DHAHRAN: It wasn’t supposed to happen this way, not for Saudi actor, comedian, writer, and musician Ibrahim Al-Hajjaj anyway.
“Getting into acting was a coincidence,” he tells Arab News. “I used to be in a band. I played guitar and sang grunge rock and blues. But in 2012 a loss pushed me to stop music and look for something new.”
That something new didn’t come in the form of an epiphany or an elaborate five-year plan. It came quietly, like many meaningful changes do.
“In 2013, I came across an acting course, just by chance,” he recalls. “Then, in 2015, I took a workshop with Kevin Spacey in Sharjah. That’s when my career really started. That year was the true beginning.”
Ibrahim Al-Hajjaj (R) in 'Esaaf.' (Supplied)
Since then, Al-Hajjaj has become one of the most popular comedic actors in the Kingdom, known for his sharp wit, heartfelt roles, and endless commitment to culturally rooted storytelling. But the spark that lit it all was just as humble as his beginnings.
“The first time I acted on stage, my role was barely two minutes,” he said with a laugh. “I said a line, the actor in front of me responded, and suddenly I improvised. The whole theater burst into laughter. I turned to them, thinking, ‘What’s happening?’ Everyone looked so happy. At that moment, making people laugh was beautiful. I realized that comedy is like doing a good deed.”
That good deed would grow into 2023’s “Sattar,” a breakout hit and the highest-grossing film in the — admittedly short — history of Saudi cinema. But his new film, the action-comedy “Esaaf,” released last month, may challenge that. “We hope it breaks that record,” he says. “We’ve hit nearly 200,000 admissions.”
But for Al-Hajjaj, success is about more than numbers. “Success is defined by people,” he says. “It isn’t something artists define for themselves. If audiences are watching and enjoying your work, that’s success. At the end of the day, we make art for people to experience as a family. It has to be both meaningful and accessible.”
Set in Riyadh, “Esaaf,” helmed by British director Colin Teague, follows two incompetent paramedics — Omar (Al-Hajjaj) and Khalid (Mohammed Al-Qahtani) who unwittingly become entangled in a kidnapping plot.
The film saw Al-Hajjaj wearing many hats: co-writer, creative producer, and lead actor.
“I was on set for 14 hours daily, ensuring everything felt right: the dialogue, comedy, and the Saudi details. I was like the mother on set. It was exhausting but fulfilling.”
It’s clear that for Al-Hajjaj, storytelling is truly personal, and the stakes are high. One story in particular, from a nationwide meet-and-greet tour, stuck with him. “An11-year-old girl gave me a crumpled piece of paper with a black heart drawn on it. I went home and cried,” he recalls. “It reminded me that parents are trusting me with what matters most to them: their kids. And that trust means everything.”
And that’s what Al-Hajjaj wants to honor every time he walks on set.
“I hope always to make stories that are real, Saudi, full of heart, that families can enjoy together,” he says. “Because that’s what it’s really about; it’s about bringing people together and letting them laugh side by side. There’s nothing more beautiful than that.”
