gypsybelly dance museumgalleryshopmusicbelly dance infoalmeh
home | museum | shop | music | info

Hind Rustum

 Hind Rostom

Who could stay unmoved when the famous actress Hind Rostom danced in a train to the music of "Mara Yahnieny" for Farid Al Atrache"?
Strangely enough, despite being an expert in mambo and cha-cha-cha, the sex symbol of the 50's Hind Rostom doesn't love oriental dance at all as it is "against her nature".
Hind Rustom is one of the most popular actresses in Egypt and the Arab world, and who had worked with most of the famous directors in the history of Egyptian cinema.
In "Inta habibi (You are my love)" directed by Youssef Chahine, 1957, Farid is secretly leading a frenetic night life, singing in a fashionable club and is carrying on a love affair with its star belly dancer (the seductive Hend Rostom).
Hind Rostum as Yasmina, the girl, is having an affair with another man. But conniving together as they do to dupe their families, they end up falling in love.


"Cairo Central Station", a thriller of 1958 starring Youssef Chahine, Hind Rustom, Farid Shawqi became another box office movie by Egyptian director Youssef Chahine (Bab al-Hadid). Bab el Haded became a classic of the Egyptian screen. Subjects such as sexuality and violence, considered tabou and emotional deprivation and marginalization were put into discussion. Yusuf Chahine himself plays a strong role as the central character, the crippled Kenaoui, employed as newspaper-seller. The cripple Kinawi cuts pictures of women from magazines for the station hut he lives in, but a living focus of his sexual frustrations is Hanouma (played by the popular actress Hind Rustum), who sells lemonade and is engaged to Abou Serib (Farid Chawqi), porter and trade union organiser. With unthinking but affectionate playfulness Hanouma exacerbates Kenawi’s frustration and adds to his confusion which leads to tragic death. Egyptian audiences, used to simpler melodramas, were disturbed and rejected the film. It was not seen again for some 20 years but rediscovered as a masterpiece of egytpian cinema.


Hend Rostom

Hend Rostom, born in Moharam Bek, Alexandria, novermber 12th, 1931 (some sources 1933)as Hend Hussien Morad. After she was discovered by the director Hassan Al Emam, Hind Rostom became one of the most sexy actresses. Under the direction of Hassan Al-Imam Hind Rustom made her first appearance on the big screen in "Al-Gassad (the Body)" of 1952. Hind married to the actor Hassan Reda and was divorced, then she was married to Dr. Mohamed Faiad.
her first role in a film titled Azhaar wa Ashwak alongside the famous actor, Yehia Shahin.

Hind Rostom once more turned down an offer of one million Egyptian pounds for her biography at the end of december 2002.
The offer was done by one of the Egyptian satellite channels to portray her life as a drama series. Hind was asked to submit a complete history of her past achievements and work experiences with prominent actors of the past like Farid Shawky, Faten Hamama, Yousif Shahin, Shurkri Sarhan, and Shadia. The actress stated that she refused to sell her life as a means of entertainment and felt that her personal life is of her concern and no one else. The renowned Egyptian actress made a statement when she turned down belly dancer Fifi Abdo's invitation to attend a party held at Hind Rostoms' honour.


Movies starring Hend Rostom:

  • Inta habibi (My One and Only Love) [1957]
  • Bab el hadid (Cairo Central Station) [1958]
  • El khouroug min el gouana (with Farid Al Atrache as Imam) [1967]
  • El aris el thani (starring Nagwa Fouad as Simana)
© 2001,2002 bellydance museum
author: hazim@belly-dance.org

home | museum | shop | music | info