Google Doodle celebrates late actress Karima Mokhtar, ‘mother of Egyptian cinema’

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Updated 16 January 2023
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Google Doodle celebrates late actress Karima Mokhtar, ‘mother of Egyptian cinema’

CAIRO: Google Doodle on Monday celebrated the 89th birthday of late Egyptian actress Karima Mokhtar who was known as the “Mother of Egyptian Cinema” for depicting maternal characters in cinema, theater and TV drama. 

Attyat Mohamed al-Badry was born on Jan. 16, 1934 in the Upper Egypt governorate of Assiut. 

Mokhtar earned her bachelor’s degree in theater in 1963, but her family was reluctant to let her pursue a career in acting. 

She did make an appearance in radio in the 1950s on the popular Egyptian children’s show Baba Sharou.

It is believed that her marriage to film director and actor Nour Eldemerdash helped her pursue her silver-screen dreams.  

Her first role on the big screen was in the film Thaman El-Horeya (The Price of Freedom, 1963). Another silver-screen hit was her highly acclaimed role as Zeinab,  a young mother of seven children, in the successful film El-Hafeed (The Grandson, 1974) opposite the late Nour El-Sharif and Mervat Amin. The film proved Mokhtar’s ability to depict maternal characters, which she soon become famous for. 

More popular roles granted Mokhtar her reputation as the ultimate mother character in the Egyptian art scene, such as her role in the film Amira Hobi Ana (Amira My Love) and Al Shaytan Ya'ez (The Devil Preaches). 

But the most remarkable of which was her role in the classic play El-Eyal Kebret (The Kids Have Grown Up, 1979) alongside actors Ahmed Zaki, Hassan Mustafa, Saeed Saleh and Younes Shalaby, where she starred as a wife and mother of four children trying to stop their father from leaving the family. 

The play was a success and has since been watched by generations. 

Later in her career, she took on one of her most famous roles in the popular Egyptian soap opera Yetraba Fi Ezo (May He Grow Up Prosperous). Her death scene on the series was a memorable one.   

Mokhtar died in January 2017, “leaving behind a legacy of strong and sympathetic performances,” read Google's doodle description of her.  

Monday's Google Doodle is visible across the Mena region.


Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

Updated 24 December 2025
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Shahid, Disney+ and OSN+ launch exclusive streaming bundle across GCC

  • Bundle available exclusively visa Shahid for $25 a month

RIYADH: In a landmark regional collaboration, Shahid, Disney+, and OSN+ have announced an exclusive streaming bundle that brings together world-class hits from the three platforms under a single subscription in a first-of-its-kind offer for audiences in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

The all-in-one entertainment package, available only through Shahid in the GCC for about $25 a month, grants subscribers full access to three leading platforms covering Hollywood blockbusters, Disney+’s expansive range of beloved films, animations and series, OSN+’s library of HBO originals and international hits, and Shahid’s Arabic premium content.

The bundle is designed to simplify subscription management with a unified payment model, allowing viewers to access all three apps at the price of two and offering a streamlined user experience. 

Natasha Matos-Hemingway, chief commercial and marketing officer at Shahid, said the partnership reflects a broader effort to expand digital entertainment offerings in the Middle East, catering to a growing audience seeking diversity, convenience and high-quality programming.

“We are proud to collaborate with OSN+ and Disney+ to offer an unmatched streaming experience to our subscribers,” she said. “With one subscription, one payment, and full access to premium content from all three platforms, we’re delivering unbeatable convenience, value and entertainment.”

With a growing demand for high-quality on-demand content, the bundle is expected to attract a wide range of users seeking comprehensive entertainment without juggling multiple subscriptions.

The move also signals increasing cooperation between global media giants and regional platforms, in a bid to meet the entertainment preferences of Arab audiences while expanding market reach.

Karl Holmes, SVP and general manager at Disney+ EMEA, said the collaboration will bring award-winning series like FX’s “Shogun” and favorites such as “Lilo & Stitch” into a unique bundle with Shahid’s regional hits including “Al Dariya.”

The agreement “reflects a shared ambition between Disney+ and Shahid to shape the future of entertainment in the Middle East,” said Holmes. “The Middle East is young, dynamic and fast-growing, and we’re delighted to give consumers a new and easy way to access extraordinary content at exceptional value.”

Choucri Khairallah, chief business officer at OSN+, said the partnership takes OSN+’s entertainment experience “to the next level.”

He added: “Today’s audiences expect more than great content; they seek seamless access, variety and exceptional value. This all-in-one bundle delivers exactly that.”