Veteran film and theater actor Ali Nassirian was honored at a ceremony at Rayzan International Conference Center in north Tehran on Tuesday, on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), December 29.
The 80-year-old Nassirian is still a celebrity in Iranian cinema, playing a lead role in the series ‘Shahrzad’, made for the home video network, which has a large audience, Mehr News Agency reported.
Eleven episodes have been released and people have shown great interest in Nassirian’s role as ‘Bozorg Agha’ (literally great sir), a man of wealth and power who leads a mafia-like syndicate in Tehran in the early 1950s. Depicting a godfather-like character, he has shown his acting skills once again.
Afshin Sanayei, director of public relations of the series, who organized the ceremony, said that the event was the first step to honor veterans of art and “we started by honoring Nassirian who has always played memorable roles with his unique talent”.
Director of the series Hassan Fathi who has cooperated with the veteran actor in three series said, “Nassirian is an exemplary actor for the young generation. Whenever I look at his performance, it is like I discover something new in him. There are few artists like him in the country and I hope we can see more people like him”.
Nassirian pointed out that since the first day he started acting in the year 1950, he has been in love with acting and his roles. “I thank God that people like me and the roles I have performed. People’s satisfaction is the best reward; 65 years ago I could not think of such a night because I never worked for money and fame. I am standing here now as just the representative of all the cast and crew and producers of the series who have done a great job in making this serial in which I am just a small part,” he said.
Nassirian has acted in over 100 plays, movies and TV series.
‘The Cow’ (1969) and ‘Mr. Naive’ (1970), ‘The Postman’ (1971), The Cycle (1974), ‘Kamalolmolk’ (1983), ‘Mirza Norouz’s Shoes’ (1985), ‘Stone Lion’ (1986), ‘Captain Khorshid’ (1987), ‘The Scent of Joseph’s Shirt’ (1995), ‘Iron Island’ (2005) and ‘The Saturday Hunter’ (2011) are among his famous films.
‘Shahrzad’ directed by renowned filmmaker Hassan Fathi, is a romance-crime melodrama, with prominent actors Mostafa Zamani, Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti, Mahmoud Pakniat and Abolfazl Pourarab, Jamshid Hashempour, Fariba Motekhases and Houman Barqnavard in the cast.
The series is currently available on DVD in the market.
Well-known figures of art, culture and sports including ‘Shahrzad’ actors Mostafa Zamani and Amir-Hossein Rostami, poet Shams Langeroodi, soccer coach Branko Ivankovic, singer Khashayar Etemadi, veteran actor Mohammad-Ali Keshavarz and producer Ali Moallem were among the guests.
