Khaberni - Artist Mohamed Sobhi launched an attack on the makers of the film "The Lady," which deals with the biography of "The Planet of the East" Umm Kulthum, emphasizing his complete rejection of presenting any artistic work, even if it is spectacular, if it contradicts the truth or distorts facts, and he directed a message of reproach and rebuke to the artist Mona Zaki for accepting the challenge.
Mohamed Sobhi said during a phone call with the program "Hadret El-Mowaten" presented by the journalist Sayed Ali on "Al-Hadath Al-Youm" channel: "As an actor, I may be offered a film or a play that is great artistically, but if it contradicts the truth, I cannot present it," stressing that honesty is the first condition for any work that deals with the biography of icons.
Artist Mohamed Sobhi also directed a special reproach to Mona Zaki, saying: "I blame my student and my beloved Mona Zaki, and I am proud of her, for falling into such a trap," referring to the moral responsibility of art when dealing with history.
Mohamed Sobhi: I knew Umm Kulthum up close
Mohamed Sobhi recalled his memories with Umm Kulthum, confirming that in his youth he worked at the ticket booth of her concerts and saw firsthand the respect the audience had for her.
He responded to rumors about her stinginess, saying: "There is no one more generous than Umm Kulthum," supporting his statement with a personal incident he experienced, when he bought a first-row ticket for three pounds and was asked to vacate the seat for a foreign guest.
Subhi insisted on his right as an Egyptian, Umm Kulthum herself intervened, moved him to a better place, and after the concert, she gifted him an envelope containing 50 pounds. He said: "She took me by the hand and said: 'I will sing and keep an eye on you.'"
Mohamed Sobhi emphasized that Umm Kulthum is an artistic stature that cannot be undermined, warning against reducing icons to superficial or erroneous narratives that harm the history of Egyptian art.
Mohamed Sobhi refuses to present biographies
Mohamed Sobhi announced his stance against presenting personal lives of artists on screen, saying: "I don't want to see Naguib el-Rihani with whom he married or lived... What matters to me is his artistic struggle and how he created respectable art," considering that private lives are often presented in a format full of lies and exaggeration.
Mohamed Sobhi concluded his talk by saying that honoring icons should be through discussing their creativity and artistic experience, as he did when he presented works that highlight the artistic value of Naguib el-Rihani without approaching his personal life, adding: "Art is a responsibility, and biographies, if not presented with truth and respect for history, turn from documentation to distortion, and from honoring to offense."
