Zareen Khan, left, and Mona Kattan will send video shout-outs to fans via new digital platform Halahi. Toifa and Getty Images
Zareen Khan, left, and Mona Kattan will send video shout-outs to fans via new digital platform Halahi. Toifa and Getty Images
Zareen Khan, left, and Mona Kattan will send video shout-outs to fans via new digital platform Halahi. Toifa and Getty Images
Zareen Khan, left, and Mona Kattan will send video shout-outs to fans via new digital platform Halahi. Toifa and Getty Images

Halahi: You can now get Mona Kattan, Zareen Khan and more to send you a personalised video shout-out


Janice Rodrigues
  • English
  • Arabic

Ever thought you would be sending a message to a friend … through a celebrity?

Well, now you can do exactly that through Halahi, the region’s first digital platform that allows fans to request personalised video shout-outs from big names.

What is Halahi?

Through the new platform, you can get access to more than 160 regional stars – from actors and musicians to entrepreneurs and influencers – and pay to have them share a message, either to you or a friend.

Prices range anywhere from about $5 (Dh18.3) to $700.

Some of the names currently on the platform include beauty entrepreneur Mona Kattan, Indian actress Zareen Khan, Turkish actress Gizem Karaca and Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef, with more celebrities joining every day.

“This concept exists in the US, and it has been proven to work," says Halahi's chief executive Sara Al Madani. "We wanted to be the first to bring it to the region. I know a lot of people feel very connected to their favourite celebrities, but what are the odds of actually meeting them in public or speaking to them? This was a chance to create an authentic relationship and create memories for fans and celebrities.”

Al Madani, along with Saif Belhasa, Ibrahim Naji and Mohamed Amine Belarbi, set up the platform to “bridge the gap between fans and celebrities, and build lifelong digital memorabilia in a world oversaturated with likes and comments”.

How does it work?

Fans looking for a personalised messaged can visit the Halahi website, or download the app (available on the Apple App Store or Google Play store), then choose their celebrity and type out what they would like the star to say.

The celebrity in question can then decide whether or not they want to send along the message. If they are comfortable with it, the video will be sent through the platform to the fan, and can be saved and shared onto social media.

If the star is uncomfortable with the message, however, the fan is given a full refund.

The platform’s algorithm is also designed to keep information private and to pick up on any offensive statements, adds Al Madani, who is also listed on the site and will offer her own personalised shout-out for $80.

'A more authentic interaction'

“The platform is designed to help celebrities as much as it is to help their fans, and allow them to interact in an authentic way. Especially during this pandemic, a lot of the celebrities are not working and this gives them an opportunity to generate extra income,” she adds.

“Meanwhile, because of the pandemic, I feel like a lot of people are feeling down … they’re looking for a reason to smile. And this gives people a lot of creativity when choosing a gift for someone.”

To create a more authentic interaction, Al Madani says the videos sent will be as real as possible, with no editing.

People in the Middle East have spending power and use a lot of social media

The concept behind a celebrity shoutout platform is not new.

In the US, Cameo was launched approximately four years ago with the mission to "create the most personalised and authentic fan experiences in the world". Some stars currently on its list include Bonnie Wright of Harry Potter fame, Sean Astin, who acted in The Lord of the Rings, and Ashley Greene from the Twilight series.

While Cameo has reached a moderate level of success in the US, Al Madani believes that Halahi has greater potential in this region.

“In the US, people are not heavy social-media users. People in the Middle East have spending power and use a lot of social media. We know it can grow to become quite big.”

Test

Director: S Sashikanth

Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan

Star rating: 2/5

MATCH INFO

Uefa Nations League

League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)

Oppenheimer
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EChristopher%20Nolan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECillian%20Murphy%2C%20Emily%20Blunt%2C%20Robert%20Downey%20Jr%2C%20Florence%20Pugh%2C%20Matt%20Damon%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E5%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
While you're here
GIANT REVIEW

Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan

Director: Athale

Rating: 4/5

Arabian Gulf League fixtures:

Friday:

  • Emirates v Hatta, 5.15pm
  • Al Wahda v Al Dhafra, 5.25pm
  • Al Ain v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, 8.15pm

Saturday:

  • Dibba v Ajman, 5.15pm
  • Sharjah v Al Wasl, 5.20pm
  • Al Jazira v Al Nasr, 8.15pm
Ain Dubai in numbers

126: The length in metres of the legs supporting the structure

1 football pitch: The length of each permanent spoke is longer than a professional soccer pitch

16 A380 Airbuses: The equivalent weight of the wheel rim.

9,000 tonnes: The amount of steel used to construct the project.

5 tonnes: The weight of each permanent spoke that is holding the wheel rim in place

192: The amount of cable wires used to create the wheel. They measure a distance of 2,4000km in total, the equivalent of the distance between Dubai and Cairo.

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Eco%20Way%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20December%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ivan%20Kroshnyi%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electric%20vehicles%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bootstrapped%20with%20undisclosed%20funding.%20Looking%20to%20raise%20funds%20from%20outside%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MADAME%20WEB
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20S.J.%20Clarkson%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Dakota%20Johnson%2C%20Tahar%20Rahim%2C%20Sydney%20Sweeney%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
PROFILE OF SWVL

Started: April 2017

Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh

Based: Cairo, Egypt

Sector: transport

Size: 450 employees

Investment: approximately $80 million

Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4-litre%20flat-six%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E525hp%20(GT3)%2C%20500hp%20(GT4)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E465Nm%20(GT3)%2C%20450Nm%20(GT4)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20automatic%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh944%2C000%20(GT3)%2C%20Dh581%2C700%20(GT4)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

Spare

Profile

Company name: Spare

Started: March 2018

Co-founders: Dalal Alrayes and Saurabh Shah

Based: UAE

Sector: FinTech

Investment: Own savings. Going for first round of fund-raising in March 2019

RESULTS

5pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,400m

Winner AF Nashrah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)

5.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m

Winner Mutaqadim, Riccardo Iacopini, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami.

6pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner Hameem, Jose Santiago, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

6.30pm Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,600m

Winner AF Almomayaz, Sandro Paiva, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

7pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m

Winner Dalil Al Carrere, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash.

7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 1,000m

Winner Lahmoom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.

8pm Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,000m

Winner Jayide Al Boraq, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.

LILO & STITCH

Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders

Director: Dean Fleischer Camp

Rating: 4.5/5