In complete secrecy, scenarist Faisal Nada is in the process of completing the script for a new television drama “Laila Tabhath an Huryatiha” (Laila searching for her freedom) to star Egyptian actress Laila Elwi. The drama will be consisted of thirty episodes and is scheduled to be aired during the holy month of Ramadan (Muslim fasting month).
The drama tackles the issue of women’s freedom and how a woman can obtain her freedom by living a respectable life struggling to make a success out of herself. The issue of equality will also be tackled in the series and how a female engineer can be as competent as a male one. Laila in the series will come from a family of well educated individuals, in which her father and brother are engineers and her sister is a television announcer.
Recently, Elwi went on a very strict diet in order to satisfy her audience who had expressed that she needs to loose some extra weight she gained in the recent months. The actress expressed that she was not upset by the wishes of her audience for it is her duty to always appear in the way that is most satisfying to them. It has been noticed that the actress had started to gain lots of weight in the past few months and it was badly affecting her appearance.
Elwi announced that she did not withdraw from the TV drama "Bint Shobra", and only asked for adjournment from the director. The new drama is a script by the late author Fathi Ghanem, and directed by Gamal Abdul Hameed. Laila revealed that she asked for the postponement because she was busy shooting the scenes of the drama "Ta’ala Nihlam Bi Bokra" (Lets Dream of Tomorrow). Laila that she could not concentrate on doing two dramas at the same time and therefore had to delay one. The new drama revolves around an Italian girl born in the Shobra district in Cairo, where she faces various contradictions between the oriental culture and the western culture.
Elwi emphasized that the role was not originally offered to the Egyptian actress Sharihan. She also denied the existence of any hidden competition between her and her colleague Yusra, stressing that they are very good friends and each of them has her own different work.
Laila disclosed that she has receives more than four new movie offers every month. But she does not want to accept an ordinary role, wanting to offer real art that would stay in the fans’ memory for a long time. Laila added that she does not present any theater works because it needs devotion and time, saying she is too busy to do that.
With regards to her personal life, Laila noted that she prefers to keep the matter to her self and would wish people would only concentrate on her professional career.
Elwi denied circulating rumors that she has gotten married to Egyptian actor Mahmoud Qabil who costarred with her in "Ta’ala Nehlam Bi Bokra", saying that plans to marry him are not confirmed yet. The actress asserted that if she gets married to Mahmoud or anyone else she will publicly announce the news because she refuses to marry in secret.
Mahmoud did not deny the news, simply announcing to his friends that he wishes to get married soon, and that he considers Laila to be a very special person. Close friends to both actors, among them some who participated in their last joint drama assured the news, and added that the shooting was stopped more than once because both Laila and Mahmoud were sitting alone talking. -Albawaba.com
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
