Throughout her career, Hind Rostom played outspoken, strong female characters - defying gender norms.
Throughout her career, Hind Rostom played outspoken, strong female characters - defying gender norms.
Throughout her career, Hind Rostom played outspoken, strong female characters - defying gender norms.
Throughout her career, Hind Rostom played outspoken, strong female characters - defying gender norms.

Who is Hind Rostom? Egyptian movie star honoured in today's Google Doodle


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Today's Google Doodle across the MENA region is an illustration of Hind Rostom in her glamorous finger waves-hairdo heyday. The homage is in honour of her birthday: she was born on this day in 1929 in Alexandria, and died in Giza in August 2011.

Often called 'The First Lady of Egyptian Cinema', Rostom starred in more than 80 films - her first major role was in Hassan Al-Imam's Banat el Lail. She retired in 1979 while still at the peak of her career - no project managed to coax her back into the spotlight.

Today would have been Hind Rostom's 87th birthday.
Today would have been Hind Rostom's 87th birthday.

Her most famous turn was probably that of a lemonade vendor in Youssef Chahine's 1958 Cairo Station: her homage to those on the margins of society placed her firmly in the hearts of the Egyptian people, with her face a meme of sorts across street art and posters during the Arab Spring.

Read more: Why Middle Eastern doodles deserve to be masters of the Googleverse

With her striking facial features and trademark blonde locks, fans flocked to copy Hind Rostom's latest look. She was dubbed Egypt's Bardot or Monroe, but it wasn't just her looks that helped her rise to prominence: she broke the stereotype of meek female leading ladies that had previously prevailed in Egyptian cinema.

According to Joseph Fahim, an Egyptian film critic, "she might have been an accidental feminist. She is my favourite Arab actress of all time. I love what she represented." Despite being tagged as the Arab Monroe, Rostom was a screen siren who did not resort to nudity, nor did she indulge in any affairs. "She was respectable," he says.

She turned down an offer of more than one million Egyptian pounds (Dh600,000) in 2002 for her life story to be turned into a drama series. "My life is not for sale," she famously said.

An Egyptian movie star from the 1950s, Hind Rostom, was nicknamed the Egyptian Brigitte Bardot. AFP
An Egyptian movie star from the 1950s, Hind Rostom, was nicknamed the Egyptian Brigitte Bardot. AFP
How to keep control of your emotions

If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.

Greed

Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.

Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.

Fear

The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.

Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.

Hope

While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.

Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.

Frustration

Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.

Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.

Boredom

Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.

Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million