Renowned Egyptian Author Bashir Al-Deek Dies at 80; Ahmed Zaki Biopic Project Halted
Celebrated Egyptian author Bashir Al-Deek,80,passed away on Tuesday,December 31,2024. Al-Deek, a prolific writer known for his contributions to Egyptian cinema, left behind a legacy of impactful work, including numerous scripts for films starring the late iconic actor Ahmed Zaki. However, his final project, a planned biographical series about Zaki, remains unfinished, mired in legal disputes.
Al-deek had signed a contract with producer tamer Morsi in 2020 to write a series titled “The Emperor,” detailing the life of ahmed Zaki.Actor Mohamed Ramadan was slated to star. Following the announcement,Al-Deek confirmed completion of the main treatment.Though, the project encountered notable opposition from Zaki’s heirs.
Iman Attia, Ahmed Zaki’s half-sister, demanded that the family review the script before proceeding. Rami Barakat, half-brother of Haitham Ahmed Zaki (Ahmed Zaki’s son), stated through his lawyer that Ramadan had not contacted him as the sole heir, and that proper legal procedures hadn’t been followed. Adding to the complexities, Ezz El-Din Barakat, refusing to allow any portrayal of his late wife, Hala Fouad (Ahmed Zaki’s wife and haitham’s mother), threatened legal action against any project mentioning her.
“The heirs are the reason behind stopping the series,”
Al-Deek stated in an interview with journalist Mahmoud Saad.
Al-Deek’s extensive filmography includes scripts for several of Ahmed Zaki’s most memorable films, such as “A Date for Dinner,” “Escape,” “against the Government,” “Hassan El Loul,” and “Nezwa.” His passing marks a significant loss for Egyptian cinema.
Bashir Al-Deek, an acclaimed Egyptian author known for his contributions to Egyptian cinema, passed away at the age of 80 on December 31, 2024. [1] Al-Deek was known for writing numerous scripts for films starring the late iconic actor Ahmed Zaki. His final project, a biographical series about Zaki titled “The emperor”, remains unfinished due to legal disputes with zaki’s heirs. [1]
The series was set to star Mohamed Ramadan and was in development since 2020 with producer Tamer Morsi. [1] Al-Deek completed the main treatment before facing opposition from Zaki’s heirs. Iman Attia, Ahmed Zaki’s half-sister, demanded review of the script, while Rami Barakat, half-brother of Zaki’s son, stated that Ramadan hadn’t contacted him as the sole heir.
[1] Additionally, Ezz El-Din Barakat, husband of Zaki’s wife, threatened legal action against any portrayal of her in the series. [1]
Al-Deek stated in an interview that the heirs were the reason behind stopping the series. [1] Al-Deek’s filmography includes scripts for several of Ahmed Zaki’s most memorable films, such as “A Date for Dinner,” “Escape,” “Against the Government,” “Hassan El Loul,” and “Nezwa.” [1]
