Before Adel Imam was the face of Ramadan, there were Fawazeer
Once upon a time, Adel Imam’s face was not a permanent fixture of Ramadan television. The ‘80s were a simpler time, when Nelly (and, later on, Sherihan) brought families together in front of the TV screen to watch Fawazeer, arguably the most iconic show in Ramadan entertainment history. Nelly’s run with Fawazeer started in 1980 with Fawazeer Arusty (watch, runtime 09:11), but more popular was the 1981 edition of the Ramadan riddle show, Fawazeer El Khatba (watch, runtime 07:59). The show continued to adapt and develop throughout the decade, with the addition of the unforgettable character Fatouta, played by Samir Ghanem, in 1982, and Sherihan taking over from Nelly in 1985. So iconic and memorable is the show that its influence extends well beyond the confines of the decade: In 2013, PepsiCo created a joint Pepsi and Chipsy Ramadan ad featured Nelly and Samir Ghanem alongside other icons of Egyptian Ramadans past (watch, runtime 3:00).