It has certainly been an eventful year for our beloved celebrities from the Arab world. From top music and films to award ceremonies and concerts, plenty happened in the UAE as well as the rest of the region to keep Arab entertainment fans busy.
2010 saw the inauguration of the Abu Dhabi International Film Festival with a host of Arab celebrities attending the event. It was followed by the seventh edition of the Dubai International Film Festival that witnessed plenty of Arab stars too — and, yes, the stunning Khaled Abol Naga showed up at both.
At the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix concerts, residents and visitors enjoyed a range of free concerts at the Corniche by singers including Fares Karam and Haifa Wehbe, while Nancy Ajram recently lit up a concert in Ajman.
Best-selling album
One of the top stories of the year belonged to Lebanese singer Elissa who won her third World Music Award. Despite Amr Diab having the best-selling album of 2009, Elissa won the prize for best-selling Middle Eastern album, further fuelling claims that the Lebanese singer's management paid to win the award. The awards' organisers have denied the accusations.
Meanwhile, Majid Al Mohandes faced extreme criticism from his fans after it emerged that he gave up his Iraqi citizenship in order to become a Saudi Arabian national. Fans hit out at the star, saying that he should be proud of his roots and should do more to support the war-torn country.
With regard to business, this had to be Tamer Hosny's year. The Arab face of Pepsi and Police sunglasses revealed he had been offered 80 million Egyptian pounds (Dh50 million) to appear in his first television drama series — the highest salary ever offered to an actor or singer for a television series.
Wonder how jealous his acting counterparts were!
2010 also saw the Fifa World Cup taking place in South Africa for the first time, and with it came the first official Arabic World Cup song. Nancy Ajram provided Arabic vocals for K'naan's phenomenal hit Wavin' Flag, which went on to become an anthem across the region.
Finally, speaking of firsts, the title of Miss USA 2010 went to a contestant of Arab origin. Lebanese Rima Fakih became the pageant's first Arab-origin winner, while Malika Menard of Moroccan origin was crowned Miss France 2010.
Hatch and match
What's a celebrity year review without a summary about the love lives of our favourite stars? Here are our top stories.
Ramy Ayach
The Lebanese heart-throb married the gorgeous Cerine Abou Zein in October. However, rumour has it they have already filed for divorce.
Nancy Ajram
The Lebanese singer is expecting her second child with husband Fadi. She is due to give birth early next year. The couple already have a daughter, Milla, aged 2.
Maya Nasri
The Lebanese singer and actress got hitched to Egyptian film director Ehab Lamie in February.
Bushra
The Egyptian actress married businessman Amr Reslan within a month of meeting him. Too soon?
Ahmad Al Sherif
The Star Academy graduate married his childhood sweetheart Iman in a ceremony in Sfax, Tunisia. Good to see that fame did not change him.
Top 5 Films
Despite only a few big Arabic releases in cinemas in the UAE this year, Egyptian films did well, dominating the entire top five releases of 2010. Surprisingly, arguably one of this year's worst films, Al Lemby 8 Giga, starring Mohammad Sa'ad and Mai Ezz Al Deen, sold the most number of tickets.
- Al Lemby 8 Giga ($726,248 - Dh2,667,654 )
- Nour Einey ($685,335)
- Amir Al Behar ($644,611)
- Al Thalasa Yashtghilonaha ($202,729)
- Al Dealer ($146,692)
— boxofficemojo.com
