Outcry in Egypt as poet 'defames' late iconic singer Umm Kulthum

Egyptian cultural organisations have said they will be taking legal action against a poet who reportedly insulted late musical icon Umm Kulthum at a public event, according to local news reports Thursday.

At a seminar organised by the Egyptian Writer’s Union, poet Nasser Dowidar took aim at the singer's career beginnings, her relationships with the men she worked with, and even her appearance.

According to the local media reports, Dowidar claimed she secretly got married 11 times, and that she manipulated the feelings of renowned late poet Ahmed Rami, who wrote lyrics for several of her songs.

Rami was known to be in love with the singer, but the two never married.

"The relationship between Umm Kulthum and Rami was like that of a wolf and its prey," Dowidar said.

"We deal with Umm Kulthum as though she were a genius… a singer that Egypt has not seen before… and by the way, Umm Kulthum's looks were messed up," he said.

Dowidar’s remarks prompted the Society of Authors, Composers and Publishers (SACERAU) to declare that it would file a complaint against him before the prosecutor general.

The Musicians’ Syndicate, meanwhile, released a strongly-worded statement, describing Dowidar’s comments as "an attack on Egyptian greats who left their marks in the history of the Arab art and culture."

Dowidar has reportedly since apologised for his remarks, saying that they were "taken out of context".

Dubbed ‘The Lady’ and ‘The Planet of The East,’ Umm Kulthum, passed away in Cairo in 1976. The prolific singer is remembered through the 300 long songs she left behind in video and audio recordings.