August 11 marks birth anniversary of Egypt's sweetheart Nagat al-Sgahira

CAIRO – 11 August 2021: Nagat al-Saghira was born on August 11, 1938. She began singing at a very early age, where she usually sang in family gatherings at the age of 5 and made her first film “Hadiya” [released in 1947] at the age of eight.

Nagat’s father was Mohammad Hosni, an Egyptian citizen with Kurdish origins who settled, lived and died in Cairo, Egypt. 

Hosni was a respected calligrapher. He was married more than once. Nagat’s mother was an Egyptian and a Cairo resident. She is the half-sister of renowned late actress Soad Hosni, dubbed as the ‘Cinderella of Arabic Cinema’.

Nagat married twice. Her first marriage was at a very young age, in 1955, when she was 16 (or 17) years old to Kamal Mansi. 

However, she was divorced around 1960 and remarried in 1967. Nagat also divorced from her second husband, film director Houssam El-Din Mustafa shortly afterwards and has remained single to date. She decided to devote her life to raising her only child, Waleed, from her first marriage, and to her beloved work.

The popular star of the golden era made thirteen films then retired from the film industry in 1976 at the age of 37 years. All of her films contained songs included songs performed by her.

Moreover, numerous renowned Arab music composers of the 20th century worked with Nagat, including Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Kamal el-Taweel, Mohamed el-Mongy, Baligh Hamdy and many others. 

Nagat received several awards and honors during her career, including the High Ranking Medal from former President Gamal Abdul Nasser. 

She also received awards from both Tunisian Presidents, Habib Bourguiba and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Also, King Hussain of Jordan awarded her the First Degree Medal of Independence.