Hind Rostom — Profile

• Full name: Hind Rostom
• Birth name: Nariman Hussein Murad
• Born: 12 November 1931 — Alexandria, Egypt
• Died: 8 August 2011 — Cairo, Egypt
• Profession: Film actress
• Years active: 1949–1979
• Nicknames: “Marilyn Monroe of the East,” “Queen of Seduction”
• These popular epithets reflect her era-defining glamour and her skill in playing alluring yet complex characters within mainstream Egyptian cinema.
• Heritage: Egyptian, of Turkish descent on her father’s side

Early Life and Family

• Born in Alexandria to a family whose father was a police officer.
• Married twice; she had one daughter named Bassant.
• Known for a calm private life and for staying out of the spotlight after retirement.

Education and Beginnings

• Began acting at a young age, appearing in supporting roles in the late 1940s.
• Made her screen debut in 1949, then moved into leading roles by the mid‑1950s, drawing on a commanding presence and a performance style that blended allure with dramatic strength.

Career

• Emerged as one of the most prominent faces of Egyptian cinema in the 1950s and 1960s, working across comedy, romance, and social drama.
• Praised for portraying a wide range of characters beyond the stereotypical “glamour” image, creating roles that became lasting milestones in Egyptian film history.
• Retired voluntarily in 1979 and declined all subsequent offers to return, choosing to preserve the image her audience knew and loved.

Selected Works

• Bab al‑Hadid (1958) — internationally known as Cairo Station
• Ibn Hamidu (1957) — a classic Ismail Yassin comedy
• Sira' fi al‑Nil (1959) — Struggle on the Nile
• Ishaa'at Hubb (1960) — A Rumour of Love
• Shafiqa al‑Qibtiyya (1963) — Shafiqa the Copt (Copt refers to Egypt’s Christian community)
• al‑Khuroog min al‑Janna (1967) — Out of Paradise

Awards and Honors

• Celebrated for her body of work at leading Egyptian and Arab festivals, including Cairo and Alexandria, in recognition of her major contribution to the history of Egyptian cinema.
• Received numerous certificates of appreciation and honorary shields during her career and after retirement.

Additional Notes and Facts

• Chose complete media withdrawal after retiring and refused a dramatized biography, citing her wish to protect her privacy.
• Regarded as a fashion and elegance icon of her time; her image remains etched in the visual memory of Egyptian cinema.