Netflix's 'Perfect Strangers' sustains a long-running collaborative friendship between Lebanese stars Nadine Labaki and Geroges Khabbaz. Photo: Rudy Bou Chebel / Netflix
Netflix's 'Perfect Strangers' sustains a long-running collaborative friendship between Lebanese stars Nadine Labaki and Geroges Khabbaz. Photo: Rudy Bou Chebel / Netflix
Netflix's 'Perfect Strangers' sustains a long-running collaborative friendship between Lebanese stars Nadine Labaki and Geroges Khabbaz. Photo: Rudy Bou Chebel / Netflix
Netflix's 'Perfect Strangers' sustains a long-running collaborative friendship between Lebanese stars Nadine Labaki and Geroges Khabbaz. Photo: Rudy Bou Chebel / Netflix

'Perfect Strangers': Nadine Labaki and Georges Khabbaz on the star-studded Arabic remake


Razmig Bedirian
  • English
  • Arabic

There aren’t many surprises in Netflix’s first Arabic feature, Perfect Strangers.

On paper, the film is a facsimile of the 2016 Italian original. It tells the story of a get-together of family and friends, an agreement they make to share all incoming calls and messages for one night, and the gradual and utter disintegration of their relations, one phone chime at a time.

The original Perfect Strangers has made history for the most remakes in cinema, with 18 in total, so far.

The Arabic remake, which was released on Netflix on Thursday, is every bit a voyeuristic treat as the original, and though the plot changes are minimal, the dream team of pan-Arab stars manage to rejuvenate Perfect Strangers to make it a story ripe for the Arab world.

Titled Ashab Wala A'az, the remake has been adapted into Arabic by Gabriel Yammine and is directed by Wissam Smayra, making it the latter's debut feature.

More notably, it is the first time Academy-Award nominated Nadine Labaki and Egyptian veteran actress Mona Zaki are on screen together, alongside Jordanian actor Eyad Nassar, as well as Lebanese talents Georges Khabbaz, Adel Karam, Fouad Yammine and Diamand Bou Abboud.

This stellar menagerie, Labaki says, was among the reasons she decided to come on board the project. That, and the universality of the story in the original film.

'Perfect Strangers' is the first time Academy-Award nominated Nadine Labaki and Egyptian veteran actress Mona Zaki are on screen together. Photo: Rudy Bou Chebel/Netflix
'Perfect Strangers' is the first time Academy-Award nominated Nadine Labaki and Egyptian veteran actress Mona Zaki are on screen together. Photo: Rudy Bou Chebel/Netflix

“We all live in a world where everyone has a phone and almost all your life is on the phone,” Labaki tells The National. “So I think everybody relates to it. We all have the same barricades and aren’t sure how to deal with it. Do we put all our secrets and everything we do in life on this small device? What happens if somebody else finds out what’s inside?”

For Khabbaz, a playwright renowned for the social and political messages he imbues into his works, the original Perfect Strangers contained a domestic moral, which he liked to see presented in an Arab setting.

I’m happy with this film because in the Arab world, communications are a bit closed off between the two generations
Georges Khabbaz

“This is a social film,” he says. “It touches upon the problems of youth, and of family. It encourages openness and transparency between parents and their children. I’m happy with this film because in the Arab world, communications are a bit closed off between the two generations.”

Khabbaz says his character, Walid, who is seeking to keep his marriage from crumbling while trying to ameliorate the relationship between his wife (Labaki) and his daughter (Sinead Chaaya), was an ideal vessel in which to present these issues.

“The film lays bare the importance of having healthy conversations between parents and children, and how to impart principles to your children but also the freedom of choice,” he says. “The most important thing is to have heart-to-heart discussions, because they will boost children’s confidence, which helps them make better choices.”

Nevertheless, Khabbaz had difficulties while approaching the role of Walid, a character he describes as taciturn and unforthcoming.

“He isn’t like the other personalities,” he says. “He doesn’t talk a lot. He doesn’t express himself. His reactions are measured. The rest of the characters all have peaks where they come clean and say what’s on their minds. That’s not the case with Walid.”

The Arabic remake of 'Perfect Strangers' was released on January 20. Photo: Rudy Bou Chebel / Netflix
The Arabic remake of 'Perfect Strangers' was released on January 20. Photo: Rudy Bou Chebel / Netflix

Meanwhile, Labaki was drawn to her character May’s guarded personality, which made it fun for her, as an actress, to deconstruct and present.

“May has different layers that she discovers slowly throughout the film,” she says. “You’re not entirely sure who this person is or what’s going on in her life and then, slowly, you start seeing her wounds.

“I think this is the case of many women I know, this sort of contradiction between who you are and what you dreamt of being because of social pressure. How you end up self-censoring yourself all the time,” Labaki says. “I think May is one of those people. What you see is not really what you get. There’s a lot of things that are hidden.”

While most Oscar-nominated talents would be hesitant to join a project with a debut feature director, Perfect Strangers marks the second film in a year, after Mounia Akl’s Costa Brava, Lebanon, that Labaki has starred in with a first-time director behind the reigns.

“It all depends on the chemistry I have with a certain director or script,” she says. “Even with the people I work with, or on my own films, it’s always based on the human relationship. It’s always based on passion, and talent. I don’t think experience has anything to do with my decisions.”

What made joining Perfect Strangers an easy decision for Labaki was that she trusted Smayra’s directorial sensibilities, and also wanted to get the chance to work again with Khabbaz, with whom she has had a long-running collaborative relationship.

“Wissam [Smayra] is a great friend of mine, and I have a personal relationship with a lot of actors in the film. Georges [Khabbaz] and I are always in an ongoing project,” she says. “We see each other a lot and share so many ideas.”

Most recently, the duo worked together on Hamasat, an online play as part of an initiative organised with the purpose of reviving Beirut's theatre scene, after the port explosion in August 2020. It featured a group of distinguished Lebanese playwrights, directors and actors and was directed by Lebanese stage director and professor Lina Abyad. The event was streamed live on YouTube in November 2020 from the performing arts centre Black Box Beirut.

“The difficulty was figuring out what to say about something that speaks blatantly about itself,” Khabbaz says. “How do we say something that does not appear insignificant when compared to the awful and serious nature of the event. At the same time, if you don’t talk about it, it seems like you’ve come from outer space.

“It was difficult after the blast, to do the piece that we did,” Labaki says. “But it was really felt that we needed to do something to address what was happening. At the same time, it was difficult to tackle it in a delicate way because we’re talking about people’s suffering. It was needed but difficult.”

Labaki says she still doesn’t have concrete plans for a directorial follow-up to her critically acclaimed feature Capernaum, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2019.

“It has been a difficult two years for every Lebanese person still living in Lebanon,” she says. “But it will come at some point.”

Perfect Strangers is now on Netflix worldwide

Infiniti QX80 specs

Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6

Power: 450hp

Torque: 700Nm

Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000

Available: Now

Islamophobia definition

A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.

MATCH INFO

Champions League quarter-final, first leg

Ajax v Juventus, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)

Match on BeIN Sports

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E640hp%20at%206%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E850Nm%20from%202%2C300-4%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E11.9L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh749%2C800%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENetflix%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKris%20Fade%2C%20Ebraheem%20Al%20Samadi%2C%20Zeina%20Khoury%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
RACECARD%20
%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3E9pm%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(Dirt)%202%2C000m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E9.30pm%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Handicap%20(TB)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%202%2C000m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E10pm%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Al%20Ain%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Prestige%20(PA)%20Dh100%2C000%20(D)%202%2C000m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E10.30pm%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C800m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E11pm%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWathba%20Stallions%20Cup%20%E2%80%93%20Handicap%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C600m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E11.30pm%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C400m%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E12am%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Maiden%20(PA)%20Dh70%2C000%20(D)%201%2C400m%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

The biog

Favourite films: Casablanca and Lawrence of Arabia

Favourite books: Start with Why by Simon Sinek and Good to be Great by Jim Collins

Favourite dish: Grilled fish

Inspiration: Sheikh Zayed's visionary leadership taught me to embrace new challenges.

ACC%20T20%20Women%E2%80%99s%20Championship
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20fixtures%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EFriday%2C%20June%2017%20v%20Oman%3Cbr%3ESaturday%2C%20June%2018%20v%20Singapore%3Cbr%3EMonday%2C%20June%2020%20v%20Malaysia%3Cbr%3EWednesday%2C%20June%2022%20v%20Qatar%3Cbr%3EFriday%2C%20June%2024%2C%20semi-final%3Cbr%3ESaturday%2C%20June%2025%2C%20final%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EUAE%20squad%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Chaya%20Mughal%20(captain)%2C%20Esha%20Oza%2C%20Indhuja%20Nandakumar%2C%20Kavisha%20Kumari%2C%20Khushi%20Sharma%2C%20Lavanya%20Keny%2C%20Priyanjali%20Jain%2C%20Rithika%20Rajith%2C%20Samaira%20Dharnidharka%2C%20Sanchin%20Singh%2C%20Siya%20Gokhale%2C%20Suraksha%20Kotte%2C%20Theertha%20Satish%2C%20Vaishnave%20Mahesh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Groom and Two Brides

Director: Elie Semaan

Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla

Rating: 3/5

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE

FIGHT CARD

 

1.           Featherweight 66kg

Ben Lucas (AUS) v Ibrahim Kendil (EGY)

2.           Lightweight 70kg

Mohammed Kareem Aljnan (SYR) v Alphonse Besala (CMR)

3.           Welterweight 77kg

Marcos Costa (BRA) v Abdelhakim Wahid (MAR)

4.           Lightweight 70kg

Omar Ramadan (EGY) v Abdimitalipov Atabek (KGZ)

5.           Featherweight 66kg

Ahmed Al Darmaki (UAE) v Kagimu Kigga (UGA)

6.           Catchweight 85kg

Ibrahim El Sawi (EGY) v Iuri Fraga (BRA)

7.           Featherweight 66kg

Yousef Al Husani (UAE) v Mohamed Allam (EGY)

8.           Catchweight 73kg

Mostafa Radi (PAL) v Abdipatta Abdizhali (KGZ)

9.           Featherweight 66kg

Jaures Dea (CMR) v Andre Pinheiro (BRA)

10.         Catchweight 90kg

Tarek Suleiman (SYR) v Juscelino Ferreira (BRA)

MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma

When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome

The Vile

Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah

Director: Majid Al Ansari

Rating: 4/5

The specs
 
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nag%20Ashwin%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EPrabhas%2C%20Saswata%20Chatterjee%2C%20Deepika%20Padukone%2C%20Amitabh%20Bachchan%2C%20Shobhana%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%E2%98%85%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
THREE
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Nayla%20Al%20Khaja%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Jefferson%20Hall%2C%20Faten%20Ahmed%2C%20Noura%20Alabed%2C%20Saud%20Alzarooni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
World Test Championship table

1 India 71 per cent

2 New Zealand 70 per cent

3 Australia 69.2 per cent

4 England 64.1 per cent

5 Pakistan 43.3 per cent

6 West Indies 33.3 per cent

7 South Africa 30 per cent

8 Sri Lanka 16.7 per cent

9 Bangladesh 0

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

SQUADS

South Africa:
Faf du Plessis (capt), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Farhaan Behardien, Quinton de Kock (wkt), AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Imran Tahir, David Miller, Wayne Parnell, Dane Paterson, Andile Phehlukwayo, Dwaine Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada
Coach: Ottis Gibson

Bangladesh:
Mashrafe Mortaza (capt), Imrul Kayes, Liton Das (wkt), Mahmudullah, Mehidy Hasan, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mominul Haque, Mushfiqur Rahim (wkt), Mustafizur Rahman, Nasir Hossain, Rubel Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Shakib Al Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Tamim Iqbal, Taskin Ahmed.
Coach: Chandika Hathurusingha

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
VEZEETA PROFILE

Date started: 2012

Founder: Amir Barsoum

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: HealthTech / MedTech

Size: 300 employees

Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)

Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC

The finalists

Player of the Century, 2001-2020: Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Ronaldinho

Coach of the Century, 2001-2020: Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Jose Mourinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid), Sir Alex Ferguson

Club of the Century, 2001-2020: Al Ahly (Egypt), Bayern Munich (Germany), Barcelona (Spain), Real Madrid (Spain)

Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Club of the Year: Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Real Madrid

Coach of the Year: Gian Piero Gasperini (Atalanta), Hans-Dieter Flick (Bayern Munich), Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)

Agent of the Century, 2001-2020: Giovanni Branchini, Jorge Mendes, Mino Raiola

Updated: January 21, 2022, 9:44 AM