Egypt’s PM orders Haifa Wehbe’s film to be pulled
Wehbe’s movie “Sweetness of Spirit” (or “Halawet al-Rooh” in Arabic) was released on April 3. It was rebuked for containing excessive use of sexual innuendo, reported MENA.
Mehleb said the movie will be shown in theaters again after it is re-evaluated by the country’s censorship board.
However, the movie’s producer told the local al-Watan News website in an interview published Wednesday that the film was not banned in the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar nor had it been withdrawn from Egyptian cinemas.
“When I am informed officially about the order, I will be able to say something and take the appropriate measures,” Mohammad al-Sabki told al-Watan News, adding “as long as I [have not been] informed officially, I will deal with the issue as merely rumors.”
Meanwhile, the Lebanese bombshell actress refused to comment on Mehleb’s reported decision.
Her manager, Mustafa Suroor, told the local Sada el-Balad website that the movie’s director had not informed him regarding any plans to pull the movie.
“Haifa is busy filming a new TV series,” Suroor said, adding “[Haifa] is an actress who executed her role in the movie, any criticism regarding this is natural.”
Before the release of the movie, it was criticized for copying Giuseppe Tornatore’s widely-acclaimed movie Malena (2000) starring Italian actress Monica Bellucci.
The story is about a beautiful woman who becomes the desire of men in a working class neighborhood while her husband is away.
Egypt’s cinema news website Elcinema said the film earned $141,399 in its first week in theaters.
Al Arabiya
