STARTING Dec. 1, Showtime subscribers in Saudi Arabia will be able to enjoy the first Saudi dramatic comedy movie, “Kaif Al-Hal,” which discusses the conflict between the moderates and the extremists, especially among the younger Saudi generation, and how to adapt to new concepts of globalization while maintaining the original Islamic values.
Several prominent Saudi and GCC actors will star in the first Saudi movie, including the Star Academy 2005 winner, Hisham Abdul Rahman Al-Huwaish and the Jordanian star Mais Hamdan.
We met with her while arriving at her hotel from Dubai Airport. She looked tired and suffered from a cold, but she did not refuse to respond to our questions. A very smart and beautiful young lady, humble at the same time. We found out that Mais is a talented young lady with a mind of a mature woman. Well, let us move to the interview of Showtime with Mais.
You are a Jordanian acting in a Saudi movie. Was it easy for you to play the role of a Saudi girl?
Well. If we approach the matter from the perspective of the dialect, I tell you that I was born in the United Arab Emirates, so I am familiar with the Saudi dialect in particular and the Gulf in general. Participating in the MBC’s CBM show for four years gave me an excellent opportunity to work with several Gulf actors, and helped me grasp the Gulf dialect. In addition, a fellow lady specialized in this area was helping all the time. She would immediately stop the shooting if I mispronounced a word, and we would start all over again.
Regarding the spirit and appearance of the Saudi woman, we were always trying to present her in a descent dress, including the abaya, the shaila and the jalabiya. We were very strict about this. However in regards to the role of the character, I say that there is no difference whether the character is Egyptian, Lebanese or Saudi. Performance is all the same, it is the dialect that should be mastered well.
Tell us about your character in the movie. Was the character close to you as a woman aspiring to liberate and intends to study journalism and media? We know that the Saudi society is some how conservative about that.
Being part of the first Saudi movie is certainly a remarkable step in my career. That is why I accepted the movie even before I read the script. There are also other factors that encouraged me, including the participation of the great director Izador Musalam and the wonderful casting of actors from all over the Gulf. About my role in the movie, I actually liked the idea, which discusses the trends of the new generation in the Arab world, especially in the Saudi society, and the difficulties and pressure they face, some of which is the early marriage among girls. The movie also addresses the issue of women driving cars, religious extremism among young generations. I play a role of a 20-year-old young woman who is being pressured by her parents, and how they suppress and control her. Once she graduated, she found out that she has nothing to do but to wait for a husband. As an educated young woman with aspirations and an independent personality, I was resisting such pressure throughout the movie.
Tell us about your relationship with Hisham in the movie.
Unfortunately, the scenes which include me and Hisham, the guy whom I am in love with in the movie, are very few. But we tried as much as possible in those scenes to send out the message that we are in a relationship. However, I think we succeeded in doing this within the limits and restrictions of the society in which we live in. Personally, Hisham and I are good friends.
You started your career by imitating other artists in the comedy show CBM?
Yes. That is right.
Then how did you make this move from imitation to playing the main character in a movie?
Just like any other actor who is trying to find his or her own way. There are several stages that the actor must go through to reach the desired goal. In fact, I started as an announcer in an Egyptian satellite channel. At that time, MBC was planning to produce CBM show. I adore singing and dancing, so I was lucky to be chosen for this show. I am not just an imitator. This show was an excellent opportunity for me to show my talents.
Do you feel that women in Saudi Arabia have reached a satisfactory level of awareness and are in need of more than just liberation?
I am in no position to speak on behalf of the Saudi woman and discuss the issues concerning her and the pressure she faces. I did not live in Saudi Arabia. However, I guess the Arab woman in general, and the Saudi woman in particular, is certainly aggrieved.
Have you been to Saudi Arabia?
Unfortunately not.
But you were raised in the UAE, which is a Gulf country?
Yes, but we cannot compare between the openness that we see in Dubai because it does not exist in Saudi Arabia. However, I know from my friends that there are restrictions women in Saudi Arabia face.
What are your future projects? We know that you have started learning to play Oud, and you come from a family with an artistic background.
This film was an excellent opportunity for me. I achieved two goals at the same time. I fulfilled my dream of making a video clip with Hisham, and the song is now being aired on satellite channels. After that, I immediately began to receive calls from production companies who are interested in producing a music album for me. While I prefer to focus on acting, singing will follow later on. As for the new projects, I have completed another movie titled “Ashwaq”, but unfortunately I can not tell you more about it. The only thing I can say is that it brings together several new actors, and will be broadcasted within two or three months.
In a statement you made, you were defending the female comedians, saying that female comedians were not appreciated properly in the past, and you are going to change this. How do think you are going to do that?
This is what I hope. I am not sure if I can do that or not. We know that there are male superstars who can make spectators rush to cinemas. I hope this will be the case also for female comedians. So far, this is true for the actress Abla Kamel in her two last movies. With all due respect to other female comedians, I believe that it is not necessary for the female comedian to have a funny look so as to make people laugh.
Finally, how was your experience with the director Izadore Musalam? Have you learned something from him?
Of course. The movie itself was a challenge for me. I always wanted to star in a comedy, but my first movie was a drama. However, the director helped me a lot. It was easy to deal with him. He is understanding, and he knows what he is doing.
