By: Yomna Walid&nbsp;
A few weeks after its highly anticipated release, &ldquo;Underage&rdquo; has sparked conversations by addressing a range of issues affecting Generation Z. At the centre of the series is Egyptian director Yahya Ismail, who continues to attract attention with each new project. It is not his first time exploring the lives and challenges of young people, having previously examined similar themes in "Athena."
Following the success of &ldquo;Tawabea&rdquo; during the Ramadan 2026 season, Ismail returned with "Underage," a coming-of-age drama exploring the realities, pressures and challenges facing today&rsquo;s youth. Drawing not only on his experience as a director but also as a father, he brings an authentic perspective to the generation at the heart of the story.
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In an exclusive interview with NileFM, Yahya Ismail takes us behind the scenes of "Underage," discusses the research that shaped the series, explains his approach to casting its young stars, and reflects on the realities facing Generation Z. He also addresses the question many fans have been asking: could the hit series &ldquo;Revo&rdquo; return for a third season?
The series &ldquo;Underage&rdquo; tackles several issues affecting young people. What was the main issue you wanted to highlight, and why?
For me, a series is never really about one specific issue. It is about the story. I do not like it when a series is built around a particular social issue. There may be an issue in the background, but ultimately people connect with the story, not the issue itself.
&ldquo;Underage&rdquo; is driven by its narrative. Through that story, the writers; Mohamed Elsoury, Mina Bebawi and Amin Gamal, wanted to bring together many of the situations we hear about involving teenagers, including jealousy, conflicts between girls, teenage pregnancy, differences in social classes and cultures, and the tradition in some rural communities where a young girl marries an older man who takes her to Cairo, promises her a better life and financially supports her family.
These are all separate stories we have heard or read about. The writers wanted to bring them together within one narrative, alongside the story of a girl whose father dies, causing her family&rsquo;s financial situation to deteriorate and forcing her to move to a different school. All these elements were combined into one story.
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The series features a large cast of young actors. How did you approach the casting process and match each actor to the right character?
I always cast actors through auditions. Everyone performs two or three scenes so I can understand how they interpret the character.
There were actors I had worked with before, such as Farah Youssef and Ahmed Al Rafeay, so I already knew what they were capable of. Others were completely new to me. In some cases, I wanted audiences to see actors in a different light. For example, I really wanted Amr Wahba to take on a serious role rather than comedy.
Sometimes it simply comes down to instinct. With Ahmed Faheem as the father and Samaa Ibrahim as the mother, I trusted my instincts.
For Jessica Hossam&rsquo;s character, Maryam, I wanted someone who naturally appeared innocent.
For Hana Jayda Mansour&rsquo;s character, I was looking for someone who always tries to do the right thing and carries herself with confidence.
Dalida Joudy Masoud&rsquo;s character needed someone who could express anger and strength despite having an appearance that suggested the opposite.
As for Nahed Reem Al Masry&rsquo;s character, I wanted her to represent the beautiful village girl who marries into a family from a different social class.
Generation Z has its own language and way of thinking. How did you ensure the series portrayed them realistically while making its messages accessible to audiences of all ages?
I believe the series felt very realistic, largely because of the research carried out by the writers. They were committed to understanding this generation and the challenges it faces.
Personally, my children are around that age, so I am already close to this generation. I understand the way they speak and how they view the world, which helped me portray them in a natural and authentic way.
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Amr Wahba and Jessica Hossam both played roles very different from what audiences are used to seeing from them. How challenging was it to direct them in those roles?
Casting Amr Wahba was not a challenge for me because I always knew he was capable of doing it. The real challenge was convincing the producers and the platform because they were used to seeing him in comedy. I believed from the beginning that he had the ability, and his audition confirmed that.
As filming progressed, he developed a deeper understanding of the character. At first, he played the police officer as very serious, but after a few days of filming, he realised the character could also have a lighter and more approachable side.
With Jessica, I wanted every look she gave the camera to feel as though she was discovering the world for the first time through her innocent perspective. That innocence was central to her character.
Since the series premiered, what audience reaction made you feel you had achieved your goal?
The comment I received most often was that every girl in the series felt like a unique individual, with her own family, background and personality. That made me feel the effort we put into developing the characters had paid off.
Was there a particular scene that required exceptional time or effort to achieve the final result?
Honestly, almost every scene is difficult to film in Egypt. The weather is extremely hot, and shooting days are physically demanding.
The bathroom fight scene was especially challenging. It was an exhausting day for everyone involved, and Hana (Jayda) had a particularly difficult time filming it. It was definitely one of the hardest days on set.
Working on this series must have brought you closer to the realities and challenges facing today&rsquo;s generation. Did the experience change your perspective on any issues?
It definitely brought me closer to this generation. I realised how much pressure they live under. They grew up with social media and the promise of instant fame, with constant pressure to be visible and attract attention.
Some feel they have to keep pushing themselves to become successful or famous, while others seem completely disconnected from that race. Overall, I think this generation faces enormous pressure because the future feels uncertain.
Everything changes so quickly. Today, artificial intelligence is transforming industries, and many young people no longer feel confident about what the future holds. They are learning how to adapt to constant change, whereas my generation grew up believing life was much more stable.
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You recently appeared in a photo with Riham Hagag and Ahmed Mekky. Does the photo hint at a new project together? What are your upcoming plans?
Half the story behind that photo was work-related. I met Riham after &ldquo;Tawabea&rdquo; during Ramadan so we could discuss what worked, what did not, the mistakes we made and what we could improve in future projects.
Meeting Ahmed Mekky happened by coincidence. Riham introduced us, so the photo with him was not connected to any project.
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&ldquo;Revo&rdquo; continues to enjoy great popularity. Are there plans for a third season, or do you feel the story has reached its conclusion?
At the moment, there have been no discussions about a third season of "Revo." The writer, Mohamed Nayer, and I have occasionally thought about how the story could continue, but ultimately those decisions depend on the production side.
So far, no production company has expressed interest in developing a third season. I have always believed &ldquo;Revo&rdquo; had the potential to grow beyond a television series into a larger brand, with live music events and concerts, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
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Photo Credit: Yahya Ismail's official page&nbsp;

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