Two heirs of Egyptian singing legend Abdel Halim Hafez, also known as ‘Al Andaleeb Al Asmar’ or the ‘Dark Nightingale,’ have sued MBC for $4.1 million. They claim that MBC profited from Hafez’s reputation and his name in running their talent contest, Al Andaleeb Man Yakoun (Who Is the Nightingale?). They claim MBC made $50 million in profit from the contest, and are bringing an action in the Dubai Civil Court for their share of the rights.
MBC’s defense lawyer, Dr. Habib Al Mulla has dismissed the claims as “baseless, uncorroborated and absolutely untrue.” He claimed that as a singer and actor, Hafez does not have the same rights as an author, and that he is “the Arab people’s artist and any station has the right to produce or broadcast programmes about Al Andaleeb Al Asmar.” He pointed out that many stations had broadcast
tributes to and biographies of the
late artist.
Case proceedings were due to begin in February.