“If we work together, I will kill you.” The secret of the dispute between Muhammad Khan and Elham Shaheen

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The late Egyptian director Mohamed Khan was famous for his extreme temper, and his desire to impose his control over all the actors, regardless of their names, even if he had to get into a quarrel with them.

Perhaps this is what happened with Egyptian artist Elham Shaheen, who recounted the details of her dispute with the late director, during a session at the El Gouna Film Festival, dedicated to recalling the memories that brought the stars together with Mohamed Khan.

Elham Shaheen remembered what happened during the preparation for the movie “Ahlam Hend and Camellia,” which was shown in 1988 and starred Naglaa Fathi, Ahmed Zaki, and Aida Riad.

Mohamed Khan chose Elham Shaheen to co-star with Naglaa Fathi in the film, and she actually conducted rehearsals alone, and others with Ahmed Zaki and Naglaa Fathi.

After a month and a half of rehearsals and preparing the character's clothes, Khan informed her that filming would begin in 3 weeks, so she told him that she would travel during this period and return before filming began.

But the late director strongly refused her travel, and insisted on the necessity of her staying. When she asked him why, he answered her, saying: “You are forbidden to travel. I may need you at any time.”

When he asked her about the reason for traveling, she told him that he had no right to ask her about that, which made him more nervous, and Elham Shaheen refused to reveal what he told her at the time.

But she explained that she was preparing to travel to a clinic specializing in weight loss.

As Ilham Shaheen insisted on traveling, Muhammad Khan threw the script papers in her face, then left her and left the house.

Since then, the late director has continued to avoid looking at her on any occasion that brings them together, while she has also refrained from going to greet him.

Years later, Elham Shaheen participated in the film “Oh My World, My Love” at the Carthage Film Festival, but she thought that her chance of winning any award would be non-existent, after she learned that Muhammad Khan headed the jury, due to the old dispute between them.

However, at the end of the festival, she was surprised to receive the Best Actress award, so she began searching for Muhammad Khan to ask him how he had given her the award despite their disagreement.

When she met him, he told her that he still hated her, but he differentiated between not accepting the artist’s character and his conviction in his talent and excellence.

Then Elham Shaheen apologized to him and asked for an artistic work to be brought together in the future.

But Muhammad Khan rejected her request, and responded by saying: “I will not work with you because you are stubborn. If we work together, I will kill you.”

Thus, despite his appreciation for her talent and awarding her the Best Actress award, the late director maintained his position of refusing to cooperate with her because of their difference in character.