Islam Khairy recently directed the first three-episode story of El Kessa El Kamla, titled Lea’bet Gohanam, starring Mohamed Farrag. The chilling true-crime story quickly generated plenty of buzz, and we got the inside look at the director behind the hit story, his journey across genres, and what he’s looking for in his next project.
From Studying Cinema to the Director’s Chair
Khairy’s path to directing started with cinema itself. After studying film, he began working as an assistant director across film and advertising, gaining experience behind the scenes before eventually stepping into the director’s chair.
He started his directing journey with comedy before gradually moving between genres, including drama, thriller, and fantasy. His first directing experience was the first season of the hit comedy series El Kebeer Awy: an extraordinary start, considering the enormous popularity the series would go on to achieve.
Why Lea’bet Gohanam Caught His Attention
The idea behind Lea’bet Gohanam immediately appealed to Khairy because it gave him the opportunity to work with a true story while also exploring strong dramatic and suspense elements. It was the kind of challenge that allowed him to try something different rather than simply return to familiar territory.
“I have always been interested in entering new territory as a director rather than simply repeating a genre that I have already succeeded in.”
That willingness to move between genres has become an important part of Khairy’s approach. Each one comes with its own set of tools. In comedy, for example, rhythm, the actors’ presence, and timing are essential. In suspense, the director may have to withhold information from the audience or make them feel something before they fully understand it.
Finding the Balance Between Real Life and Drama
One of the biggest challenges El Kessa El Kamla presented was its basis in real events. Rather than creating entirely fictional characters and situations, Khairy was working with the story of people who actually lived through these events: something that brought an entirely different sense of responsibility.
The challenge was finding the balance between remaining committed to the real-life events while presenting them through a dramatic lens. He wanted to treat the crime with respect rather than turn it into a spectacle, while still maintaining the suspense that keeps viewers invested.
“With El Kessa El Kamla, there was an additional factor: the events are real. So I was constantly asking myself how to create tension and suspense without inventing something that was not actually there in the story.”
Ultimately, the goal was to create a dramatic work that audiences could connect with while staying true to the story at its core.
A Career Built on Changing the Formula
Lea’bet Gohanam may have presented a new challenge, but it was far from Khairy’s first. His career began with comedy through El Kebeer Awy, before moving into drama, suspense, fantasy, and projects that differed significantly in both their worlds and storytelling.
“A director’s ability to change his tools from one project to another is one of the most important signs of growth.”
Bringing Gawdar and a Beloved Legacy to Life
One of the biggest challenges in his career came with Gawdar, a series carrying an important legacy in Egyptian culture and collective imagination through its connection to the world of One Thousand and One Nights.
Khairy was tasked with bringing a story inspired by that world to life in a way that had not been fully explored on Egyptian television before. For him, the challenge went beyond the scale of the production or the complexities of building a fantasy world.
“the challenge was not simply executing a huge production or building a difficult fantasy world. It was about finding a contemporary way to present One Thousand and One Nights that respected its legacy while still having its own identity.”
The experience taught him the importance of finding the right visual language for a project carrying such a powerful legacy, while also having the courage to bring a fresh vision to it.
What’s Next for Islam Khairy?
Khairy is currently working on several projects, although he’s keeping the details under wraps until the right time. What he can guarantee, however, is that he plans to keep exploring new territory rather than simply repeating what he has already done.
“For me, what matters more than the name of the genre is whether there is a story worth telling, and one that allows me to offer something new visually and dramatically.”
For Khairy, it isn’t necessarily about checking off every genre. Instead, it’s about continuing to learn, experiment, and take on projects that open a new door for him as a director.
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