Showbiz Arabia: Latest gossip from the Arab world

Ramadan special television programming without Yusra is like iftar without laban. They have become part of our entertainment and lifestyle. In the past few years, the legendary Egyptian actress has received critical acclaim for holiday dramas she has starred in, including 2008's Fi Aydee Amina; Khas Giddan in 2009 and last year's Bel Shamaa Al Ahmar. But this year, the 56-year-old was notably absent from the list of shows appearing on the Arab world's endless satellite channels. And nobody knew why she decided not to take on a project this year. During the past few months, some rumours have been suggesting the actress is ill, and others that she's keen to avoid the spotlight following the overthrowing of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's government (some say she was pro-Mubarak, a claim she has denied). To put an end to the gossip surrounding her life and career, Yusra decided to take the plunge and appear on a number of shows to set the record straight. Here is what she has to say. During the Egyptian demonstrations of January 25, Yusra did not call for the former president to remain in power until the end of his term. I never called for him to stay in power, but I did come out and say that we needed to stabilise the country, and having a lack of government would not do anything to help Egypt's situation. But unfortunately, some people twisted my words and made it out to be that I was a supporter of the former government. She did not flee the country during the revolution. Of course I didn't leave country during the protests. I was already out of the country as I was getting treatment in Paris. Plus, if you are going to ask me why didn't I return, how could I return when the airports were closed anyway? I was not in London as some media had reported. Yusra is aware there are those who want to ruin her career. There's no question that there are people out there who orchestrated a campaign against me to tarnish my image and let my fans turn against me. It is happening with a lot of people. But to be honest, I'd rather not focus my energy on trying to stop these people. I would rather work hard to ensure that Egypt and all of its citizens have a better future. She has no problem with anyone in the entertainment world. Yes, there are artists who criticised the revolution and the revolutionaries, but I am not going to turn against them. At the end of the day, they could have been mislead or did not know how bad our government was until after the events of January 25. They are all colleagues and I do not like to talk about anyone badly. Finally, Yusra did not appear in any shows this year, because she did not feel it was appropriate. I decided not to take on a Ramadan TV project this year, because I did not feel it was right to work during these circumstances. When there was chaos, I didn't feel I could be happy going into work and putting on a front. The future of our country is still unknown, so I want to wait and see a stable Egypt before entertaining anyone again. RIP, Hind Hind Rostom died of a heart attack at the age of 79. Hind — dubbed the Marilyn Monroe of the Middle East thanks to her blonde hair and curves — had been admitted to a Cairo hospital last week after suffering severe chest pains. She was discharged after undergoing emergency surgery and died at home. Hind's death follows the death of her husband Mohammad Fayyad, who passed away less than a month ago. The pair had been married for more than 30 years, and many believe that his death is what caused her heart attack. Hassan bows out Hassan Al Asmar has also died of a heart attack. He was 52 years old. The popular folk singer — who is known for songs including Ana ho Wenta Aho, Mawwal Al Sineen, and Al Wad Da Eih? — was preparing to make a comeback with a new album this autumn following a three-year hiatus. He also appears in a brand new Ramadan advertising campaign for Egyptian telecoms company Mobinil. Khalid in trouble? Things are going from bad to worse for Khalid Saleh. Not only is his current TV series, Al Rayan, receiving bad reviews, Ahmad Al Rayan, the individual whose story the drama is based on, has now come out and attacked Saleh for his portrayal of the character. Al Rayan, a well-known economist, told media: "The show's producers added so many events to the story that never occurred — these were all not included in the contract that I signed permitting them to use my story. "I find this drama insulting and it has ruined my reputation." Meanwhile, Al Rayan's daughter, Maha, added that the drama portrayed her father as a con artist and a polygamist, and that the show's trailers portrayed her father and uncle as drug smugglers. It is expected that Al Rayan will now file a lawsuit against Saleh and the show's producers.