Khaberni - The Egyptian Acting Professions Syndicate announced the final suspension of the series "Soul OFF", and its ban from being shown during the Ramadan season of 2026, due to violations described by the syndicate as "explicit and recurring" against the instructions and regulations of union work.
The syndicate confirmed in an official statement that the decision to suspend came after several notices and warnings were issued to the producer, Bilal Sabri, to adhere to the laws regulating artistic work, which were ignored, necessitating a decisive action to preserve the dignity of the profession and the rights of its members.
The statement explained that the latest violations involved the producer, Bilal Sabri, appearing in a widely circulated video on social media, featuring him contracting with the blogger "Umm Jasser" to participate in one of the artistic works, in a clear violation of syndicate's decisions banning the use of non-unionized individuals without obtaining the necessary legal permits.
The Acting Professions Syndicate emphasized that it will not tolerate any attempts to circumvent the laws or bypass the established regulations, affirming that protecting the profession and safeguarding the rights of its members is a top priority, and any artistic work that does not comply with the regulated rules will face deterrent actions.
The syndicate reaffirmed in its statement that the decision to suspend the series "Soul OFF" is final and irreversible, in compliance with the law and the principle of equal opportunities within the artistic field.
Ongoing crises behind the scenes of the work
This is not the first crisis the series has faced, as the backstage of the shooting has witnessed several controversial incidents recently, notably what was announced by the festivals' performer Alaa Fifty regarding a facial injury incurred during the shooting of one of the scenes, accusing the Jordanian actor Monther Riyahe of being behind the incident.
Fifty stated in a post on his Instagram account that the incident occurred on the first day of his shooting, during a musical scene featuring Monther Riyahe and the "High Power" band, where a "flame rocket" was used in the scene. He added that he had warned several times about the dangers of holding the flame rocket in an unsafe manner before he suffered burns on his face, noting that the injury could have caused permanent disfigurement.
He also expressed his dissatisfaction with the lack of contact from the work team after the incident, justifying his decision to share details of the incident at this time because he wanted to "vent" to his audience.
Response from the production company
In contrast, the production company of the series "Soul OFF", led by the producer Bilal Sabri, issued an official statement denying Alaa Fifty's claims, asserting that his narrative does not reflect the true events that took place inside the filming location.
The statement clarified that actor Monther Riyahe insisted on handling the flame rocket himself, and that the scene was executed according to the technical regulations, under the supervision of the director and the specialized safety team, absolving him of any responsibility for the incident.
The company added that Alaa Fifty left the filming location following the incident without notifying the production management or filing an official complaint, which led the team to continue shooting normally. It also denied not contacting him, clarifying that he communicated only once with the producer, without reaching out to actor Monther Riyahe.
It was previously reported by local media that Monther Riyahe, and then actress Mirna Walid, faced an emergency situation that almost led to drowning during the shooting of a scene in Sharm el-Sheikh, although no injuries were recorded. The team promptly dealt with the situation and confirmed everyone's safety before continuing the shoot.
Details of the series
The series "Soul OFF" belongs to the category of comedic social works and deals with the generational conflict within the world of music, through the story of a singer whose star shone in the 1990s before his popularity waned, prompting him to collaborate with rising rap stars in an attempt to regain his artistic luster.
The series stars Monther Riyahe, Mirna Walid, Salah Abdullah, Nancy Salah, Tariq Al-Nahri, Sherif Baher, Mohamed Suleiman, Taher Abu Laila, along with a number of rap stars, including: Samir Afarto, Flex, Risha Costa, Samara, Fifty, Sadat, and the "High Power" band, in addition to several guest stars.
