Read Now, Watch Later: Arabic Novels Headed to the Screen
Books turning into movies and series? Yes, please. From thrillers to spiritual awakenings, these five upcoming adaptations based on Arabic novels are giving us something to look forward to. Whether you’re into serial killer confessions or chakra healing, there’s something for every mood.
Dam Ala Nahd by Ibrahim Essa
Get ready for a mind-bending thriller. Hend Sabry stars as Mai El-Gebali, a journalist who interviews a convicted serial killer before his execution. But with every meeting, he drops shocking truths that were never revealed during the investigation.
Things spiral fast, Mai starts questioning everything she thought was true, including her own safety. Expect a deep dive into political corruption, starting from 1980s Egypt. Directed by Mariam Ahmadi, this short series is adapted by Mohamed Hesham Obeya.
Izma by Mohamed Sadek
Ahmed Dawood and Ahmed Dash team up in this emotional ride. The story follows Issa, a man who gets an unexpected gift on his 36th birthday after hitting rock bottom. The twist? That gift forces him to confront everything he’s been avoiding: fear, passion, and the reason he lost his spark. A feel-it-in-your-soul kind of film, written and directed by the novel’s author himself.
Kundalini by Mirna El Helbawy
Time to channel your inner yogi. Menna Shalaby and Dhafer L’Abidine star in this spiritual journey about a writer in her late 20s who turns to Kundalini yoga to heal her soul and her chronic back pain.
Each chapter of the novel is tied to a chakra, and the story goes deep into repressed trauma, healing, and rediscovering joy. Directed by Mohamed Salama, it’s giving mystic vibes with a self-love twist.
Taha El Gharib by Mohamed Sadek
Fantasy meets heartbreak in this film led by Hassan El Raddad and Mai Omar. Taha is a man living for the memory of a lost love… until a girl enters the picture with one mission: to win his heart. Think magical realism meets emotional chaos. Directed by Osman Abou Laban and produced by Ahmed El Sobky, this one’s for fans of bittersweet, dreamy storytelling.
Banat El Basha by Nora Nagi
Zeina, Sabreen, and Ahmed Magdy bring to life this heartfelt story based on Nora Nagi’s novel about women battling depression, illness, and hopelessness. But what if one girl watching their stories could rewrite their endings, even if it cost her everything? Directed by Mohamed El Adl, this one’s a powerful look at resilience, womanhood, and the power of storytelling.
Novels Are the New Screenplays
Whether it’s political drama, healing chakras, or love that bends reality, Arabic literature is having a cinematic moment, and we’re here for it. Save these titles, because they’re about to dominate your watchlist.
WE ALSO SAID: Don’t Miss It…Egyptian Novels Meet the Screen: The Literary Roots of Iconic Films and Series
