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Khaleej Times

Popular Emirati actor Raziqa Al Taresh passes away at 71

The UAE entertainment industry mourns the loss of veteran actress Raziqa Al Taresh, who passed away on Friday at age 71 after a prolonged battle with cancer, marking the end of an extraordinary six-decade career that helped shape Emirati television and theatre. Al Taresh, whose career began at the remarkable age of nine, became synonymous with Ramadan television across the Gulf region, particularly beloved for her comedic portrayals of caring mothers and relatable women that resonated with generations of viewers. Born on March 6, 1954, Al Taresh entered the entertainment world as a child, starring in the children's show "Abu Sa'd & Um Sa'd" which ran for 90 episodes. By the age of 10, she appeared in "Al Mar'a," a series of short televised narratives, before joining Abu Dhabi Radio at 15 in 1969. Her transition from radio to screen proved pivotal. Between 1969 and 1979, she performed in five stage plays, including "Allah Ya al-Dunya," "Al-Sabr Zein," and "Tab Al-Awwal Tahawwal," before landing her first substantive television roles in "Al-Shaqiqan" (1976) and "Al-Qawas" (1977). The breakthrough came with "Ish'hafan" in 1978, where her portrayal of "Mitha" became a career-defining performance that established her as a household name across the Emirates and beyond. Al Taresh became a fixture of Ramadan television programming, appearing in numerous beloved series including "Tamasha," "Hayer Tayer," "Baher Al-Leyl," and "Maftah Al-Quffl." Her extensive television portfolio included "Hazin Ya Nasib," "Sa'eed Al-Habz," "Ajeeb Ghareeb," "Hanna wa Ranna," "Droob Al-Mataaya," "Habbet Raml," "Hareem Buhulal," and many more. Beyond acting, Al Taresh was equally a well accomplished writer, debuting with the comedy series "Na'ima wa Na'eema," starring Samira Ahmed and Ahmed Al-Ansari. She followed this success with "Azab Al-Dameer" and "Ateejah wa Ateej." Her contributions to cinema included three Emirati films: "Iqab," "Al-Khitbah," and "Zill," which according to many Arab actors have helped establish the foundations of national filmmaking. It was just last year when Dubai Culture awarded her "Theatrical Personality of the Year," honoring her exceptional contributions to the UAE theatre scene. Al Taresh had been courageously battling cancer since around 2014, undergoing tumor removal surgery abroad and continuing her artistic work for several years before gradually reducing her activity around 2022. Her dedication to her craft remained unwavering even as her health declined. Beloved Emirati star News of her passing prompted tributes from across the Gulf entertainment community. Kuwaiti comedian Tareq Al Ali described her as "the beloved and great Emirati star," while Emirati singer Hussein AlJasmi said: 'Umm Saif passed away, leaving behind the warmth of the screen and the sincerity of the scene. Her voice, her presence, her humanity.. She was like us and like our homeland' Abdulla AlHamed, head of UAE National Media Office said: 'Umm Saif (Raziqa Al Taresh) was one of the pioneering figures who left an imprint on the memory of drama with her sincere presence and influential performance that left a deep imprint in the conscience of successive generations in the Gulf countries.' For many, she represented a generation of Emirati women who pioneered their country's cultural landscape, creating characters and stories that became part of people's memories.