There's no doubt that the political unrest in the Middle East has had a significant impact on the region's economy — and the world of showbiz certainly has not been immune to the change.
A number of film and television projects being filmed in Cairo — the region's entertainment hub — are said to be in jeopardy after a number of investors pulled out resulting in production companies no longer being able to afford to pay its staff.
One television series that may not make it to screens is Al Rayyan, a drama starring Khalid Saleh, which portrays the life of controversial Egyptian businessman Ahmad Al Rayyan from the '70s until the late '80s. The series was set to become one of next Ramadan's TV entertainment highlights, but it remains to be seen whether the production will continue.
tabloid! talks to Egyptian actor Saleh
So what is actually happening with Al Rayyan right now?
I have received the scripts for fifteen episodes; we'll see what happens next.
A lot of celebrities are cutting their fees to remain in the business. What are your thoughts on that?
I don't see the problem with it. I have actually halved my fee for this series now, because I would rather save Egyptian drama from collapsing. That would be so depressing.
There is a lack of demand for Ramadan TV, because studios are not rushing out to buy them, because of course, there is going to be a large decline in advertising. And most studios rely on advertising during Ramadan in order to be able to pay for the exclusive rights of a television series.
It's quite worrying really — many industries have been severely impacted.
Since the overthrowing of the Egyptian government last month, a lot of high-profile Egyptian businessmen have been linked to cases of corruption in the media. Is taking on a figure like Ahmad Al Rayyan a risk right now?
I am enthusiastic about the series, and confident it will carry on. Of course, this drama was penned before the events of January 25, so we were living in different circumstances. But I don't see any problem with the story still being told.
Following last week's elections, do you think things will change for the better in Egypt soon?
There's a lot to be done before we can expect a developing country that we live in to become like the developed country in the West, for example.
First of all, we need to get rid of our own bad habits. There are a lot of bad things happening in countries thanks to people themselves. We need to take a good hard look at ourselves, as all of us are guilty of this.
We need to get rid of a lot of negativity.
What do you think of the backlash some artists have faced for showing their support for Egypt's previous government?
Things cannot be judged in this way. It is really unfair, and at the end of the day, people have their opinion. It is not up to us to demand who remains in the entertainment industry and who shouldn't — we shouldn't be so quick in judging others. And this is the problem we are currently facing — that we are attacking each other, and this is not democracy.
We need to support each other right now.
You've always starred in a television production during Ramadan; the most recent ones being Mawaed Ma Al Wohoosh (A Date with Fiends) last year, and Tager Al Saada (The Trader of Happiness) the year before. How important is it for you to appear on screens this Ramadan?
Extremely important, which is why I will do my best to complete this project. I hope the situation will calm down and that the economy becomes a little more stable.
It would be devastating if I can't make the 2011 Ramadan TV season.
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