Egyptian actor Taher Hakim recently shared his experience of portraying the character 'Abu Bakr' in the second episode of the series 'Al-Qissa Al-Kamila', titled 'Ma Lam Yuhka 'an Bani Mazar'. In an interview with Al-Masry Al-Youm, Hakim revealed that taking on the role came with great responsibility, especially since his character appears in the opening scene. He emphasized the importance of delivering a genuine performance that conveys the emotions of the victims' families to the audience.
Hakim explained that what drew him to the character was the nature of the opening scene and its emotional and dramatic weight. He noted that appearing at the beginning of the story made him feel responsible for creating a scene that would capture the viewer's attention and link them to the events. Hakim aimed to express the magnitude of the tragedy the character experienced with sincerity.
To prepare for the role, Hakim focused on understanding the character's history and the impact of the events on their feelings and actions. Rather than directly putting himself in the character's shoes, he sought to grasp the internal conflicts 'Abu Bakr' faced and transform them into a theatrical performance that reflects his psychological state.
During preparation, Hakim developed a strong sense of empathy for the character. This allowed him to be guided by the emotions he extracted from the character's details during the acting process. He mentioned that the first scene reminded him of the gaze of Rodion Raskolnikov, the protagonist of Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel 'Crime and Punishment', after committing a crime.
Hakim stated that building 'Abu Bakr's' features began with researching the real character and reading about them to form a comprehensive background. He noted that preparation didn't stop at factual information but extended to using dramatic imagination in line with the character and storyline.
The actor highlighted that a dramatic character may include details that don't necessarily match reality. This requires the actor to balance relying on the original character's truth and using imagination that serves the dramatic construction and gives the performance credibility.
Hakim's portrayal of 'Abu Bakr' in 'Ma Lam Yuhka 'an Bani Mazar' has garnered attention, with some families of the victims expressing their intention to take legal action against the creators of 'Al-Qissa Al-Kamila'. The series continues to spark conversations and raise questions about the portrayal of real-life events in Egyptian media.
Key points
- Taher Hakim's role as 'Abu Bakr' in 'Ma Lam Yuhka 'an Bani Mazar' required a genuine performance to convey the emotions of the victims' families.
- Hakim prepared for the role by understanding the character's history and internal conflicts.
- The portrayal of 'Abu Bakr' has sparked controversy, with some families of the victims planning to take legal action.
