Hamed Behdad voices Malek Jahan Khanom in ‘Juliet and the Shah’

Renowned Iranian actor Hamed Behdad has lent his voice to the character of Malek Jahan Khanom, the mother of Qajar King Nasser al-Din Shah, in the animated movie ‘Juliet and the Shah’.

The movie, produced by Hourakhsh Studio, marks Behdad's second collaboration with the studio, following his previous work in ‘The Last Fiction’ where he voiced the character of Zahhak.

‘Juliet and the Shah’, a romantic comedy and musical written and directed by Ashkan Rahgozar and produced by Arman Rahgozar, explores the historical events surrounding the introduction of western theater to Iran.

In addition to voicing Malek Jahan Khanom, Behdad also performed a song related to the character’s birth, showing his talent as both actor and vocalist.

The story follows Julie, a young aspiring stage actress invited to Iran by Nasser al-Din Shah to portray Juliet. However, the Shah’s intentions go beyond a mere theatrical performance, leading to unexpected twists.

The movie features a talented team, including composer Bahnam Jalilian, poet Meysam Yousefi, and vocalists Behzad Omrani and Omid Nemati.

Amin Qazi led the dubbing management, with veteran dub artist Nasrollah Medqalchi portraying Mirza Hossein Khan Sepahsalar, a key advisor in the Shah’s court.

‘Juliet and the Shah’ had its premiere at the 2021 Fantasia International Festival and was later showed at the 2022 Annecy International Animation Festival.

The film also made an appearance in the Transfer of Experience section at the 2023 Annecy International Animation Festival, further cementing its success on the international stage.