Photo of Egyptian artist in frail health shocks fans

CAIRO: A recent photo of Egyptian artist Iman El-Bahr Darweesh, posted by his daughter, has left his fans in a state of shock and disbelief.
His deteriorating health, loss of weight and hair, and change in facial features left some questioning the authenticity of the picture posted on Facebook by Omnia El-Bahr.
“History will remember this is how Iman El-Bahr Darweesh became,” she commented under the image.
While some people wished the artist a quick recovery, others criticized Omnia, saying that it was inappropriate to publish a picture of an artist in such a condition.
Earlier, Omnia revealed on Facebook that her father suffered a recurrence of an illness that landed him in intensive care.
After the photo was published, Mohammad Abdullah, a spokesman for the Egyptian Musicians Syndicate, said: “The head of the syndicate, Mostafa Kamel, is currently seeking to reach Iman El-Bahr Darweesh’s family by phone so that the syndicate could do its part quickly.”
Following that, Kamel wrote on his Facebook account: “Some journalists sent me a picture of the artist Iman El-Bahr Darweesh in a very challenging situation, and it is hard for me to publish it.
“If someone knows the family’s phone numbers, please send me them as soon as possible so that the syndicate can offer help.”
A renowned cinema artist and singer in the 1980s and 1990s, Darweesh was born in the district of Kom El-Dekka in Alexandria on March 18, 1955.
He is the grandson of the late Egyptian artist Sayed Darweesh, nicknamed “The People’s Artist.”
One of his famous movies is 1985’s “Hikkaya fi Kelmetein” with the actress Layla Olwi.
A former head of Egypt’s Musicians Syndicate, he was known for trying to revive his grandfather’s style.
He began his career in music with a singing choir that he formed at university which performed his grandfather’s work