Shahrzad (TV series)

Shahrzad
Genre Drama
Romance
Historical
Mystery
Written by Hassan Fathi
Naghmeh Samini
Directed by Hassan Fathi
Starring Shahab Hosseini
Taraneh Alidoosti
Ali Nasirian
Mostafa Zamani
Parinaz Izadyar
Mahdi Soltani
Mahmoud Pak Niat
Abolfazl Poorarab
Jamshid Hashempour
Reza Kianian
Roya Nonahali
Ateneh Faghih Nasiri
Amir Jafari
Theme music composer Mohsen Chavoshi
Composer(s) Amir Tavassoli
Country of origin  Iran
Original language(s) Persian
No. of seasons 3
No. of episodes 59
Production
Producer(s) Mohammad Emami
Production location(s) Tehran
Isfahan
Cinematography Nooshin Jafari
Editor(s) Mahdi Hoseinivand
Running time 60 minutes
Distributor Tasvir Gostar Pasargad (Iran)
Lotus Play (Iran)
Release
Original network Video Rental Services
Picture format 16:9
Audio format Dolby Digital 5.1
Original release 12 October 2015 – 11 June 2018
External links
Website

Shahrzad (Persian: شهرزاد shahrzād) is an Iranian romantic and historical drama series. The series is written by Hassan Fathi and Naghmeh Samini and directed by Hassan Fathi [1] The storyline is set around and after the 1953 Iranian coup d'état.[2][3] The Shahrzad 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 and Spanish.[5]

Storyline

Iranian bureaucrat 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.[6] 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.[7]

Production

The cast of the 28-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.[8]

Location

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.[9]. 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.

Cast

Season one

  • Shahab Hosseini as Ghobad Divansalar
  • Taraneh Alidoosti as Shahrzad Saadat
  • Ali Nasirian as Bozorg Agha Divansalar
  • Mostafa Zamani as Farhad Damavandi
  • Parinaz Izadyar as Shirin Divansalar
  • Ghazal Shakeri as Azar Goldarrei
  • Mahmoud Pak Niat as Jamshid Saadat
  • Abolfazl Poorarab as Heshmat Pashaei
  • Jamshid Hashempour as Major Fouladshekan
  • Soheila Razavi as Parvin
  • Mahdi Soltani as Hashem Damavandi
  • Fariba Motekhases as Marzieh
  • Gelareh Abasi as Akram BorBoran
  • Masome beygi as Simin Saadat
  • Amir Hossein Rostami as Babak Yeganeh
  • Ramin Naser Nasir as Houshang Nasiri
  • Houman Barghnavard as Colonel Teymouri
  • Parviz Fallahi Pour as Nosrat Pashaei
  • Nasim Adabi as Homeyra Saadat
  • Mina Vahid as Maryam Mehrzad
  • Pantea Panahiha as Sharbat
  • Jamshid Gorgin as Shahram Behboudi
  • Nahal Dashti as Mitra Damavandi
  • Manouchehr Zendehdel as Colonel Soheili

Season two

Reception

Reviews

Without a doubt, Shahrzad is one of the best among Iranian epic drama series made so far simply because of the range of themes and topics it covers.[10] Shahrzad is Historical, complex, multi-layered, vibrant and it draws your eye in to the surprising level of detail. Amazing acting performances and his is one of those rare series where the acting and dialogue is darn near of course it has its weaknesses but the story is so well developed that the weaknesses can be ignored. The acting of all the main characters is great and most of all Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti an Ali Nassirian have portrayed their characters to perfection. Set decoration and custom design and cinematography is good for classic atmosphere and drama forms in series.[11]

Parviz 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.[12]

Mehdi 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.[13]

Awards

Year Award Category Recipient Result
2016
16th Hafez Awards[14]
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

Poll

  • Best Series in Iran of all Time with 67% vote - Cmmagazine[15]

Soundtracks

Shahrzad OST

Track listing
No.TitleArtistLength
1."Shahrzad"Alireza Ghorbani2:50
2."Shahrzad 2"Alireza Ghorbani3:16
3."Bedfellow"Mohsen Chavoshi2:59
4."As A Memorial"Mohsen Chavoshi5:31
5."Where Are You ?"Mohsen Chavoshi Ft. Sina Sarlak3:48
6."Shahrzad"Mohsen Chavoshi4:11
7."The Bridle"Mohsen Chavoshi Ft. Sina Sarlak4:40
8."Moon Forehead"Mohsen Chavoshi3:57
9."Get up"Sina Sarlak4:51
10."Bitter Farewell"Mohsen Chavoshi3:58
11."Insane"Mohsen Chavoshi4:34

References

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