Hani Salama & Revolution of Jauary 25

At the beginning of the year, a number of Egyptian celebrities were noticeably absent during what's now known as the revolution of January 25 that occurred in Egypt. One of them was actor Hani Salama. While some famous faces made their way onto Tahrir Square to join the demonstrations — or alternatively appeared on various television shows to express support for now former President Hosni Mubarak — there were also a few that were nowhere to be seen. Were they scared of being attacked on the street? Or was it a fear of being blacklisted in case they were misquoted in the media? Or did they simply not care? According to 35-year-old Salama, who is one of the best known names in modern Egyptian cinema, he was too busy guarding his neighbourhood to head to Tahrir. Despite being known for not giving interviews, the actor finally met with the media in Egypt to give his side of the story. You were absent from the public eye during the events of January 25. What was your reason for not speaking out about the demonstrations like many others from the showbiz world did? I wanted to take part in what happened, because I agreed with what happened. However, I didn't want to be one of those actors who went to Tahrir Square in order to have their picture taken and then receive publicity for doing so. I think some celebrities did that to gain some fame out of it, something I do not really agree with. So instead, I just took care of my neighbourhood. We formed our own neighbourhood watch during the time people were being attacked and houses and business were being looted, in order to ensure that none of our neighbours were harmed. That was the necessary action during that time. What do you think of the fact that the country might become an Islamic state depending on who wins the upcoming Presidential elections? You cannot mix something so beautiful with politics. Politics is not a "clean" profession. There's no way I would ever support having an Islamic state, because you shouldn't impose religion on anyone. I have heard about some ridiculous examples of what would happen if religious power took over the country. For example, we can forget about tourists visiting the country, and that will ruin the economy. Additionally, what is going to happen to the Christian community? There are 10 million Christians currently residing in Egypt. Again, why mix something so pure and beautiful and personal with politics? And no one in politics uses religion as it is — I can guarantee you that every politician uses religion in order to play the system and win votes. It's all so fake. What do you think of the number of films that have already used the revolution as a topic? It is all business. All these filmmakers have done it for the money. I haven't seen any of the films, but to be honest, I don't believe in the fact that film-makers should be using the revolution right now, because the revolution isn't over. And at a time when Egyptian politics is so prominent on the news and on television chat shows, people need a bit of a break. If you compare the revenue foreign films are making in comparison to post-revolution films in Egypt at the moment, you'll see that the Hollywood movies are doing so much better. Because people want to escape reality for a while. You were the youngest Egyptian actor to attend the Cannes Film Festival for the screening of Al Maseer. Do you think Egyptian cinema has a future in international festivals now that an international name such as Youssef Chahine (who directed Al Maseer) is no longer with us? Chahine had a special quality about him in the sense that he was very well-known in France and people would go and see his films. He was an international name, and was known abroad since the 1950s. Let's see what happens with new Egypt - perhaps new filmmakers will emerge who will make a name for themselves as Chahine did. "How can I wear the hijab? If I do, then I would have to quit my career [as a belly dancer]. Wearing the hijab is part of Islam - not the foundation of it. However, I am religious - I pray, I fast, and I am close to Allah."