Some cult classic movies carved themselves into our memories, lasting long after their final credits roll. For those who came of age in the 2000s, we predict the film Hareem Kareem defined your childhood. Now, after an eagerly awaited 18-year wait, the moment we’ve all been waiting for has come: Awlad Hareem Kareem!

Let’s break down this journey down memory lane and explore the nostalgia that the sequel successfully delivered:

The Shenanigans Continue

Imagine a world where Ayla, the daughter of Kareem El Husseiny and his late wife Gigi, coincidentally falls in love with the son of her father’s college sweetheart, Maha! As a result, the whole gang is reacquainted, bringing Hala, Dina, and their children together.

Full House

Aside from Mostafa Qamar’s lead, the dynamic duo Dalia El Beheiry and Khaled Sarhan are on the frontline of characters that are back with their undeniable chemistry. The two paired for the release of their four-season show Yawmeyat Zoga Mafrosa Awy across the 18-year hiatus, but add to that the reprisal of Basma and Ola Ghanem’s characters and a cameo of Riham Abdelghafour and you’ll see why Awlad Hareem Kareem is such a big deal!

Unfortunate Absences

Still, the movie witnessed the absence of a couple of fan favourites. Most noticeable is Yasmine Abdelaziz, who was claimed to have been killed off to serve the movie’s plot line, which revolves around Kareem’s struggles with being a widowed father to a teenage girl. The film was also devoid of the supposed partners of Hala and Dina, who were played by the late Talaat Zakaria and Mohamed Shahin, as per the ending of the first movie.

Memorable Add-ons

The addition of new characters served the movie well. Bushra’s character, Qamar’s new love interest, not only gave us a rather happy ending to Kareem’s fictional life but also an exceptional vocal collab in one of the movie’s songs. Also, while Talaat Zakaria’s passing might have left our hearts heavy, thankfully, Amr Abdelgalil maintained his comedic stamp in the sequel.

New Generation

As the title suggests, Awlad Hareem Kareem focuses on the second generation of our leads. The film introduced a handful of talented rising stars, from Qamar’s son, Tayam, to the talented Rana Raies, alongside fresh faces like Meen 2al’s Hana Dawood, Leih La2’s Youssef Omar, Mawdoo3 3a2ely’s Fouad Mohsen, and first-timer Karim Karim.

Easter Eggs

Filmmakers Zainab Aziz and Aly Idris reunited for the sequel after the booming success of the first movie. They knew exactly how to quench our thirst for nostalgia by throwing in several references to the original film, whether in the form of subtle jokes and one-liners or the mere fact that they took us on a trip to Sharm El Sheikh, once again, with our favourite cinematic gang! That said, we highly recommend rewatching Hareem Kareem beforehand to avoid missing any of the easter eggs in the sequel.