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Burying a legend
(June 28, 2001, cairolive.com) Suad Hosny, one of Egypt's most famous actresses, was buried at her family's burial ground in 6 Ocotber city on Thursday afternoon, after thousands of mourners jampacked the streets around Mustafa Mahmoud mosque in Mohandiseen to bid the late actress farewell.
Tears were flowing in abundance at the funeral, which proceeded from the mosque, where prayers were read over Hosny's body immediately following the zuhr (daily noon) prayer. The body was then transferred into an ambulance, which had a difficult time navigating its way out of the mosque area because of the density of the crowds. Thousands of men, women and children had turned out, showing their love and devotion for an actress who, even for younger generations (thanks to endless reruns), was more than a familiar face. Suad Hosny was a major symbol of modern Egyptian femininity, an icon of the pretty, smart, dependable girl next door.
Hosny starred in 79 films in a career that spanned from 1959 to 1991. Some of her most famous films are "Hobb fil Zinzana" (Love in Prison), co-starring Adel Imam, Ishaa'it Hobb (A Rumour of Love), with Omar Sharif, and Khali balak min Zoozoo (Watch out for Zoozoo), with Hussein Fahmy.
Most of the streets surrounding the mosque had been closed off to traffic for the funeral. Many of those who attended thought that the procession carrying Hosny's body would wind through the neighboring streets. They were surprised to find the ambulance and accompanying cars speeding off towards the family's burial ground in 6 October. Many tried to run after the procession, stopping cars going in the same direction and asking for rides.
Hundreds of people remained in front of the mosque for the next hour or so, seemingly in a daze. It was a hot and sunny summer day. Groups of people were gathering together to exchange kind words about the actress. "She was a princess," an older woman was screaming, as the circle of people around her nodded their heads, "and now she's gone,"
Naglaa Abdalla had brought a newspaper clipping about Suad's death, and a small bouquet of flowers, with her to the funeral. Abdalla told cairolive.com that she had "stayed up all night", and "borrowed a black blouse" to attend the funeral. "People are saying that it was a suicide," Abdalla, who is an avid Suad Hosny fan, said, "But I can't believe it. Suad really loved life and she would never do that."
Abdalla's explanation is that Hosni was on medication and lost her balance. That's how she fell from the sixth floor of an apartment building in London.
The speculation over who is to blame for Hosny's death -- and how it happened -- is sure to continue for some time.
Hosny died in London on Friday night but her body did not arrive in Cairo until the following Wednesday evening. In the meantime British police were conducting an investigation of the circumstances surrounding her death. The official cause of death was determined to be injuries sustained from a fall from the sixth floor, but British police have delayed a final call on the matter until August 15. Meanwhile, they have not found any criminal implications at this stage.
The actress had become reclusive in her last years, upset about a spinal disease that made it difficult for her to move, and about the fact that she had gained weight. She had been living in London undergoing treatment, and rumor had it that she was having financial problems. Friends, however, have told the press that Hosny was not especially depressed in the last few weeks, and that in fact, she seemed to be feeling better.
Abdalla, the young woman at the funeral with the flowers, said she felt the government could have done more for Hosny while she was alive.
Hosny is survived by her sister Nagat Al-Saghira, who is a famous singer. Amongst the stars who attended the funeral were a visibly moved Adel Imam, Hussein Fahmy, Leila Elwy, and Hosny's former husband, director Ali Badrakhan.
Filed by Tarek Atia
Click here for more pictures from Suad Hosny's funeral
Captions: (top)A man holds up a chalkboard with "Goodbye Cinderella of the Arab screen" written on it
(bottom) Naglaa Abdalla stayed up all night waiting to bid Suad's good-bye. "Suad loved life," Abdalla said, "I can never believe it was suicide.")
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