27 Facts About Shadia

Fatma Ahmad Kamal Shaker, better known by her stage name Shadia, was an Egyptian actress and singer.

Shadia was famous for her roles in light comedies and drama in the 1950s and 1960s.

Shadia was one of the iconic actresses and singers in Egypt and the Middle East region and a symbol of the golden age of Egyptian cinema and is known of her many patriotic songs.

Shadia was given the nickname "Idol of the Masses" following her successful movie "Ma'budet el Gamahir".

Shadia was born "Fatma Ahmad Kamal Shaker" on 8 February 1931, in Elhelmiyya Elgedida, in Cairo, Egypt, to an Egyptian father Ahmed Kamal Sahker from Sharqia and a mother of Turkish origin.

Shadia was the youngest of her sisters and the second youngest among all her siblings.

Since her childhood, Shadia loved to sing and was encouraged to pursue music at primary school.

Shaker gave herself the stage name "Shadia", after the name of a newborn of one of her family's friends.

Shadia is credited for acting alongside leading man Salah Zulfikar in his film debut, "Oyoun Sahrana".

Shadia starred in more than 30 films with the actor Kamal El Shennawy, and sang opposite Farid El Atrash and Abdel Halim Hafez, such as in "Ma'boudat El Gamaheer".

Shadia appeared with Faten Hamama in Ezz El-Dine Zulfikar's "Mawe'd Ma'a El Hayah", and in "El Mar'a El Maghula" by Mahmoud Zulfikar, she played the role of Fatma in a heavy melodrama.

Shadia starred in comedy roles in films such as "El Zouga raqam 13".

Shadia performed in the 1985 stage version of "Raya and Sakina", which was based on the 1953 film and true story of two Alexandrian serial killers, directed by Salah Abu Seif.

Shadia produced two films, and appeared in several films in Japan.

Shadia's mega hit song "Ya Habibti Ya Masr", was considered one of the best patriotic songs ever.

Thereafter, Shadia retired from the film and music industry, and went on a Umrah to Mecca, where she met the popular Egyptian Azhari scholar Sheikh El Shaarawy.

Shadia's meeting with El-Shaarawy influenced Shadia to reach her final decision to start wearing the hijab.

Shadia retired at the age of 50, citing the reason for her retirement as religious.

Shadia decided to dedicate the rest of her life to caring for orphan children, stating that was her life's greatest joy.

Shadia donated to charities, a decision she said she never once hesitated to make.

Shadia fell in love with an army officer who was killed during the battles of the 1948 Palestine War.

In 1958, Shadia married Aziz Fathi, who was a radio engineer.

Shadia filed a lawsuit that continued for a long time in courts and was sentenced to divorce after a marriage that lasted 3 years.

Shadia fell in love with Zulfikar in 1964 while filming Aghla Min Hayati and they married in the same year.

Shadia was hospitalised on 4 November 2017 after suffering a massive stroke in Cairo.

Shadia's nephew, Khaled Shaker, said during a televised phone conversation that she recovered from the stroke and could identify her relatives and the people around her.

Shadia added that her illness was complicated by pneumonia, despite her recovery.