Wooooah Nelly

"She wears me out,” says photographer Khaled Fadda, during our exclusive shoot in Cairo. “She is always in a hurry.” It’s the same restlessness that propelled Nelly Karim to the status of household name within a couple of years of her debut – and it’s this demeanour of the habitually preoccupied that has led to accusations of aloofness or even snobbery.

In her defence, she does have a full schedule. Wife and mother of three – as hard as that is to believe – Nelly also has a healthy suspicion of fame that stems less from shyness but from a fully developed sense of proportion. Her self- confidence is immediately apparent; she had us slightly intimidated for a start.

Of course, when you have these striking looks – her mixed parentage has resulted in a combination of Egyptian mystery and sultry Russian sexiness – then self-confidence is a natural by-product. Raw talent doesn’t hurt, either. And with a background as an accomplished ballet dancer, she has more poise than most celeb-chasing starlets ten years her junior. Frankly, that’s why we like her.

The switch from one stage to another was a smooth one for a young Nelly, starting as it did in familiar territory: her first major role came in the 2001 series Wajh al-Qamar. She played young ballerina Samah, the daughter of a famous TV presenter who falls, inappropriately, in love with a pop star. Handpicked by Faten Hamama to star next to her, the viewers – just like the first lady of Arabic drama – realised that they were witnessing a special talent. Seven years later, Nelly Karim is one of the most prominent Arab stars.

That said, she has hardly been dominating our screens since her emergence. She is usually highly selective in her roles – not that the policy has protected her from some less-than-stellar choices, but with Ramadan around the corner, she will again be prominent, starring alongside NOX 18 cover star Saba Mubarak and Ayman Zaidan in Naseem al-Rooh. We, for one, are pleased she’ll be prominent for the next few months – and even more pleased that she agreed to spend time
in our studio looking this good.

NOX: Let's start with the rumour that is currently doing the rounds, and one that is worrying us all: are you retiring from cinema?
Nelly Karim: Absolutely not! Actually, I have signed contracts to do a film called 1-0 and another film called Doha. I have also signed up for a third film that does not have a name yet, which I think is going to be one of my most important project yet. 

NOX: How come you often find yourself in the middle of such controversies and rumours? Safra li Akher al-Dunia (End of the World), for example, was met with harsh criticism, and in Harb Italia (The Italian War), there were rumours about a dispute with Razan Moughrabi…
NK: There was nothing between me and Razan, and I am really not that kind of person who gets into such stuff. As for Safra, I cannot say it was an excellent film, but it had a story and I did not shy away from working on it despite the new director and the new faces involved. I just had to take the risk, I guess.

NOX: Is it true that you were part of the famous 
Bolshoi ballet company in Russia?
NK: No, I was never with the Bolshoi – where on earth did you get that from? After I finished school in Russia I joined the Egyptian Opera House, that’s it! Ballet dancing helped me a lot though; it helped build my character and taught me how to respect my coaches and respect time, which means it prepared me to be able to adapt to any situation. When you are a ballet dancer you are not really pampered. It requires a lot of discipline.

NOX: So, now you’re in show business, what is a bigger asset for a rising Arab star, belly dancing or ballet dancing?
NK: Belly dancing, of course! But I am not one of them. Belly dancers make money, while ballet dancers pay money, and are always left with a minus in the bank account.  

NOX: You grew up in Russia before moving to your father’s country. What do you miss about living there?
NK: I really like the Russian people. They have something in common with the Egyptian people in the sense that they have both suffered very tough circumstances. I miss the people there. And yeah, I miss black bread too!

NOX: Can you tell us a little about your latest film, Ihna Ta’abilna Abli Kida (Have We Met Before)?
NK: It has a story that is rather different from what you see in a typical “Oriental” society. I play the role of Sara, who has left her husband after she found out he was having an affair with his secretary. The conflict revolves around the fact that she never forgives him and instead she keeps looking for a solution.

NOX: Doesn’t seem that unfamiliar…! What do you mean when you say it is different from what we see in our society?
NK: Well, I think in our societies women tend to accept their reality without trying to come up with solutions. Our society has its values, and I think many people believe that if one lives in it, one has to respect it – after all, we don’t live in a jungle. But for Sara, I believe that the right solution was to separate from the cheating husband, without compromising or accepting the situation because “divorce is shameful”.  I think Sara represented a healthy role model and a sign that our societies are maybe beginning to change.

NOX: The film was met with mixed reviews and was surrounded with lots of rumours regarding the chemistry between the actors….
NK: As an actress, I focus on doing my job and playing my role to the best of my abilities. As far as critics and other rumours, I go through it undeterred. Plus, it is better for people to talk about the film than to ignore it.

NOX: Your most recent project was a TV series – does it matter to you whether you work in film or TV?
NK: I like cinema much more because the plot is tight, and the emotions and feelings are more precise and better-defined.

NOX: Some consider your movie Sihir al-Ayoon (The Charm of the Eye) a landmark in your career… Which one of your movies is your favourite? Or at least the one you enjoyed working on the most?
NK: Well, I agree that Sihir al-Ayoon was definitely a landmark for me. People were able to relate to my character, which made them like me even more. Enta Omry (You Are My Life) is also among my favourites because I felt like I was playing my Nelly Karim self, and for that performance I won the best actress award at the Cairo International Film Festival. I can say that I enjoyed working in all my films. I can’t work in something I don’t enjoy.

NOX: What about working with (the now deceased) Yousef Shaheen on the film Iskanderia-New York?
NK: I loved it! My performance was only seven minutes of dancing, but it was a joy working with Youssef Shaheen. He was very passionate about the actors he worked with.

NOX: How do you evaluate the current status of Arabic drama? Where are the award-winning internationally-acclaimed films?
NK: Personally, I really believe we need more films that talk about us as Arabs and about our lives... Why can’t all the good Arab actors get together for a good project? Since all the conferences are failing to deliver anything positive about us, let art be the method of conveying our message to the world.

NOX: What’s a day in the life of Nelly Karim like?
NK: Oh, I am a very normal person. I take care of my home and family, I go to ballet practice, I go to the movies.

NOX: Do you have such a thing as free time – and if so, how do you fill it? You a clubber?
NK: I like to go clubbing, but not during the summer. I love the sea and I take every opportunity to go there and swim. I also like to travel and see different places.

NOX: Describe Nelly Karim in two sentences…
NK: I am the kind of woman who likes everything to be perfect. I would like to be very successful and I would like to find the equation that leads to making everyone happy.
I like to always be in a positive place because negativity 
kills me.

For the full version of this article, and some fantastic pictures, see NOX 25