Elham Shahin: My father died angry with me

Egyptian actress Elham Shahin has said she doesn't regret not having children, as she didn't want to make them suffer the hard times she had gone through. The star also said that her father died angry with her, as he had always opposed her joining the entertainment industry, wanting her to be a doctor instead of a director like she wanted to be. Elham revealed in an interview on the "Wahed men el-Nas" show on television channel al-Mehwer that her professor in the Theatrical Arts Institute, Kamal Yassin, asked her to work in one of his plays as an actress after convincing her father. The Egyptian actress said she was put under the spotlight after performing in the play, as the newspapers described her as the great actress Faten Hamama's successor. She was soon handed many roles in movies and TV series. Elham added that fights with her father during that period caused her a lot of problems that could have led her to prison, saying that her mother's support was the main reason behind her professional success. "I regret not reconciling with my father before he died...I was convinced he was right that I should not have joined this industry, as I have faced a lot of problems in my career as an actress." The celebrity was full of praise for her mother's role in her life saying she was "an angel rather than a human", while she admitted feeling guilty for not accompanying her in her last Umrah pilgrimage, as she was already ill before the journey and died one day after returning. Elham said she was eager to perform an Umrah pilgrimage for her mother every year on March 21 (marking Mothers Day) as atonement for her fault. The Egyptian star said she doesn't fear death, and was completely ready to face it when her time comes. "I am keen to participate in charitable activities and offer help to those who need it...I have done a lot of bad deeds, although I trust in God's mercy," she said.