Storm in a soapdish

Egyptian actors, whose country has long been famous as the Hollywood of the East, are upset over what they see as an invasion of Syrians into the local entertainment industry.

"We are the showbiz masters in the Arab region and it is a dangerous precedent to import actors and make them stars at the expense of Egyptian performers," television actor Ahmad Maher recently told the semi-official newspaper Al Jomhuria.

Maher, known for his parts in historical TV works, last year spearheaded a campaign against Syrian performers after Syrian actor Jamal Sulaiman was picked to play the lead role in the Egyptian TV series Hadaek Al Shaytan (The Devil's Gardens).

Household name

Sulaiman, who has become a household name in Egypt, portrayed an authoriarian native of southern Egypt in the series, which generated high viewer ratings when shown on Egyptian state-run TV.

Sulaiman is now working on another Egyptian soap titled Wilad Al Layel (Sons of the Night) directed by his compatriot Rasha Sharbatli. He has also been picked to play the lead role in a new Egyptian film.

Last year, young Syrian actress Sulaf Fawakherji got good reviews when she appeared in the Egyptian biopic Halim, which dramatises the life of legendary Egyptian singer Abdel Halim Hafez.

Economical option

"Non-Egyptian singers have already damaged the Egyptian song and overshadowed good Egyptian singers. Now they are shifting their sights to Egyptian drama," added Maher.

"Syrians are hired to appear in Egyptian dramas because they are paid less than Egyptian actors," an official at the Egyptian TV Production Sector said.

"I think the Syrians should not be employed for parts which Egyptian actors can play," the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Gulf News.

Springboard

In recent years, Syrian TV soap operas have become strong rivals to Egyptian works, especially those shown during the month of Ramadan when viewer numbers usually rise because TV stations extend broadcasting hours.

"Having Syrian performers should not raise all this hubbub," according to Egyptian teledramatist Mohammad Safaa.

"This is part of Egypt's traditional role, that of a springboard for many Arab actors to develop their talents and rise to fame," he said.

"Tens of Arab artists have come to Egypt and made a name in past decades without all this furore."

Not end of the story

This controversy is likely to grow hotter after Syrian director Hatem Ali was chosen to work on a TV series dramatising the life of Egypt's last monarch Farouk, who was deposed by revolutionaries in 1952. Syrian actor Tim Al Hassan will portray Farouk.