![](https://pplstatic.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/static/images/dummy-gradient.jpg)
Quick Facts
Biography
Fatima Ahmad Kamal (Arabic: فاطمة أحمد كمال), better known by her stage name Shadia (Arabic: شادية) is an Egyptian actress and singer. Now retired, she is famous for her roles in light comedies and drama in the 1950s and 1960s. Her first appearance was in the film el-Aql Fi Agaza (The Mind on Vacation), and she retired after her last film La Tas'alni Man Ana (Don't Ask Me Who I Am).
Career
Fatma Ahmed Kamal Shaker, who was an Egyptian actress, was given the stage name "Shadia" by director Helmy Rafla. In her heyday during the 1950s and 1960s, she avoided being typecast by working with a number of different directors and in different genres—melodrama, romance, and comedy. It was, however, her musical talent as a singer that established Shadia as one of the most important Egyptian cinema stars of her era. She starred with actor Kamal EShinawy in more than 30 films, and sang opposite Farid al-Atrache and Abdel Halim Hafez —most notably in The People’s Idol (Rafla, 1967). She appeared with Faten Hamama in An Appointment with Life (Ezzedine Zulficar, 1954), while in The Unknown Woman (Mahmoud Zulficar, 1959), she plays the role of Fatma in a heavy melodrama in which she faces a series of tragedies and injustices, commits murder, and is defended in court by her estranged son; she also played the good-hearted seductress who takes in a fugitive in The Thief and the Dogs (Kamal E1-Sheikh, 1962). Shadia likewise performed strongly in comedy roles, most notably in Wife Number 13 (Fatin Abdel-Wahab, 1962) and My Wife the General Manager (Abdel-Wahab, 1966).
Although often cast in cunning and cheeky roles, Shadia’s features could adopt serious, melodramatic expression. In The Road (Zulficar, 1964), while Soad Hosni played the young, naive desk clerk who falls in love with Saber (Rushdi Abaza), Shadia took on the role of his mistress who sneaks to his room while her elderly husband sleeps. She also played Sakina opposite actress Soheir El Bably in the stage version of Raya and Sakina, based on the true story of two Alexandrian serial killers and directed by Hussein Kama (The 1953 film version directed by Salah Abu Seif is heralded as a classic of Egyptian cinema.) Shadia performed in more than 100 films before she retired from the public eye and joined a number of actresses who took on the veil (hijab) in an act of Islamic resistance and salvation.
Shadia is considered one of the most popular and most talented singers and actresses in the Arabic movie and entertainment industry. Her songs and movies are still sought after, and her songs are popular amongst all generations.
Shadia was the closest to her viewers and closest to the heart of the masses. She was a genius at being humorous, spontaneous, and distancing herself from tradition, norm and mediocrity.
However, looking back at the movies she had made so far, she realized that she was being typecast as the nice cute, mischievous girl. She, therefore, started producing her own movies. She went on looking for movies that have good causes and a message to deliver, and at the same time, show her huge acting abilities and talents. She did not care about spending her life savings if it gave her the chance to make better movies. Her parts in movies started to get deeper and more meaningful. As a result, she managed to get the main role in the movie "The unknown/anonymous Woman" ( المرأة المجهولة ) which became a huge success in the Middle East and the Soviet Union. This movie established her as a more mature actress. After that, any movie that Shadia would star in was destined to be a huge success. You could easily say that she was one of Egypt's biggest stars ever, and that she is her "Fans' Idol" Maa'boodat Al Gamaheer (معبودة الجماهير).
Competition
On singing, Shadia emerged at a time when the field was already crowded with formidable competitors. These included;
- Najat Al Saghira (born 1938)
- Warda Al-Jazairia (1939-2012),
- Sabah (singer) (1927-2014),
- Fayza Ahmed (1934-1983),
- Fairuz (born 1934), and others.
Filmography
Name of the Movie | Release year |
---|---|
1- Azhar w Ashwak (Flowers and thorns) | 1947 |
2- Al Aql Fy Agaza (The mind on vacation) | 1947 |
3- Hamamat Al Salam (Dove of Peace) | 1947 |
4-Adl AL Sama' (Heaven's justice) | 1948 |
5- AL Roh Wal Gasad (The Soul and the body) | 1948 |
6- Kalam Al Nas (People talk) | 1949 |
7- Nadia | 1949 |
8- Sahebat Al Malaleem (Owner of the pennies) | 1949 |
9- Laylat Al eed (Feast night) | 1949 |
10- Al Batal (The Hero) | 1950 |
11- Sa3a L qalbak (An Hour for your heart) | 1950 |
12- Al Zoga Al sab3a ( The seventh Wife) | 1950 |
13- Ma3lesh ya Azhar (Sorry Azhar) | 1950 |
14- Zalamoony Al Nas (People tyrannized me) | 1950 |
15- Ayam Shababy (Days of my youth) | 1950 |
16- Mash3'ool b 3'ery (He Is Busy with someone else) | 1951 |
17- Laylat Al henna (Henna Night) | 1951 |
18- Al Sab3 Afandy (Mr. Courage) | 1951 |
19- Sama3et Al Telephone (Phone Headset) | 1951 |
20- Fel Hawa Sawa ( In The Air Together) | 1951 |
21- 3asefa fel rabee3 (A storm in the spring) | 1951 |
22- Al Qafela Taseer (The Caravan moves on) | 1951 |
23- Awlady (My Children) | 1951 |
24- Hamaty Qombela Zareya (My mother In Law's like A Nuclear Bomb) | 1951 |
25- Ashky L meen (Who to complain/whine to) | 1951 |
26- Al Donya 7elwa (Life is good) | 1951 |
27- Al Sabr Gameel ( Patience is nice) | 1951 |
28- Qatr Al Nada (Dew Drops) | 1951 |
29 - Amaal | 1952 |
30- Al Omm Al Qatela (Killer Mother) | 1952 |
31- Beit Al Nattash (Al Nattash House) | 1952 |
32- 3'adab Al Waledain (Wrath of parents) | 1952 |
33- Al Hawa Maloosh Dawa ( Love has no cure) | 1952 |
34- Boshret 5eir ( A Prophecy of good) | 1952 |
35- Qaleel Al ba5t (Unlucky) | 1952 |
36- Bent Al Shate2 (Beach daughter) | 1952 |
37- Qaddem Al 5eir (Made good) | 1952 |
38- 7ayati Enta (You are my life) | 1952 |
39- Zalamt Ro7y ( I Have wronged myself) | 1952 |
40- 3'altet Abb (A Father's mistake) | 1952 |
41- Yasqot Al este3mar (Down with colonialism) | 1952 |
42- 7azzak Haza Al Esboo3 (Your fortune this week) | 1953 |
43- Ana w 7abeeby (My beloved an I) | 1953 |
44- Eshhado ya nas (people, witness!) | 1953 |
45- Bein Qalbein (Between two hearts) | 1953 |
46- Kalemat 7aq (Word of Truth) | 1953 |
47- Lesanak 7osanak (your words are your horse) | 1953 |
48- Ba2e3at Al 5obz (Bread seller) | 1953 |
49- Al Less Al Shareef (Honest Thief) | 1953 |
50- Maleesh 7ad (I have no one) | ---- |
51- Maw3ed Ma3 el 7ayah (Appointment with life) | 1954 |
52- Aqwa Men Al 7ob (Stronger than love) | 1954 |
53- Mo3'amarat Ismail Yassin (Adventures of Ismail Yassin) | 1954 |
54- Ana Al 7ob (I am love) | 1954 |
55- Banat 7awa2 (Eve's daughters) | 1954 |
56- Bent El Geran (The girl next door) | 1954 |
57- Sharaf Al bent ( The Girl's Honor) | ---- |
58- Al zolm 7aram (Injustice is forbidden) | 1954 |
59- 2ew3a tefakar (Don't think) | 1954 |
60- Elhaqoony bel ma2zoon (Get me a palmodhun now) | 1954 |
61- El stat maye3rafoosh yekdebo (Women can't lie) | 1954 |
62- leila men 3omry (A night of my life) | 1954 |
63- La7n Al wafa2 (The melody of faithfulness) | 1955 |
64- Shate2 Al zekrayat (Beach of memories) | 1955 |
65- Shabab emra2a ( A woman's youth) | 1956 |
66- Wada3 fel Fagr(Farwell At dawn) | 1956 |
67- Rabee3 Al 7ob (The spring of love) | 1956 |
68- 3oyoon sahrana (restless eyes) | 1956 |
69- Dalila | 1956 |
70- Wada3t 7obak (Farewell to your love) | ---- |
71- Lawahez | 1957 |
72- Enta 7abeeby (You are my lover) | 1957 |
73- 7ob men nar (Love out of fire) | 1958 |
74- 3'altet 7abeeby (My lover's mistake) | 1958 |
75- Al hareba (The fugitive) | 1958 |
76- Qoloob Al 3azara ( The hearts of virgins) | 1958 |
77- Er7am Qalby (Mercy my Love) | 1959 |
78- 3esh Al 3'aram (Love Nest) | 1959 |
79- Al Mar2a Al Maghoola (The Unknown Woman) | 1959 |
80- Law3eh Al 7ob (Anguish of love) | 1960 |
81- Ma3an Ela Al Abad (Together Forever) | 1960 |
82- La Tazkoreeny (Don't remember me) | 1961 |
83- Al Telmeeza ( The student) | 1961 |
84- Al Zawga raqam 13 (The wife number 13) | 1962 |
85- Ensa Al Donya (Forget this life) | 1962 |
86- 2emra2a fy dawama (A Woman in a whirlpool) | 1962 |
87- Al Less wal Kelab (The thief and the dogs | 1962 |
88- Al Mo3geza (The miracle) | 1962 |
89- 3ala defaf Al nile (On the banks of the Nile) | 1963 |
90-Al Qahera fel lail (Cairo at night) | 1963 |
91- Zoqaq al madaq (Al Madaq Alley) | 1963 |
92- Montaha Al Fara7 (Ultimate joy) | 1963 |
93- Alf leila w leila (A thousand and one nights) | 1964 |
94- Al Tareeq ( The road) | 1964 |
95- A3'la men 7ayati (More precious than my life) | 1965 |
96- Meraty Modeer 3am (My wife is a general manager) | 1966 |
97- Ma3boodat Al Gamaheer (Fans' Idol) | 1967 |
98- Karamet Zawgaty (My wife's dignity) | 1967 |
99- 3afreet Meraty (My wife's ghost) | 1968 |
100- Shay2 Men Al 5ofe (Something of fear) | 1969 |
101- Nos sa3a Gawaz (A Half an hour marriage) | 1969 |
102- Miramar | 1969 |
103- 5ayat Lel sayedat (Tailor for Ladies) | ---- |
104- Na7no La Nazra3 Al shok (We do not plant thorns) | 1970 |
105- Lamset 7anan (A touch of tenderness) | 1971 |
106- Adwa2 Al Madeena (City Lights) | 1972 |
107- Zat Al Waghain (Two-faced) | 1973 |
108- Emra2a 3asheqa (A woman in love) | 1974 |
109- AL hareb ( The escapee) | 1974 |
110- Amwag bela shate2 (Waves without a beach) | 1976 |
111- Ra3'abat mamnoo3a (Forbidden Desires) | ---- |
112- Al shak ya 7abeeby (doubt, my love) | 1979 |
113- wady Al Zekrayat (Valley of memories) | 1981 |
114- La tas2alny man ana ( Don't ask me who I am) | 1984 |