Untold story of Zuleikha: Leila Boloukat’s near role in ‘Prophet Joseph’

As the popular series ‘Prophet Joseph’ airs once again on iFilm English TV, an intriguing piece of behind-the-scenes history has come to light.

In a recently resurfaced interview conducted years ago, Iranian actress Leila Boloukat revealed that she was originally cast as Zuleikha, the female lead in Farajollah Salahshour’s religious epic.

Given the renewed interest in the series, we felt it was the perfect time to share this story.

Boloukat was the final choice out of 1,500 hopefuls who auditioned for the coveted role of Zuleikha, the woman who plays an important part in the life of Prophet Joseph.

After successfully passing the audition, Boloukat was set to portray the younger version of Zuleikha, with the veteran actress Nikou Kheradmand slated to play the character in her later years.

However, fate had other plans. An accident prevented Boloukat from joining the production, and the filmmakers reconsidered their casting strategy. They decided to find an actress who could convincingly portray Zuleikha at both stages of her life, from youth to old age.

This led to the casting of Katayoun Riahi, who ultimately took on the role and delivered a memorable performance.

Although Boloukat missed the opportunity to play Zuleikha, she was later offered the role of Nefertiti, the wife of Akhenaton.  

While Boloukat did not take on this role, her career continued to flourish with notable performances in other works aired on iFilm, such as ‘Abraham, Friend of Allah’, ‘Light and Shadow’, and ‘The Hidden Secret’.

This revelation adds a new layer of interest to the rerun of ‘Prophet Joseph’, giving fans a glimpse into what might have been one of the most significant roles in Boloukat’s career.

For more insights into Leila Boloukat’s career and her journey in Iranian cinema, you can read her full biography here.