Omar Sharif was an Egyptian film star, best known for his performances in both American and British productions. The gentlest exponent of romantic heroism, Sharif was popular among the team as one of the least demanding actors. After working for his father’s business for some time, he made his first appearance on the screen with the movie ‘Shaytan Al-Sahra’ (also called ‘Devil of the Desert’). He met his wife Faten Hamama, an already established actress then, during the shooting of his second movie, ‘Sira` Fi al-Wadi’ (also called ‘Struggle in the Valley’). His appearance as an Arab chief in ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ immediately made him favourite among the women. A highly civilized man with cosmopolitan tastes, Omar Sharif bagged numerous awards for his sparkling performances in movies like ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, ‘Doctor Zhivago’, and ‘Monsieur Ibrahim’. His first love was often said to be bridge, and he contributed many columns on bridge in several newspapers. He also authored a book on bridge and created an institutional video. He was frustrated at the travel restrictions imposed by the Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and this resulted in a kind of self-exile for him in Europe. This was also one of the main reasons for parting with his wife as he was away from the country most of the time owing to his shooting schedules.