Showbiz Arabia: Fans welcome Hanan Turk’s decision to quit

It may have come as a surprise to many — especially since her latest TV drama is showing this Ramadan — but fans of Hanan Turk have praised her decision to quit acting.

The Egyptian actress, who wore the hijab (Islamic headdress) in 2006, announced her retirement live on air to Lebanese presenter Neshan Haroutounian on Ana W Al Aasal, currently showing on Al Hayat and MTV. Ironically, she made the announcement on fellow actress Soumaya Al Khashab’s episode, who only last week triggered rumours herself that she might wear the hijab and quit acting as well.

Hanan decided to call Haroutounian during the episode as she had “been thinking a lot about a question” he had asked her about retirement, when she had appeared on the programme the previous week.

“Soumaya, please forgive me that I am hijacking your episode, but there is something I really want to say,” she told Soumaya, who some might say looked a little annoyed that Hanan was wasting her air time. “But I have been thinking a lot about my recent appearance, and how I didn’t answer one of [Haroutounian’s] questions properly.

“I feel that I am neither doing my art [nor] my hijab justice, and of course I am going to choose my religion over the entertainment world. So today I would like to announce that I have decided to retire from acting — and that Sister Treez [her current TV drama] is the last work you will ever see me in.”

A visibly shocked (or still annoyed) Soumaya then asked her whether she has decided to quit because acting is haram (against the principles of Islam) or because she just didn’t have enough time to devote to her religion, to which Hanan responded: “Allah gives us a lot of things in this world that are halal (permitted in Islam), but it is up to us to make it halal or haram. But I am not a theologian to say that art is haram.”

After the phone call, Soumaya praised Hanan’s decision to retire.

“If she is comfortable in her own skin, and is 100 per cent happy with what she is doing, then I wish her all the best,” she said. “It is just a shame, because art is a message and she did a lot of works where she portrayed a positive role models or messages to the public.”

The majority of social media users who watched the episode appear to be in favour of Turk’s decision.

Maryam Taher (@Maryam_Taher) wrote: “Very inspirational and beautiful is what Hanan Turk said and did, I’m feeling inspired!”, while Charbel Atallah (‏@charbelatallah) posted: “My fave actress Hanan Turk just quit acting on live TV! Shocked!”.

Mayar (@MayarSalama) tweeted: “Hanan Turk, you deserve praise and respect. :) I’ve always admired you! <3”, and Maiee (@InspireMaiee) said: “I love Hanan Turk’s decision. Mash’Allah, so happy for her”.

Some users, however, appeared to be happy she quit for different reasons. Twitter user Nada Wassef (@Nadawassef) wrote: “I’m happy Hanan Turk is quitting because she’s a terrible actress. It has nothing to do with her veil.” Ahmad Morsy (@its_ahmed) said: “Hanan Turk has quit acting! Wooooo”.

Born in 1975, Hanan started acting in 1991 after director Khairy Beshara discovered her, offering her a small role opposite Nadia Al Gendy in Raghba Motawahesha. Since then she has starred in over 20 movies and 15 TV programmes. Some of her best known works include the box office hits Harameya Fi KG 2 (2001), Haramiyyah Fi Thailand, Sahar Al Layaly (both in 2003) and Tito (2004), as well as the TV dramas Sara (2005), Awlad Al Shawarea (2006), Hanem Bent Basha (2009) and Nouna Al Mazouna (2011).

In an interview with tabloid! this time last year, Hanan said she did see herself eventually giving up acting after wearing the veil.

“I am convinced [that I will give up acting one day]. Not because I think it is against my religion, but because I would want to become a person less consumed with life’s pleasures and dedicate more of my life to my religion.”

To watch the full episode, visit youtube.com/user/mtvlebanon.

Veiled women in Arab entertainment

Hanan Turk is not the first young actress to quit after wearing the hijab. One of the most surprising announcements came from Hala Shiha, who gave up acting in her late twenties.

After rising to prominence in the hit movies Al Lemby and Al Selem w Al Tha’aban, Hala decided to wear the Islamic headdress and retire from acting in 2003 following the death of her good friend, the famous comedian Ala’a Waley Al Deen. However, a couple of months later, she changed her mind and went on to film Arees Men Geha Amneya with Adel Imam and Sherif Mounir. Following the movie, the actress went back to wearing the hijab, but did not retire from showbiz; instead appearing as a veiled character alongside the late Amer Mounib in Kamel Al Awsaf.

It is said that the actress retired from the public eye after her failed marriage to Wust Al Balad frontman Hany Adel, following rumours he was previously married and had never told her. Hala now reportedly resides in Alexandria, Egypt with her second husband (who is not from the entertainment world). Her younger sister continues to act. Other famous actresses who decided to wear the hijab include the late Huda Sultan, Afaf Shoaib, Mona Abdul Gani and Abeer Al Sharkawy.