Son of the Egyptian actor Yehia El Fakharany and journalist Lamis Gaber, Shady graduated from the Film Institute in 2004. He has since worked as an assistant director on a number of films working primarily with Sherif Arafa. El Farakhany has also acted in a number of films including The Trial of Ali Baba, which he appeared in as a child alongside his father and Esaad Younes. He directed several short films before moving to television drama. In 2012, he directed the acclaimed series The Foreigner ...