Talented with a captivating performance and natural acting skills, still, her finest achievement was winning the hearts of the audience at a glance. When it comes to accomplishments, the experience of actress Rakeen Saad comes to prove that strength lies in holding on to dreams despite all circumstances. Rakeen never lost sight of her goals, but her inspiring journey was also a testament to the fact that hard work, passion and perseverance can take an actor to great heights. While she, with her incredible talent and unwavering spirit, continues to inspire other young actresses looking forward to a similar journey.
“Strength is a big word with so many different meanings. It is, in my opinion, when someone can overcome difficult situations—no matter what they may be—finding hope in life and staying positive. I am not sure if I am strong, but I have definitely been both powerful and weak. I also believe that good deeds like sacrifice are a kind of strength”. Rakeen confirms that a person can only be strong if they have faith, believe in themselves and are committed to pursuing their dreams and goals. In her interview with Soul Arabia, she says that the actresses’ portrayal of strength differs according to the characters they play because some characters only become powerful when they develop under escalating circumstances in the story.
Most often, people think of art as a tool for influencing, transforming, and addressing society’s problems. On the other hand, Rakeen sees greater potential in acting, as she says: “Acting is not limited to raising awareness only because it is a form of entertainment as well. Television or film productions can tell fictional stories that the viewer enjoys, or realistic ones that aim to change society.” She continues, “Whether I am an actress or not, I can still influence the society around me by having true passion to what I do. Actresses or women, in general, can influence the society through their diligence in their work, as I sometimes find inspiration in a truly touching performance by another actress”.
It is difficult for actors to maintain their inner peace and their mental and physical health, playing each different character after another. Rakeen maintains a daily routine to overcome this obstacle, as she explains: “I like to relax and do some exercise. I always remind myself why I am playing this character and what it means to me. If it is a tragic role, I tend to listen to music or watch comedy movies, and after filming is over, I usually travel to any coastal area or to visit my family in Amman.”
Everyone handles moments of weakness in his own way, in fact, sometimes such situations may help a person become stronger. According to Rakeen Saad: “Whenever I’m in a difficult situation with someone else and we both feel vulnerable, I pretend to be strong so that at least one of us can hold it together.”
Some actors aspire to fame, and others hate it. In every way, it comes with a lot of trouble and reveals real personalities. We had to ask Rakeen about her way of maintaining strength and humility in a career as challenging as acting. She replied, “I don’t know how to deal with fame, even though it’s part of my life, but I am very grateful for the love of people, and I still have many dreams to achieve. The things that I want to learn and fulfill in acting always keep me humble, especially because I believe that all people are equal”. She continues, “For me, acting is a journey of soul-searching, so we should always listen to and feel for those around us because the more we do, the more we can deliver a real-life performance of the role. I think vanity can get in the way of feeling the character before portraying it.”
Rakeen Saad went through a life-changing phase with losing her father, and started to see things differently, “It was a turning point in my life. Losing any member of my family became a nightmare I fear the most, as I had a deep relationship with my father, I am a part of him and he is a part of me. Losing him all of a sudden was a huge thing to accept at first, with the passage of time, depression, sadness, and everything, I started to see life from a new perspective and matured enough to accept death parting and realize that nothing in life is permanent and that death is the only truth “.
As much as she is strong, Rakeen Saad also has an optimistic perspective toward life that inspires her to see the bright side of things. Despite the trauma she experienced after losing her father, she admits that she managed to maintain her peace even when she felt vulnerable, as she puts it: “Every day I think of my father and grieve for him, but life goes on and it is important to move on. I learned from my dad that it is okay to feel sad if we’re going through a tough time, but we should always be passionate about life, love people, be strong, and hold on to hope”.
Since it was complex and challenging, the character” Noaf” in the television series “Al Rawabi School” had a significant impact on Rakeen’s career. She says: “In my childhood, we were not familiar with bullying as it is now. Even though I was exposed to it like all children, I never thought about revenge, as I believe it is better to forgive others. During my school phase, I always sided with what’s right, and this is the resemblance between me and Noaf’s character because she does not see life in black and white but rather judges according to what is right, and I admire this”.
Rakeen Saad had a very productive year, taking part in four projects and portraying a variety of challenging roles. She says, “I’m grateful for what I’ve accomplished, the characters I’ve played, and the stories I’ve been a part of. I found that giving each role my all while expressing my emotions in front of the cameras helped me transition from one character to another”.
Interview by Sultan Abu Tair, Words by Amira Shawky, Photographer: Malak Al Araby, Stylist: Yasmine Kenawi, Location: House of Glamour
