Exclusive interview: Ali Nasiriyan

In an exclusive interview with ifilm, prominent Iranian actor Ali Nasiriyan talks about his acting career, particularly his role in ‘The Forbidden Fruit’ which has been broadcast on ifilm. Nasiriyan was recently on ifilm with the series ‘Sheikh Bahaee’.

Below is a rough translation of selected parts from the interview conducted by ifilm in Persian:

ifilm: You delivered an outstanding performance in the series ‘The Forbidden  Fruit’ and we have heard from the director of the series that you were his only option for the role of ‘Haj Younes’ (the main character) and you were also pleased about the role.

Nasiriyan: Yes, I was interested in the role. In fact I liked ‘The Conference of the Birds’ and the story of Sheikh San’an very much. Whenever I read the story, I found it very interesting and the character of ‘Haj Younes’ was indebted to it. However, I must say that before Hassan Fathi offered me the role, I had no other offers but after I was asked to do this job, I received other offers which I, naturally, had to turn down. I came to know Hassan Fathi began with the series ‘Molla Sadra’. I always admired him and so I welcomed his offer; I knew that he is a very good director. I must point out that when Fathi talked to me, we did not have a script but I only got the synopsis; the script was gradually written later on. [Note: ‘The Conference of the Birds’ is a long Persian poem written by renowned Iranian poet Attar of Nishapur and ‘The Forbidden Fruit’ is inspired by the story of Sheikh San’an as it appears in the poem]

ifilm: Was the whole story explained in the synopsis or were you also unaware of Haj Younes’s fate?

Nasiriyan: No, I was not aware. But I believed Fathi to be a meticulous and careful person. He is a literati and I was sure that he would have a sound and perfect script. Nonetheless, considering his carefulness, my own obsessions together with the decent writers working on the project, I expected a very good outcome. But unfortunately a complete text on which we could focus was not available at the time.

ifilm: What kind of challenges did the role of Haj Younes Fotouhi have for you which made you accept to act in ‘The Forbidden Fruit’? We could sometimes feel that your previous roles manifest in this character.

Nasiriyan: It was a dramatic character. In the character of Haj Younes, we see internal conflict, change and epiphany. As the story progresses, an internal conflict concerning his beliefs emerges and a destructive love dominates him. His tragic state, internal conflict and attempts were very appealing to me. What you mentioned is true but they are different from Haj Younes. All these movies have their particular characters which are all different. Among all these roles, Haj Younes has the most complete character and therefore I tried my best in presenting him carefully.

ifilm: In recent days, much has been talked about your performance in the series ‘Shahrzad’ which are all about admiration and respect. It seems that when you and Hassan Fathi work together, a successful project emerges.

Nasiriyan: I am also very fond of ‘Shahrzad’ drama and by what I knew of Hassan Fathi, I was sure that it will be successful as well. What has always been important to me is not if the work is being made for television or cinema and if it is a long role or short; but it is the role itself that matters most to me. I do not like drawing borders between different media and I never approach this matter very rigidly. Therefore, when I want to accept an offer I never talk about the media on which the project will be shown; a good role has always been my priority though. The reason that I have not been seen much on television recently is that fact that the roles offered to me were not very captivating.

ifilm: Many film critics believe that your performance in the series could be seen as an acting lesson for those interested. How much does your performance follow your acting instinct?

Nasiriyan: It is true that acting has its rules and regulations but for me acting is a type of frenzy. Each actor has their own ways and experiences. The sum of these experiences automatically leads you to focus on that instance. We need to get to the point where our innate experiences and feelings will overflow. I tried my best to get to this point.

ifilm: You are currently working with Bahman Farman-Ara in the movie ‘Crazy Heart’. taking to account that your role in the movie is short, was the role appealing to you or working with Bahman Farman-Ara?

Nasiriyan (laughing): I had an amazing experience in ‘Crazy Heart’, although it was short. I always had so much respect for Mr. Farman-Ara and my respect was doubled during the project. An artist like Farman-Ara is a culture-maker and I accept his offers for his civility and attitude even if it is a short role. I have so much respect for him that I will welcome his invitation even if it is only for a short sequence; I see it as my duty.

ifilm: After this amiable experience, did you receive any other offers?

Nasiriyan: There have been offers but at the moment I take care of my wife and I read books. These entire years, book has been the best companion for me and my wife; we both spend a lot of time reading. When you read a book, a new window opens for you and increases your thirst for learning. One of the problems of the youth is that they have distanced themselves from the joy of reading and have become obsessed with technology.

*Interview Conducted By: Ghazal Nahani

**For more about Ali Nasiriyan click here.

HY/HY