Egyptian actress Mona Zaki's upcoming Umm Kulthum biopic "El Set" will bow in theaters in December 2025.
The film stars Mona Zaki in the titular role of the legendary singer, Sayed Ragab playing Umm Kulthum's father Sheikh Ibrahim Muhammad Al-Beltagy, and Ahmed Khaled Saleh portraying her brother Khaled Ibrahim Al-Beltagy.
Mohamed Farag, Tamer Nabil, and Sayed Ragab are also set to star in the pic.
The cast also incudes a slew of guests stars including Ahmed Helmy, Amr Saad, Karim Abdel Aziz, Nelly Karim, and Amina Khalil.
Marwan Hamed is directing the pic from a script by Ahmed Mourad.
"El Set" depicts Umm Kulthum's life beginning from her journey in the music scene to her struggle with a rare disease, hyperthyroidism, which caused symptoms such as bulging eyes and impacted her career.
It also explores her struggle with the disease, especially since surgery was the only treatment, which posed a risk to her vocal cords and career.
The biopic comes as a part of the "Big Time" Investment Fund that aims to raise the quality of Arabic content and filmmaking.
The fund is sponsored by the General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and co-sponsored by the Ministry of Culture. It invests in the most important Saudi, Gulf, and Arab films by the biggest stars of the Arab world.
Born on December 31, 1898, Umm Kulthum has no equivalent among singers in the world and represented the soul of the pan-Arab world for decades.
Her potent contralto, which could blur gender in its lower register, conveyed breathtaking emotional range in complex songs that, across theme and wildly-ornamented variations, could easily last an hour.
Her death on February 3, 1975, brought millions into the Cairo streets to mourn, and while her influence among Arab singers is incalculable, it extended far beyond it.
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