He’s young, he’s smart and right now, he’s box office gold. Yes he’s Mohamed Ragab, the incredibly talented actor. A true Egyptian flair, who slowly, yet steadily made his way onto a powerful stage. DG gets up close and personal with the star…

Tell us where you have been, and about your strong comeback with El Hafla Movie?
First of all, I would like to say that I missed all DG readers a lot as it has been a long time since our last interview. My absence was out of my hand, as I was preparing for a movie called “Metabq min embare7” and due to the current political situations it was delayed a lot and it is till now as most of the movie scenes are outside the studios and this is almost impossible nowadays. I was also supposed to shoot something for last Ramadan but I wasn’t fond of the scripts I got so I preferred to be away until I met Wael Abdallah and he told me about El 7afla movie and of course I signed immediately, as it is with my dear and best friend Ahmed Ezz along with the creative Wael Abdallah whom I adore working with and naturally his movies are the best proof for his tremendous talent. Wael is the one who presented me to the people and I am so grateful to him and constantly hoped for us to reunite again. I signed with Wael El 7afla movie plus another movie that I will start shooting by next April. Thanks God El 7af a movie made a dazzling success and the days of the shooting were just great, we were like one family. I think that this spirit was so clear on the screen and helped a lot in the success of the movie.

Do you think that the current political situation is affecting the cinema industry and the percentage of the viewers?
Yes of course, not only that, it is affecting our lives in all aspects in a highly negative way. If things will keep on going this way that will lead to great loses and disasters that no one can take. But at the same time the good movie imposes itself despite of anything and people just go to see the good movie. For instance, El 7afla’s revenue till now is more than 10 million Egyptian pounds which is very good at this time.

What about the incredible increase in the actors pay? And why don’t big stars want to minimize their pay?
Well, all the stars should do so. Everyone should bear his/her responsibility and be there for our industry. Also the producers should produce more and stop being afraid. There are some big companies that didn’t stop working as el Sobky and Oscar. We all must work.

Which of your roles would you regard as a defining moment within your career?
Every role added something to Mohamed Ragab; “Mozakerat Morahqa” with the great Inas El Deghidy presented me to the audiences, “Leqaa 3al Hawaa” series was a turning point in my career. It made the producers thinks of me as a box office star, “1/8 dastet ashrar” was my big move on the silver screen and last but not least Farouq in “El 7afla” presented the human side of the police officers and was out of the ordinary presentations of the police officers. He was a normal person with all the human feelings and the scenario was very clever and written with extraordinary professionalism. And thanks to God the role gained the admiration of the critics and the audiences. I would like to add one thing here about the role of the police, we can’t live without this organization otherwise our life will turn to hell.

How do you deal with rumors?
Some rumors make me laugh and others I overpass and totally forget. Rumors are the price of stardom.

What is the red line you will not tolerate or allow people to cross?
My personal life, there should be privacy in everyone’s life and we are human beings like everyone else.

After marriage, is your life better, especially your artistic life and business?
Well marriage is very important and essential to our lives. God asks people to get married and have kids. I believe that marriage is not an option, it is something obligatory. And yes, marriage has made my life better and more stable.

Tell us about your future plans?
I am preparing for a comic movie with Sandra Nashat and it will be produced and written by Wael Abdallah. I am so happy I will get to work again with Sandra Nashat after “Malaky Eskendria”. Also there will be a movie with Tarek El Erian soon Inshallah, it is an action movie. I would like to say that I am happy about being a part in El Hafla Movie with Ahmed Ezz and Wael Abdallah and the rest of the cast and wish everyone a successful career ahead…