‘Rashid & Rajab’, a new Arabic comedy from Emirati director Mohammad Saeed Harib, will hit cinemas in the UAE on Eid Al Fitr (June 2019) this year.
The boisterous film, shot in Dubai, is Harib’s first live-action directorial effort. He’s best known for his work on the groundbreaking animation Freej.
‘Rashid & Rajab’ is a body swap tale that follows a wealthy Emirati executive, Rashid (Marwan Abdullah Saleh), and a carefree Egyptian delivery man, Rajab (Shadi Alfons, who previously appeared in Ali Mostafa’s ‘From A to B’, who switch bodies after a freak accident on the way to work. The family men anxiously try to find a way to switch back, seeking answers in each other’s lives.
“I hope that audiences find the film as much fun to watch as it was for us to make. Our incredible cast of talented actors are seen in unexpected performances that will surprise and delight audiences,” said Harib.
“‘Rashid & Rajab’ allows you to see the world through someone else’s eyes, but when it comes to wanting to be someone else, be careful what you wish for,” he added.
‘Rashid & Rajab’ joins a legacy of body swap fantasy-comedies in the world of cinema, from Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis’ mother-daughter switch in ‘Freaky Friday’, to Matthew Perry and Zac Efron’s time-travelling fiasco in ‘17 Again’.
Hana Kazim, the manager of local film and television at Image Nation Abu Dhabi, the production house behind ‘Rashid & Rajab’, emphasised the need to foster talent in the region, and tell stories out of the UAE.
“Seeing Harib’s remarkable creative abilities translate to the big screen has been inspiring and we can’t wait for audiences to see this hysterical film,” said Kazim.
‘Rashid & Rajab’ marks Image Nation’s seventh local feature film to be launched. The feature is produced by Mostafa, Zinzana director Majid Al Ansari and Rami Yasin.
