Shahrzad (Persian: شهرزاد, romanized: Shahrzād) is an Iranian romantic and historical drama series written by Hassan Fathi and Naghmeh Samini, produced by Mohammad Emami and directed by Hassan Fathi[1] The storyline is set around and after the 1953 Iranian coup d'état.[2][3] The series is licensed by the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance of Iran and available online and in CDs around the country.[4] Due to its international popularity, it has been dubbed and aired in Urdu, Arabic, French, Spanish[5][failed verification] and Russian.[6] It stars Ali Nassirian, Taraneh Alidoosti, Shahab Hosseini, Mostafa Zamani and Parinaz Izadyar.
| Shahrzad | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Persian | شهرزاد |
| Genre | |
| Written by |
|
| Directed by | Parsa Ali |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | Mohsen Chavoshi |
| Composer | Amir Tavassoly |
| Country of origin | Iran |
| Original language | Persian |
| No. of seasons | 3 |
| No. of episodes | 59 |
| Production | |
| Producer | Mohammad Emami |
| Production locations | |
| Cinematography | Nooshin Jafari |
| Editor | Mahdi Hoseinivand |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | Home video |
| Release | 12 October 2015 – 11 June 2018 |
In the first few episodes, the singer of the series was Alireza Ghorbani. Then Mohsen Chavoshi and Sina Sarlak replaced him. In the last two episodes, Amin Bani and Farnaz Maleki were added to the series' singers.
Storyline
editIranian businessman Bozorg Agha is the head of a very powerful mafia syndicate who had a strong role in the coup d'état against Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh's government on 18 August 1953.[7] The son and daughter of two of Bozorg Agha's henchmen, Shahrzad and Farhad, are about to get married. During the coup chaos, Farhad gets arrested and sentenced to death. Bozorg Agha uses the influence he has amongst the coup heads to set Farhad free on the condition that Shahrzad agrees to break her engagement to him and marry the nephew of Bozorg Agha, Ghobad. Ghobad is already married to the sterile daughter of Bozorg Agha, Shirin, who does not take kindly to her husband's growing love for his second wife. The conflict created by these circumstances as well as the political activities of Farhad set the background for the story. The series follows the troubled lives of the people under the control of Bozorg Agha's rule as well as the ongoing rivalry between Bozorg Agha and other corrupt political leaders of the time.[8]
Cast
edit- = Main cast (credited)
- = Recurring cast (3+)
- = Guest cast (1-2)
| Actor | Character | Seasons | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Taraneh Alidoosti | Shahrzad Saadat | Main | ||
| Shahab Hosseini | Ghobad Divansalar | Main | ||
| Mostafa Zamani | Farhad Damavandi | Main | ||
| Parinaz Izadyar | Shirin Divansalar | Main | ||
| Ali Nassirian | Bozorg Agha Divansalar | Main | ||
| Mehdi Soltani | Hashem Damavandi | Main | Recurring | |
| Fariba Motekhasses | Marzieh | Main | ||
| Soheyla Razavi | Parvin | Main | ||
| Mahmoud Pakniat | Jamshid Saadat | Main | ||
| Gelareh Abbasi | Akram Bourbouran | Main | ||
| Houman Barghnavard | Colonel Teymouri | Main | Recurring | |
| Pantea Panahiha | Sharbat | Main | Recurring | |
| Parviz Fallahipour | Nosrat Pashaei | Recurring | Main | |
| Amirhossein Fathi | Homayoun Mohtadi/Saber Abdolli | Recurring | Main | |
| Ghazal Shakeri | Azar Goldarrei | Main | ||
| Abolfazl Pourarab | Heshmat Pashaei | Main | ||
| Amirhossein Rostami | Babak Yeganeh | Main | ||
| Mina Vahid | Maryam Mehrzad | Main | ||
| Nahal Dashti | Mitra Damavandi | Recurring | ||
| Mona Ahmadi & Maasoumeh Beygi | Simin Saadat | Recurring | ||
| Nasim Adabi | Homeyra Saadat | Recurring | ||
| Ramin Naser Nasir | Houshang | Recurring | ||
| Pasha Jamali | Asghari | Recurring | ||
| Jamshid Hashempour | Major Fouladshekan | Recurring | ||
| Roya Nonahali | Belgheys Divansalar | Main | Guest | |
| Reza Kianian | Shapour Behboudi | Main | ||
| Amir Jafari | Captain Aparviz | Main | ||
| Ateneh Faghih Nasiri | Soraya | Recurring | ||
| Jamshid Gorgin | Shahram Behboudi | Recurring | ||
| Manouchehr Zendehdel | Colonel Soheili | Recurring | ||
| Hadi Ghomeyshi | Mr. Shirvani | Recurring | ||
| Banipal Shoomoon | Esfandiari | Recurring | ||
| Saghi Zinati | Malmal Taherkhanlou | Recurring | ||
| Mehran Nael | Mr. Arshad | Recurring | ||
| Farshid Samadipour | Zabih | Recurring | ||
| Parviz Bozorgi | Rajab | Recurring | ||
| Mohammad Yeganeh | Asad Ghiasi | Recurring | ||
| Nahid Moslemi | Batool | Recurring | ||
| Sam Nouri | Sedgh Nouri | Recurring | ||
| Abbas Zafari | Akram's father | Recurring | ||
| Parisa Sabournezhad | Saeedeh | Recurring | ||
| Mahsa Nasiri | Esmat | Recurring | ||
| Hamid Reza Azarang | Lieutenant Mohammadi | Guest | ||
| Hossein Saharkhiz | Masoud Khan | Recurring | ||
| Shokrekhoda Goodarzi | Mozaffar | Recurring | ||
| Siamak Helmi | Feri | Recurring | ||
| Parviz Bashardoost | Enayatollah Khan | Recurring | ||
| Mohsen Naghibian | Recurring | |||
| Amirkaveh Ahaninjan | Recurring | |||
| Aman Rahimi | Recurring | |||
| Mahdi Yahestani | Recurring | |||
| Morteza Rostami | Recurring | |||
| Javad Zeytooni | Recurring | |||
| Farhad Mahdavi | Recurring | |||
| Mohammadreza Imanian | Recurring | |||
| Houshang Ghanavatizadeh | Recurring | |||
| Behzad Davari | Recurring | |||
| Pouria Miandehi | Recurring | |||
| Shahab Ashkan | Recurring | |||
| Hootan Shateripour | Recurring | |||
| Amirhossein Shariatmadari | Recurring | |||
| Mohsen Marvi | Recurring | |||
| Elham Nami | Recurring | |||
| Ahmad Lashini | Recurring | |||
Production
editThe cast of the 59-episode series includes over 200 artists. Considering the professional team behind the camera, plus two years spent on pre-production and four months of shooting, it is the biggest project by the private sector for the home video network.[9]
Location
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The series was shot in Ghazali Cinematic Town in the western part of Tehran. Covering an area of 10 hectares, the complex was established in 1971 by the late director Ali Hatami, partially simulating old Tehran. It comprises various state and historic buildings; streets, and places similar to more than 100 years ago decorated by Italian decorators, particularly Gianni Cortina. Other locations are the Museum of the Qasr Prison, Vossug ed Dowleh House, House dr Mohammad Moin, Naderi Café, Passenger Terminal, Sulaimaniyah Palace and Baharestan Square camerawork.[10] Another location that resonated with the Armenian community in Iran is the Armenian Club that is used for weddings and outings by the Armenians. This club is used in the very first few parts of episode one of Shahrzad as a meeting place for Farhad and Shahrzad.
Distribution
editIts first season was broadcast in 2014. The broadcast of the second season started on Monday, June 19, 2017 and ended on October 17, 2017. The broadcast of the third season also began from January 31, 2018 and ended on June 21, 2018. The series was broadcast weekly on Mondays.
Reception
editReviews
editParviz Jahed review from Guardian wrote:
Good story-telling has made it an intriguing and successful melodrama set against the backdrop of an important episode in Iran’s modern history.[11]
Mahdi Ganjavi review from Global Voices Online wrote:
As the story of Shahrzad shows, the political and economic aspirations, desires, and interests of any historical moment entail a revision of what happened in the past. Shahrzad is a love story in the disturbed atmosphere.[12]
Awards
editThis series has had a total of 12 nominations and 7 wins from Hafez Awards and has had 6 nominations and 2 wins from the Yas International Film Festival.
Season 1
| Year | Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 16th Hafez Awards[13]
| |||
| Best Series | Shahrzad | Won | ||
| Best Director | Hassan Fathi | Won | ||
| Best Soundtrack | Mohsen Chavoshi with Sina Sarlak | Nominated | ||
| Best Actor | Shahab Hosseini | Nominated | ||
| Ali Nasirian | Won | |||
| Best Actress | Taraneh Alidoosti | Nominated | ||
| Parinaz Izadyar | Nominated | |||
| Life Achievement | Jamshid Hashempour | Won |
- Also won the Best Director and Best Screenplay category at the fourth Yas International Film Festival.
Season 2 & 3[14]
Was appreciated the most with three awards from Hafez Awards:
- The best drama actor award went to Mehdi Soltani
- The best drama actress to Roya Nonahali
- Best director award to Hassan Fathi.
And eight nominations, including:
- Best Actress for Taraneh Alidosti, Prinaz Izdiar and Galareh Abbasi
- Best Actor for Mostafa Zamani, Shahab Hosseini and Amir Hossein Fathi
Poll
edit- Best Series in Iran of all Time with 67% vote - Cmmagazine[15]
Celebration and Appreciation
edit
Celebration and appreciation ceremony of the actors of Shahrzad series was held last night, Sunday, May 16, in the presence of the agents of this series and other cinema artists in the conference hall of Milad Tower in Tehran.[16]
Soundtracks
editShahrzad OST
edit| No. | Title | Artist | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Shahrzad" | Alireza Ghorbani | 2:50 |
| 2. | "Shahrzad 2" | Alireza Ghorbani | 3:16 |
| 3. | "Hamkhaab" | Mohsen Chavoshi | 2:59 |
| 4. | "Be Rasme Yadegar" | Mohsen Chavoshi | 5:31 |
| 5. | "Kojaei?" | Mohsen Chavoshi Ft. Sina Sarlak | 3:48 |
| 6. | "Shahrzad" | Mohsen Chavoshi | 4:11 |
| 7. | "Afsar" | Mohsen Chavoshi Ft. Sina Sarlak | 4:40 |
| 8. | "Mah Pishooni" | Mohsen Chavoshi | 3:57 |
| 9. | "Barkhiz" | Sina Sarlak | 4:51 |
| 10. | "Khodahafezie Talkh" | Mohsen Chavoshi | 3:58 |
| 11. | "Divooneh" | Mohsen Chavoshi | |
| 12. | "Fandak Tab dar" | Mohsen Chavoshi Ft. Sina Sarlak | 3:37 |
| 13. | "Ey Darigha" | Mohsen Chavoshi Ft. Sina Sarlak | 4:27 |
| 14. | "Havam Dobare pase" | Mohsen Chavoshi | 4:25 |
| 15. | "Tanha Omide Zendegi" | Sina Sarlak | 4:05 |
| 16. | "Kash Nadide Boodamet" | Mohsen Chavoshi | 5:04 |
| 17. | "Jome" | Mohsen Chavoshi | 4:36 |
| 18. | "Del Ey Del" | Mohsen Chavoshi Ft. Sina Sarlak | 5:33 |
| 19. | "Che Kardi" | Amin Bani Ft. Farnaz Maleki | 4:17 |
| 20. | "Nashod" | Amin Bani Ft. Farnaz Maleki | 4:58 |
References
edit- ^ "Shahrzad comes with a Special". 23 September 2015.
- ^ correspondent, Saeed Kamali Dehghan Iran (April 19, 2016). "Iran TV series set in 1950s draws big audiences with echoes in politics today" – via www.theguardian.com.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help) - ^ "10 راز محبوبیت "شهرزاد"". ایسنا. May 2, 2016.
- ^ Details Second Season Shahrzad
- ^ "Shahrzad | TVmaze" – via www.tvmaze.com.
- ^ "Сериал Шахерезада: фото, видео, описание серий - Вокруг ТВ".
- ^ "persian-news.net". ww1.persian-news.net.
- ^ Torfeh, Massoumeh. "New TV series evokes memories of pre-revolution Iran". www.aljazeera.com.
- ^ Cologne rolls out Red carpet for 'Shahrzad'
- ^ "Shahrzad Series Locations".
- ^ Dehghan, Saeed Kamali (April 21, 2016). "Set in 1950s, Shahrzad draws big audiences with echoes in politics today". DAWN.COM.
- ^ "A Lavish Iranian TV Series Revises the History of the 1953 Coup for the Post-Nuclear Deal Age · Global Voices". September 28, 2016.
- ^ "First Kiarostami prize awarded to "Fish and Cat" director". Tehran Times. July 24, 2016.
- ^ "Best in Film and Television Awarded". Financial Tribune. 2018-08-14. Retrieved 2020-11-18.
- ^ "تحلیل ارتباطی و جامعهشناسی موفقیت سریال شهرزاد در ماهنامه مدیریت ارتباطات". همشهری آنلاین. June 29, 2016.
- ^ "جشن پایان سریال شهرزاد- عکس خبری تسنیم - Tasnim". خبرگزاری تسنیم - Tasnim (in Persian). Retrieved 2020-11-22.
External links
edit
- Shahrzad at IMDb
- www.shahrzadseries.com (Pr)
- www.shahrzadseries.com (En)
- Shahrzad on Instagram
