Mr Karate

Mr Karate (Arabic: مستر كراتيه) is an Egyptian sports drama film directed by Mohamed Khan and released in 1993. It stars Ahmad Zaki as an originally naive out of towner who is brought down by the hardships of life in Cairo.

In one of his last interviews (if not his last) before his untimely death in March 2005, Ahmad Zaki said the only thing he regretted about Mr Karate was its title. He said it was misleading because it led many moviegoers and critics to believe it was a lighthearted martial arts spoof, when, in fact, it was about the troubles of a simple man trying to survive the vast city that is Cairo, Egypt. In the interview, Zaki said he had hoped for the movie to be called Cairo '90.

Soon, Zaki realizes that his newfound karate abilities allows him to help out distressed members in his community, which captures the attention of a local tycoon (who in the film remains obscure and whose exact profession - whether he is a businessman, member of parliament or even a minister - is left to the viewers' imagination). At the time of its release, the film received mixed reviews, but it did solidify Zaki as an icon and spokesperson for the average Egyptian youth. He would later be cast in a number of action film oriented roles during the mid-and late-1990s although he still mainly focused more on dramatic roles.