary of the legendary actress Nadia Lotfi, also known as Paula.
Lotfy, who was born to an Egyptian father and an Egyptian mother called Fatmaat the Italian Hospital in Cairo on 3 January 1937, was a popular actress in Egypt's films. She was also cited as the most beautiful actress in the 1950s.
Lotfy enrolled in the German school in Cairo, where in addition to other languages she learned Polish. This enabled her to escort a polish actors’ delegation in Cairo, something for which she became a celebrity for some time.
The photos of her published in Egyptian magazines and newspapers drew attention to her beauty, and they were the source of the rumors, incidentally, to the day she died.
Her favorite and ideal names on the other hand were Laila and Nadia; she was inspired by the heroine of Ihsan Abdel-Quddous’s novel 'la Anam' (Sleepless), lofty, especially when producer-director Ramses Naguib offered her a lead in his film Sultan.
The late remarkable actress had to defy her father’s refusal that she should become an actress. He was an open-minded man but this was too much for him.
When Naguib suggested that she should pick a stage name that was both Arab and simpler than Paula Shafiq, it was an easy choice.
She made her debut as a young actress in 'Soultan' in 1958, as a journalist and the fiancee of Isamm.
Thereafter, she was noticed by another renowned Egypt's director Youssef Chahine for her charm and innocence and was selected to play a smaller role in Cairo Station, then a significant role of a Frankish woman warrior of the Crusade era, in Naser Salah el Dine movie.
Lotfi is well-known for her seminal works, such as The Impossible, Wonderful Memories, Forever Yours, The Judge of Love, The Sin, and The Private Teacher.
The iconic actress, who is best known for playing “Ahlam” in the “ Seven Girls", passed away on 4 February 2020, at the age of 83.
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