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Embodying Oum Kalthoum: The challenge behind a biopic of an Arab music legend
Egyptian actress Mona Zaki spent more than a year preparing for what she describes as the most demanding role of her career: portraying the legendary singer Oum Kalthoum in El Sett, the new biographical film directed by Marwan Hamed and premiered at the Marrakech International Film Festival 2025.
Speaking to journalists at the festival, Zaki said she initially felt overwhelmed by the responsibility of embodying a figure who remains one of the most revered voices in the Arab world nearly fifty years after her death. Known as the “Star of the East,” Oum Kalthoum is admired for her powerful voice, emotional range, and songs that continue to resonate from Casablanca to Baghdad.
To prepare for the role, Zaki underwent more than fifteen months of intensive coaching, including vocal training, posture work, and dramatic performance sessions. Although she does not sing in the film, she studied the evolution of Oum Kalthoum’s voice at different stages of the artist’s life.
Director Marwan Hamed said the biopic traces key chapters of the singer’s life, from her modest childhood in rural Egypt to the height of her fame. “Her journey is extraordinary and has all the ingredients of a unique cinematic story,” he noted, adding that Oum Kalthoum’s influence extended far beyond music, making her “a defining figure for generations across the Arab world.”
The film opens with one of the most symbolic moments of her career: her 1967 concerts at the Olympia in Paris, held months after the Six-Day War. The proceeds from the performances were donated to the Egyptian military, reinforcing her status as a cultural and national icon.
El Sett also revisits Oum Kalthoum’s early years, when she performed religious songs disguised as a boy due to conservative social norms. Encouraged by her father, she quickly gained recognition, eventually moving to Cairo, where her career took off in the late 1920s.
Zaki says she was particularly struck by the duality of Oum Kalthoum’s personality. “On stage, she embodied absolute strength. Yet behind that presence, there was also vulnerability,” she explained. Director Hamed agrees, highlighting her ability to assert her artistic choices and remain independent throughout her career.
