Sulaf Fawakherji apologizes... Rasha Sharbatji reveals the cast of "Madina Kitchen"

Syrian director Rasha Sharbatji spoke about her upcoming series "Matbakh Al Madina," scheduled to air during Ramadan 2026 on MBC and Shahid.

During her interview on the MBC program "Good Morning Arabs," she confirmed that the series includes a large group of stars, most notably Abbas Al-Nouri and Maxim Khalil, who returns to the screen after an absence, alongside Abdel Moneim Amayri, Amal Arafa, Mohammed Hadaqi, Fadi Sabih, Khaled Al-Qish, Yamen Hajli, and Molham Bashar, in addition to a number of other artists.

Rasha Sharbatji added that some of the names previously considered for the role declined for personal or professional reasons, including stars Sulafa Memar, Qais Sheikh Najib, and Samer Ismail. She explained that filming for the series was scheduled to begin last year, but logistical reasons delayed its launch, prompting some actors to withdraw due to prior commitments.

She noted that Sulaf Fawakherji, in particular, had apologized for accompanying her daughter on her application to a European university.

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The withdrawal of some names did not affect the composition of the dramatic characters. Sharbatji also reassured the audience that the withdrawal of some actors did not affect the cast of characters, as the reasons were not related to the script or the role, but rather to the artists' schedules. She emphasized, "The project has not been halted, and any artist who withdraws will have a ready replacement in mind."

Rasha Sharbatji continued, saying that "City Kitchen" was written by Ali Wajeeh and Saif Reda Hamed, describing it as "the script closest to my heart during this period." She added that the work sheds light on the middle class and the pressures and suffering they face in light of economic and social transformations, in addition to examining the world of beggars from a dramatic, human perspective.

She concluded by saying that the series explores the repercussions of the past fourteen years on Syrian society and the extent to which they have impacted the disintegration of relationships, even among siblings. She noted that the work addresses these transformations in a compelling and cohesive dramatic language.

How did Rasha Sharbatji respond to the accusation of promoting homosexuality? Syrian director Rasha Sharbatji appeared as a guest on the program "Book of Fame" with media personality Ali Yassin. The interview exceeded expectations, during which she revealed many details about her childhood, her father's illness and death, and her latest series, "Awlad Badiaa," which achieved great success.

Rasha Sharbatji and motherhood Rasha Sharbatji explained that her deprivation of motherhood did not take a tragic turn in her life, as she compensates for the lost feeling of motherhood with her nephews and all the people in her life. She also spoke about her failed IVF attempts, but they were not the end of life for her, as she is grateful for many things in her life, including health, love from people, and work.

On being accused of promoting homosexuality Rasha Sharbatji talked about the character of "Mukhtar Al-Dabbagh" played by the artist Mahmoud Nasr in her latest series "Awlad Badiaa", and she explained that she met with Mahmoud Nasr and the writers of the work Ali Wajeeh and Yamen Al-Hajli and they studied the character well, indicating that the character is critical, especially since it is a character who suffers from a type of simple psychosis that is very dangerous because it is not apparent to society, and with the first frustration it shows its fangs and he becomes evil and dangerous.

Regarding the criticism directed at the series " Awlad Badiaa " due to the scene in which Mahmoud Nasr appears wearing a nightgown and a wig, Rasha Sharbatji responded that the scene does not promote homosexuality at all, but rather demonstrates that this person is capable of crafting a scenario from A to Z to serve his personal interests, and that she accepted the criticism with an open heart.