Cairo: Veteran film director Mohammad Khan, whose latest movie won top prizes at the recent Dubai Film Festival, has been granted Egyptian citizenship 70 years after he was born in Cairo, state media reported on Thursday.
Interim President Adly Mansour has issued a decree giving Khan Egyptian nationality, a presidential aide said.
“My joy is doubled,” said Khan, born to a Pakistani father and an Egyptian mother. “The decree coincided with the public screening of my latest film,” Khan told independent newspaper Al Masry Al Youm.
Implying that the step was overdue, he said: “I got the Egyptian nationality from the Egyptian fans long time ago due to my films that are deeply rooted in Egyptian society.”
Khan was born in the Cairo working class district of Al Sakakini in October 1942. After completing high school in Egypt, he went to Britain to study architecture. He, however, shifted his attention to film studies. When he returned home in 1963, he worked with eminent director Salah Abu Saif and later left for Lebanon, where he stayed for two years pursuing a directorial career.
Khan returned to Egypt in late 1970s when he made his directorial debut with Darbat Shams (Shams’ Hit) starring film star Nour Al Sherif.
Khan has to his name 21 critically acclaimed full-length films, making him among Egypt’s top filmmakers.
He is best known for Zawgat Rajol Moham (Wife of an Important Man [1988]) based on security agencies’ abuses and Ayam Al Sadat (Days of Sadat), a bio-drama on the life of late Egyptian president Anwar Al Sadat.
Khan is famous for cinematic realism and for shooting films in real-life places rather than studios. He has teamed up with Egypt’s celebrated actors such as Ahmad Zaki, Soad Hosni, Nour Al Sherif, Hussain Fahmi, Yehia Al Fakhareini and Mervat Ameen.
His latest movie Fatat Al Masna (Factory Girl) had its world premiere at the 2013 Dubai International Film Festival where it won two awards, including the Best Actress Prize that went to its star Yasmine Rais.
“I am always keen to make women the central characters in my films because I feel women are somewhat wronged,” said Khan recently.
Khan is married to Egyptian script writer Wessam Sulaiman who co-operated with him in three of his films including “Fatat Al Masna”.
The film opened at Egyptian theatres this week amid good reviews.
Factory Girl is due to release in UAE cinemas on March 27.
