Shadia biography

Egyptian actress/singer (–)

For other uses, notice Shadia (disambiguation).

Fatma Ahmad Kamal Shaker (Arabic: فاطمة أحمد كمال شاكر; 8 February &#;&#; 28 November ), better known by her stage name Shadia (Arabic: شادية, Shādya), was an Egyptian actress and singer.

She was the third wife of Salah Zulfikar. She was famous for her roles in light comedies and drama in the s and s. Shadia was one of the iconic actresses and singers in Egypt and the Middle East region and a symbol of the golden age of Egyptian cinema and is known of her many patriotic songs.

She was the third wife of Salah Zulfikar. She was notable for her roles in not heavy comedies and drama in the s and s. Shadia was one of the iconic actresses and singers in Egypt and the Middle East region and a symbol of the golden age of Egyptian cinema and is known of her many patriotic songs. Shadia's films and songs are popular in Egypt and all the Arab world.

Shadia's films and songs are popular in Egypt and all the Arab world. Critics think about her the most successful comprehensive Egyptian and Arabic artist of all time. Her first appearance in a film was in "Azhar wa Ashwak" (Flowers and Thorns), and her last movie was "La Tas'alni Man Ana" (Don't Ask Me Who I Am).^[1]

She is also known for her patriotic song "Ya Habibti Ya Masr" (Oh Egypt, My Love.) Her breakthrough leading role came in the Egyptian motion picture "Al Maraa Al Maghoula" (The Unknown Woman) directed by Mahmoud Zulfikar.^[2] Six of her movies are listed in the highest Egyptian movies of the 20th century.

In April , Shadia became the first actress to be awarded an honorary doctorate by the Egyptian Academy of Arts.

Shadia Alem - Wikipedia: Fatma Ahmad Kamal Shaker (Arabic: فاطمة أحمد كمال شاكر; 8 February – 28 November ), better known by her stage name Shadia (Arabic: شادية, Shādya), was an Egyptian actress and singer.

She was given the nickname "Idol of the Masses" following her successful movie "Ma'budet el Gamahir" (Idol of the Masses).^{[citation needed]} Other notable nicknames include "The Guitar of the Egyptian Singing" (Arabic: جيتارة الغناء) and "The Golden Guitar" (Arabic: الجيتارة الذهبية).^{[citation needed]}

Early life

Shadia was born "Fatma Ahmad Kamal Shaker" on 8 February , in Elhelmiyya Elgedida, in Cairo, Egypt, to an Egyptian father Ahmed Kamal Sahker^[3] from Sharqia and a mother of Turkish origin.^[4][5] In , she fell in love with an Egyptian officer from Upper Egypt, and was heartbroken by his death during the war.^[6] Shadia had five sisters and brothers.

She was the youngest of her sisters and the second youngest among all her siblings. Since her childhood, Shadia loved to chant and was encouraged to pursue music at primary school.

Career

Shaker gave herself the stage name "Shadia", after the identify of a newborn of one of her family's friends.

She began acting at the age of fifteen. In her heyday during the s and s, Shadia acted in numerous melodramas, romance, and comedy films. However, it was her singing talent that established Shadia as one of the most important Egyptian cinema stars of her era.^[7]

Overall, as "Shadia", she performed in more than films.^[7] Shadia is credited for acting alongside head man Salah Zulfikar in his film debut, "Oyoun Sahrana" (Wakeful Eyes, ).

Later, she matched with Zulfikar in six films, forming a famous duet, achieving major commercial and critical accomplishment, and becoming an Egyptian cinema classic. She also starred in more than 30 films with the actor Kamal El Shennawy, and sang opposite Farid El Atrash and Abdel Halim Hafez, such as in "Ma'boudat El Gamaheer" (The People's Idol, ).

She appeared with Faten Hamama in Ezz El-Dine Zulfikar's "Mawe'd Ma'a El Hayah" (Appointment with Life, ), and in "El Mar'a El Maghula" (The Unknown Woman, ) by Mahmoud Zulfikar, she played the role of Fatma in a heavy melodrama.

With the death of the great songstress and actress Shadia on 28 November, Egypt has lost one of its most important soft power symbols and an original part of its artistic history. Her presence marked the 20th century despite the fact that she has retired 31 years ago, wore a veil and chose to step out of the limelight.

Other films she starred in contain "El les we El Kelab" (The Thief and the Dogs, ) with Shoukry Sarhan, where she played the role of a prostitute for the first time. She starred in comedy roles in films such as "El Zouga raqam 13" (Wife Number 13, ).

Her celebrated trilogy alongside Salah Zulfikar; "Merati Modir 'Am " (My Wife, the Director General, ), "Karamat Zawgaty" (My Wife's Dignity, ) and "Afrit Merati" (My Wife's Goblin, ), were huge successes.^[7] Shadia was often cast in cunning and cheeky roles, however, she also played serious roles, such as in Salah Zulfikar Films production; "Shey Min El Khouf" (A Taste of Anxiety, ) and "Uyoon Sahranah" (Wakeful Eyes, ) by Ezz El-Dine Zulfikar and "El Tareeq" (The Road, ) based on a book by Naguib Mahfouz, and "Lamset Hanan" (A Toutch of Tenderness, ), her last motion picture opposite Salah Zulfikar.

Shadia performed in the stage version of "Raya and Sakina", which was based on the clip and true story of two Alexandrian serial killers, directed by Salah Abu Seif.^[7] She produced two films, and appeared in several films in Japan.

As a singer, Shadia was called "the voice of Egypt".

During strenuous and war times, she was famous for her Egyptian patriotic songs, especially "Ya Habibti Ya Masr" (Oh Egypt, My Love)^[8] and "Aqwa Mn El Zaman" (Stronger Than Time). She participated in many operettas about Egypt and the Arab world along with other Egyptian and Arabic singers, including: "Al Watan Al Akbar" (The Great Nation), "El Geel El Sa'ed" (The Rising Generation), and "Soot El Gamaheer" (The Voice of the Masses).

Her mega hit song "Ya Habibti Ya Masr" (Oh Egypt, My Love), was considered one of the best patriotic songs ever. During a TV-interview, Shadia said regarding her famous patriotic song: "When I am singing to my homeland, it is even way more romantic and more honest than any love-related song.

Here I am singing to my home, my country. There was a period when Egypt's name was erased (Nasser's era), Egypt’s name will never get erased from our hearts".^[9] After almost 25 years of retirement, Shadia's song became an anthem of the Egyptian Revolution of ^[10]

Upon returning from the premiere of "Raya and Sakina", Shadia stated that she gave serious thought that night to the idea of repentance.

The following morning, she informed her producers that she wanted no part in the play from then on, but eventually promised to finish her work when they insisted that she act so. Thereafter, Shadia retired from the film and music industry, and went on a Umrah to Mecca, where she met the popular Egyptian Azhari scholar Sheikh El Shaarawy.

Her gathering with El-Shaarawy influenced Shadia to reach her final decision to start wearing the hijab.^[11]

Retirement

Shadia retired at the age of 50, citing the reason for her retirement as religious. She explained that she had been through many hard periods and uneven circumstances throughout her life including struggling with cancer and depression that had veered her from her career.

She decided to dedicate the rest of her life to caring for orphan children, stating that was her life's greatest joy. She also donated to charities, a judgment she said she never once hesitated to make.^[12]

Personal life

Shadia fell in love with an army officer who was killed during the battles of the Palestine War.

Years later, In , she was married to player Emad Hamdy. This marriage lasted for 3 years and ended with divorce on good terms. In , Shadia married Aziz Fathi, who was a radio engineer. He was several years younger than Shadia, and it did not take long until problems arose between Shadia and her husband.

She filed a lawsuit that continued for a long time in courts and was sentenced to divorce after a marriage that lasted 3 years.^[13]

Shadia's third and final marriage came after a highly publicized love story with actor and producer Salah Zulfikar.

She fell in love with Zulfikar in while filming Dearer than my Life () and they married in the same year. Zulfikar, who was a box office mogul, shared the lead with Shadia in highly successful ventures mids.^[14][15] In one of her press interviews, she stated that he was the love of her life and he was the only man with whom she wished to have children.

Unfortunately, she became pregnant three times and suffered a miscarriage each time. This turned out with depression though Zulfikar who already had children from his first marriage, tried to assist her overcome her depression and produced A Taste of Fear () with Shadia in the lead, the film turned out to be one of her cinematic masterpieces.^[16] Her depression head to the end of this marriage and they got divorced in Shadia never remarried.^[17][18]

Illness and death

Shadia was hospitalised on 4 November after suffering a huge stroke in Cairo.

She was placed under intensive care.^[19] Her nephew, Khaled Shaker, said during a televised phone conversation that she recovered from the stroke and could identify her relatives and the people around her. He added, however, that her illness was complicated by pneumonia, despite her recovery.^[20] Shadia's condition stabilised on 9 November,^[19] and President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi visited her that day at Al-Galaa Hospital.

Shaker later said that the first words she spoke after recovering were "I need to go home", but had speech difficulties in general.^[21]

On 28 November, Shadia died from respiratory failure caused by the pneumonia.^[22]

Tribute

On 8 February Google celebrated her 90th birthday with a Google Doodle.

The Doodle was displayed in Egypt, Palestine and Sweden.^[23]

Filmography

Source:^[24]

Year	Title	Egyptian Arabic title
	Flowers And Thorns	Azhar W Ashwak أزهار و أشواك
	Mind in Holiday	El Aql Fi Agazah العقل فى اجازه
	Pigeon Of Peace	Hamamet El Salam حمامة السلام
	Justice Of Heaven	'Adl El Sama عدل السماء
	The Soul and the Body	El Ruh W El Gasad الروح و الجسد
	Speech Of People	Kalam El Nas كلام الناس
	Nadia	Nadia ناديه
	Owner Of Millims	Sahebat El Malalim صاحبة الملاليم
	Eve Of Feast	Lilet El Id ليلة العيد
	The Hero	El Batal البطل
	An Hour for Your Heart	Sa'ah L Qalbak ساعه لقلبك
	The Seventh Wife	El Zogah El Sab'ah الزوجه السابعه
	Nothing Dice	Ma'leshsh Ya Zahr معلش يا زهر
	People Were Unjust To Me	Zalamuni El Nas ظلمونى الناس
	Days of My Youth	Ayam Shababi أيام شبابى
	Busy with Not Me	Mashghul B Gheri مشغول بغيرى
	Eve Of Wedding	Lilet El Hennah ليلة الحنه
	Mister Lion	El Sab' Afandi السبع أفندى
	Earphone Of Telephone	Sama'et El Telephone سماعة التليفون
	In Love Together	F El Hawa Sawa فى الهوا سوا
	Storm in Spring	Asefah F El Rabi عاصفه فى الربيع
	The Caravan Moves	El Qafela Tasir القافله تسير
	My Children	Awladi أولادي
	My Mother-in-Law Is An Atomic Bomb	Hamati Qonbelah Zariyyah حماتى قنبله ذريه
	To Whom I Complain?	Ashki l Min أشكى لمين
	World Is Sweet	El Donya Helwah الدنيا حلوه
	Patience Is Well	El Sabr Gamil الصبر جميل
	Dew Drops	Qatr El Nada قطر الندى
	Hopes	Amal آمال
	The Killer Mother	El Omm El Qatelah الأم القاتله
	Home of Embezzler	Bit El Nattash بيت النتاش
	Anger Of Parents	Ghadab El Waledain غضب الوالدين
	Love Has No Remedy	El Hawa Malush Dawa الهوا ملوش دوا
	Good Comer	Boshret Khir بشرة خير
	The Unlucky One	Qalil El Bakht قليل البخت
	Girl Of Shore	Bent al Shati بنت الشاطئ
	Coming Goodness	Qaddam El Khir قدم الخير
	My Life Is You	Hayati Enta حياتى انت
	I Wronged My Soul	Zalamt Rohi ظلمت روحى
	Fault Of Father	Ghaltet Abb غلطة أب
	Down With Imperialism	Yasqot El Este'mar يسقط الاستعمار
	Your Luck This Week	Hazzak Haza El Esbu حظك هذا الاسبوع
	Me and my Lover	Ana W Habibi انا و حبيبى
	Testimony O People	Eshhadu Ya Nas اشهدو يا ناس
	Between Two Hearts	Bin Qalbin بين قلبين
	Right Word	Kelemet Haqq كلمة حق
	Your Tongue Is Your Horse	Lesanak Hosanak لسانك حصانك
	The Bread-Seller	Baeat El Khobz بائعة الخبز
	The Honest Thief	El Less el Sharif اللص الشريف
	I'm on My Own	Malish Hadd ماليش حد
	Appointment with Life	Maw'ed Ma' el Hayah موعد مع الحياه
	Forter Than Love	Aqwa Men al Hobb أقوى من الحب
	Adventures of Ismail Yasin	Moghamarat Ismail Yasin مغامرات اسماعيل ياسين
	I Am The Love	Ana El Hobb انا الحب
	Daughters Of Eve	Banat Hawa بنات حواء
	Daughter Of Neighbors	Bent el Giran بنت الجيران
	Horor Of Girl	Sharaf El Bent شرف البنت
	Injustice Is Forbidden	El Zolm Haram الظلم حرام
	Don't Think	Ewa Tefakkar إوعا تفكر
	Help Me With Employee Of Marriage	Elhaquni B El Mazun الحقونى بالمأذون
	Women Can't Lie	El Setat Ma Yerafush Yekdebu الستات مايعرفوش يكدبوا
	A Night of my Life	Lilah Men Omri ليله من عمرى
	Melody Of Loyality	Lahn El Wafa لحن الوفاء
	The Shore of Memories	Shati El Zekrayat شاطئ الذكريات
	The Leech	Shabab Emraah شباب امرأة
	Farewell at Dawn	Wada Fi El Fagr وداع فى الفجر
	Spring Of Love	Rabi El Hobb ربيع الحب
	Wakeful Eyes	Oyun Sahranah عيون سهرانه
	Dalila	Dalilah دليله
	Farewell Your Love	Wadat Hobbak ودعت حبك
	Lawahez	Lawahez لواحظ
	You Are My Lover	Enta Habibi انت حبيبى
	Fiery Love	Hobb men Nar حب من نار
	Fault of My Lover	Ghaltet Habibi غلطة حبيبى
	The Escaper	El Harebah الهاربه
	Hearts Of Virgins	Qolub El 'Azara قلوب العذارى
	Pity My Heart	Erham Qalbi إرحم قلبى
	Nest Of Love	Esh al Gharam عش الغرام
	The Unknown Woman	El Marah El Maghulah المرأه المجهوله
	Agony of Love	Lawat El Hobb لوعة الحب
	Together Forever	Ma'an Ela Al Abad معاً إلى الأبد
	Don't Remember Me	La Tazkorini لا تذكرينى
	The Schoolgirl	Al Telmizah التلميذه
	Wife Number 13	El Zugah Raqam 13 الزوجة رقم 13
	Forget The World	Ensa El Donya إنسا الدنيا
	A Woman in Whirlpool	Emraah Fi Dawwamah امرأه فى دوامه
	Chased by the Dogs	El Less W El Kelab اللص و الكلاب
	The Miracle	Al Mo'gezah المعجزه
	On the Banks of the Nile	Ala Defaf El Nil على ضفاف النيل
	Cairo at Night	Al Qahera Fi El Lil القاهره فى الليل
	El Madaqq	Zoqaq al Madaq زقاق المدق
	Extreme Joy	Montaha el Farah منتها الفرح
	Thousand And One Nights	Alf Lilah E Lilah ألف ليله و ليله
	The Road	El Tariq الطريق
	Dearer Than My Life	Aghla Min Hayati أغلا من حياتى
	My Wife, the Director General	Merati Modir Am مراتى مدير عام
	Idol Of Common Masses	Mabudet El Gamahir معبودة الجماهير
	My Wife's Dignity	Karamet Zawgati كرامة زوجتى
	My Wife's Goblin	Afrit Merati عفريت مراتى
	A Taste of Fear	Shi Men El Khuf شيء من الخوف
	Half An Hour Marriage	Nos Saah Gawaz نص ساعه جواز'
	Miramar	Miramar ميرامار
	Tailor Of Ladies	Khayyat El Sayyidat خياط للسيدات
	We Don't Plant Thorn	Nahno La Nazra El Shuk نحن لا نزرع الشوك
	Touch Of Tenderness	Lamset Hanan لمسة حنان
	Lights Of City	Adwa El Madinah أضواء المدينه
	Double Face	Zat El Waghin ذات الوجهين
	Lover Woman	Emraah Asheqah امرأه عاشقه
	The Fugitive	El Hareb الهارب
	Forbidden Memories	Raghabat Mamnuah رغبات ممنوعه
	Waves Without Shore	Amwag Bela Shati امواج بلا شاطئ
	Doubt O My Lover	El Shakk Ya Habibi الشك يا حبيبى
	Valley Of Memories	Wadi El Zekrayat وادى الذكريات
	Don't Ask Me Who I am	La Tasalni Mann Ana لا تسألنى من انا

References

External links