Iranian superstar Parviz Parastouee joins ‘Mate’ declamation

Iranian superstar Parviz Parastouee has joined the nationwide #Moshahonar movement with his declamation in a song titled ‘Mate’.

Salar Aqili and Fazel Jamshidi are the vocalists who accompanied the superstar in the song.

They joined the movement launched by hundreds of Iranian artists to entertain people during the home quarantine for the coronavirus pandemic.

Aqili said “We actually felt the need to keep the spirits of people and the healthcare staff up these days. COVID-19 is a tough virus and we are still battling with the disease. I know some may have suffered more financially these days, however, it is a matter of life and death.”

He called the collaboration with Parastouee and Jamshidi a good experience and hoped the song would be remembered by the Iranian people.

“Parastouee enjoys a good voice and his participation as a singer was interesting for me,” he added.

Aqili also noted that “After the song was released, I received many positive responses from people. I truly must thank the people who always support us. Jamshidi had a great role in the formation of this piece and was the first who proposed the idea. It was a great honor for me to have done this for the people of my country.”

He said there was no opportunity to record his voice in the studio and that he made use of his cellphone to record his voice.

The song is written by Alireza Bahrami based on a poem by Persian mystic and poet Rumi.

Recording engineer Mohsen Gholami and musicians Alireza Ahmadi, Hossein Roudgar and Roya Baqerzadeh collaborated in the performance, while calligrapher Esrafil Shirchi cooperated in the project.

Hundreds of artists, including thespians, cineastes, painters, cartoonists and writers who launched the #Moshahnoar movement, have announced that they would produce artworks to showcase on social networks for at least 100 days in order to make the stay at home almost tolerable.

Born in 1955, Parastouee was born in Kabudrahang, Hamadan Province and grew up in Tehran.

His acting career began at the age of 15 when he joined a theatrical troupe and performed for several years at Youth Palace and the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults.

Parastouee received his first awards from Youth Palace for his performance in 'Kiosk' and 'The Submitters' plays.

He earned a degree in Dramatic Arts, the equivalent to a bachelor’s degree, from the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance.

His film debut was in 1983 in 'Land of Lovers' which earned him the Diploma of Honor for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Fajr International Film Festival.

Parastouee has since displayed his range of talents by playing the leading role in many movies and series of different genres.

One notable role was as the lead in the comedy 'Leily is with Me' (1995) which brought a new perspective to the genre of movies dealing with the Iran-Iraq imposed war.

He has won numerous awards, including the Crystal Simorgh at the Fajr International Film Festival for Best Actor in a Leading Role for 'The Glass Agency' (1999), 'Willow Tree' (2005), 'In the Name of My Father' (2006), and ‘Bodyguard’ (2015).

The Special Jury Award at the Fajr International Film Festival for 'The Lizard' (2004) and the Diploma of Honor at the Fajr International Film Festival for 'Leily is with Me' (1995) are some of his other notable accolades.

Parastouee's TV works are 'Rana', 'Imam Ali', 'The Apartment', 'The Cuckoo Song', 'Under the Umbrella of the Sun', 'The Red Soil', 'Under the Blade' and 'The Chef'.

He has a long list of movies, including 'Snowman', 'A Mother's Love', 'The Wrong Guy', 'Red Ribbon', 'Mummy 3', 'The Duel', 'The Book of Law', 'Thirteen 59 [1980]', 'Today', and 'Bodyguard'.

Besides being a prolific actor, Parastouee has recorded three albums so far, including the latest one titled 'Daddy'.

MG/AG