Mohamed Ramadan credits his single-mindedness for his transformation from child in the poor suburbs of Cairo to one of the most famous actors and singers in Egypt, the hub of the Arab film and music industry.
His first potential shot at fame and fortune came at the age of 12, when his working-class father, Ramadan Hegazi, took him for a trial at one of Egypt’s top football clubs.
Although he was accepted, he could not let go of his dream of becoming an actor – inspired at the age of 6 by the late Egyptian actors Ahmed Zaki and Mahmoud Abdel Aziz – and he left the club after a year.
In an exclusive interview with The National, Ramadan, 33, describes how he chased the dream – always waiting for a shot, any small role to prove his mettle – until he was finally able to make a claim to the No 1 spot in his chosen field, based on conventional box office smashes as well as the online metrics of success in the era of YouTube.
“From the very start, I had a goal and remained focused on achieving it. It’s like when you drive a car, you read a sign on the road saying ‘don’t get distracted while driving’,” he says.
“I never lose sight of my dream, goal and my career.”
Ramadan says he was lucky to attend a school that paid attention to extracurricular activities such as drama. It was at Al Sadia Secondary School in Cairo that he discovered he was a good actor, winning the most-talented student award for three consecutive years.
His first lead role was in his high school’s production of The Emperor Jones by American playwright Eugene O'Neill, about a resourceful, self-assured black American railway porter who escapes to an island in the West Indies after killing a man. In two years, Jones makes himself “emperor” of the place.
Paradoxically, Ramadan considers being rejected by the Higher Institute of Dramatic Art, Egypt’s foremost acting school, in 2004, as a milestone in his career.
“I didn’t give up, he says. "I remember this great saying that a stupid person is the one who tries to open a door many times with the same wrong key or tries to break in by any means. I found another key, or another way to recognise my talent, through great Egyptian actors and directors who believed in my untapped potential."
I didn’t give up. I remember this great saying that a stupid person is the one who tries to open a door many times with the same wrong key or trying to break in by any means. I found another key or another way to recognise my talent
Mohamed Ramadan
His professional acting career began the following year with an uncredited role in a play starring the late comedian Saeed Saleh.
In 2006, he made his television debut in the series Cinderella, the life story of Soad Hosny, one of the Arab world’s most popular actresses, who died five years earlier. Not only did he play the role of his childhood hero Ahmed Zaki, a close friend of Hosny, but the series also featured the superstar Mona Zaki.
Ramadan vividly remembers the day he got his first taste of affluence, in 2005, when he got paid the princely sum of 25 Egyptian pounds ($4 at the time) for a role in a play called Aeeden Leih.
“I can’t forget the happiness I felt when I got paid for a whole week that time,” he says. “I bought fruit for my mother – the first thing I bought with my own money.”
His most recent payday, for the TV series Moussa, which premiered in May, was reportedly in the region of $3 million. He refuses to confirm the figure or to reveal his net worth.
Not my real life
In film, Ramadan has been pulling fans of the action and thriller genres into cinemas for the past nine years, with movies such as Abdu Mouta (2012) and Akher Deek Fe Masr (2017).
The late Egyptian actor and Golden Globe winner Omar Sharif, best known for Lawrence of Arabia and Doctor Zhivago, described Ramadan in a TV interview in 2007 as a gifted actor whose talent “surpasses myself” and predicted he would be a top star in the years to come.
Whether training like a boxer, adopting the accent of the Saidi dialect from upper Egypt, or delving into the history of the 19th-century Ottoman Empire to play one of the gendarmerie, he says he always aims for authenticity in his roles, but never loses himself in his characters.
There is no point in suffering mentally for the sake of a role, says Ramadan, who is a father of three.
“I’m totally against assimilating into the character. Once the director says ‘stop’ I forget all about this or that character and become myself again. Just normal with my wife, my children and my friends. I don’t like this kind of assimilation when the character haunts you inside and outside the [shooting] location.”
Many of his portrayals are of young men who have been wronged and are seeking revenge. Asked where he picked up his acrobatic knife-fighting style, he flashes his dimples and says: “I never beat anyone in my life. This is not my real life.”
Ramadan is also known for his love of the underground techno-influenced dance music known as mahraganat, which is Arabic for “festivals”, and has proved to be hugely popular in Egypt over the past decade.
He has performed songs in this genre for some of his films and shrugs off criticism that the lyrics are shallow and provocative as they feature explicit flirting and sometimes mention drugs.
I don’t provoke my fans and I’m positive that my fans like what I do and get the message. It might provoke others who are not big fans of me, but I don’t care
“Mahragnat made me as a singer. I don’t provoke my fans and I’m positive that my fans like what I do and get the message. It might provoke others who are not big fans of me, but I don’t care. I only care about those who support and admire me,” he says.
Ramadan entered the music scene in 2018 with smash hits and videos.
His YouTube subscriber base has grown from two million to 13 million, with more than four billion total views, making it the most-followed artist’s channel in the Mena region, with some songs getting more views than hits by Justin Bieber and Drake.
Ya Habibi, performed with French rapper Maitre Gims, has been viewed more than 104 million times since its release 10 months ago, and Ramadan has two new songs on the way.
“I have just finished filming my latest videos in Dubai with [Moroccan stars] RedOne and Nouamane Belaiachi. They will be big.
“When your audience loves and believes you, there’s no limit to how far the fame can go,” he says, with a grin.
Simply himself
A high-rolling, Lamborghini-obsessed celebrity, Ramadan is a regular visitor to Dubai, especially after being granted a 10-year golden visa last year.
He makes no pretence of being a simple man and says he has no time for theatrics: he is simply himself.
“I am not a miser. I am not that kind of person who hates spending. I like to do what I want, to buy things I like. This is a personality trait in me and I don’t like to deceive my audience like some actors do, giving a false impression that I’m a simple man. I am frank with them that I love these things and tell them about the rough days and heydays in my life. I’m transparent,” Ramadan says.
He is candid about his fascination with big cats, posting videos of himself spending time with tigers and lions on Instagram.
“I have an obsession with everything signifying or symbolising power. Lions, tigers, crocodiles. I love and respect anything that’s powerful and dignified. I love strong characters,” he says.
“I love how a lion, for example, instils confidence in me. I love its character. You know, animals have characters like us. I love its prestige, power and energy.”
But some of his actions have drawn controversy and sometimes lawsuits, and have left a considerable number of his countrymen scratching their heads.
In one of his Instagram videos he appeared to be throwing thousands of dollars into a swimming pool, an act he dismissed later as part of an advertisement and insisted that the money was not real.
Ramadan admits that some of his actions and words have been counterproductive.
“Any human being would love to go back in time and act or behave differently to avoid mistakes,” he says. “We make mistakes as we age and learn from them. For example, sometimes I remember myself doing silly stuff a few years ago – in 2014 and 2015 – and ask myself: did I really do that?
“So, through the years we become more self-aware of our points of strength and weakness. We change to become a better version of ourselves. That’s life.”
“Any human being would love to go back in time and act or behave differently to avoid mistakes. We make mistakes as we age and learn from them.
But some of the lawsuits, he argues, are just silly.
“Someone sued me for the traffic jams I cause when I walk on the street and said I should notify the appropriate authorities before leaving my house,” he says, laughing loudly.
Living up to his reputation for unbounded ambition, Ramadan says his next career goal is winning an Oscar.
“I want to see an Arab, African, Egyptian actor as number one in the world, and I want to be this man.”
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.
TEST SQUADS
Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mominul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Shafiul Islam, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed.
Australia: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson and Jackson Bird.
Dunki
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Essentials
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Seattle from Dh6,755 return in economy and Dh24,775 in business class.
The cruise
UnCruise Adventures offers a variety of small-ship cruises in Alaska and around the world. A 14-day Alaska’s Inside Passage and San Juans Cruise from Seattle to Juneau or reverse costs from $4,695 (Dh17,246), including accommodation, food and most activities. Trips in 2019 start in April and run until September.
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
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Fixture: Liechtenstein v Italy, Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match is shown on BeIN Sports
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
Most%20ODI%20hundreds
%3Cp%3E49%20-%20Sachin%20Tendulkar%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E47%20-%20Virat%20Kohli%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E31%20-%20Rohit%20Sharma%2C%20India%0D%3Cbr%3E30%20-%20Ricky%20Ponting%2C%20Australia%2FICC%0D%3Cbr%3E28%20-%20Sanath%20Jayasuriya%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E27%20-%20Hashim%20Amla%2C%20South%20Africa%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20AB%20de%20Villiers%2C%20South%20Africa%2FAfrica%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20Chris%20Gayle%2C%20West%20Indies%2FICC%0D%3Cbr%3E25%20-%20Kumar%20Sangakkara%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%2FICC%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E22%20-%20Sourav%20Ganguly%2C%20India%2FAsia%0D%3Cbr%3E22%20-%20Tillakaratne%20Dilshan%2C%20Sri%20Lanka%0D%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Jurassic%20Park
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESteven%20Spielberg%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Sam%20Neill%2C%20Jeff%20Goldblum%20and%20Richard%20Attenborough%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%205%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Getting there
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Tbilisi from Dh1,025 return including taxes
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
Fifa%20World%20Cup%20Qatar%202022%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFirst%20match%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2020%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%2016%20round%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%203%20to%206%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EQuarter-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%209%20and%2010%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESemi-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2013%20and%2014%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2018%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier
Event info: The tournament in Kuwait is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.
Teams: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives, Qatar
Friday fixtures: 9.30am (UAE time) - Kuwait v Maldives, Qatar v UAE; 3pm - Saudi Arabia v Bahrain
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
RESULTS
Catchweight 63.5kg: Shakriyor Juraev (UZB) beat Bahez Khoshnaw (IRQ). Round 3 TKO (body kick)
Lightweight: Nart Abida (JOR) beat Moussa Salih (MAR). Round 1 by rear naked choke
Catchweight 79kg: Laid Zerhouni (ALG) beat Ahmed Saeb (IRQ). Round 1 TKO (punches)
Catchweight 58kg: Omar Al Hussaini (UAE) beat Mohamed Sahabdeen (SLA) Round 1 rear naked choke
Flyweight: Lina Fayyad (JOR) beat Sophia Haddouche (ALG) Round 2 TKO (ground and pound)
Catchweight 80kg: Badreddine Diani (MAR) beat Sofiane Aïssaoui (ALG) Round 2 TKO
Flyweight: Sabriye Sengul (TUR) beat Mona Ftouhi (TUN). Unanimous decision
Middleweight: Kher Khalifa Eshoushan (LIB) beat Essa Basem (JOR). Round 1 rear naked choke
Heavyweight: Mohamed Jumaa (SUD) beat Hassen Rahat (MAR). Round 1 TKO (ground and pound)
Lightweight: Abdullah Mohammad Ali Musalim (UAE beat Omar Emad (EGY). Round 1 triangle choke
Catchweight 62kg: Ali Taleb (IRQ) beat Mohamed El Mesbahi (MAR). Round 2 KO
Catchweight 88kg: Mohamad Osseili (LEB) beat Samir Zaidi (COM). Unanimous decision
