Reza Attaran (; born 10 May 1968) is an Iranian actor, director, and screenwriter. Originally from Kakhak, he earned a diploma in economics and pursued further studies in industrial design at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran, but left to focus on a career in cinema. He has also lived in Sabzevar. Attaran began acting in theater during the 1980s, made his television debut in Bidaaran (1990), and gained prominence through collaborations with Mehran Modiri in Parvaz 57 (1993) and Saat-e Khosh (1994–1995).
Attaran’s first directorial work was the children’s television program Sib-e Khandeh (1997). That same year, he debuted in cinema with Key of Marriage. He appeared in Kolah Ghermez va Sarvenaz (2002) and gained widespread recognition for directing and starring in the popular television series Khaneh Be Doosh (2004) and Moteham Gorikht (2005). His role in the film Khorus Jangi (2007) was followed by awards in 2010, including the Golden Smile Statuette and an Honorary Diploma for Best Actor at the second Sun Smile Ceremony for his performances in Vorood-e Aghayan Mamnoo and Asb Hayvan-e Najibi Ast.
In 2011, Attaran’s direction and acting in Khabam Miad earned him the Crystal Simorgh for Best Director, and his role in Bikhod va Bi Jahat secured an Honorary Diploma for Best Actor from the Cinema Critics Association. For his performance in Tabaqe Hassas (2013), he won the Crystal Simorgh for Best Actor. In 2014, Attaran was named Iran’s most profitable actor, with box office earnings of 1.6 billion tomans from films such as Tabaqe Hassas, Red Carpet, and Kalashnikov. He later starred in commercially successful films, including Nahang-e Anbar (2015), Nahang-e Anbar 2: Selection-e Roya (2017), Hezarpa (2018), and Enferadi (2019). In 2020, he won another Crystal Simorgh for Best Actor for his role in Roshan.
Early life and education Reza Attaran was born on 10 May 1968 in Mashhad. He has two older sisters and a younger brother, being the third child in his family. Originally from Kakhk, his mother died in an earthquake in the region. His father, Zabihollah Attaran, died in Mashhad on 15 January 2025. As a child, Attaran was a diligent student.
Education Attaran earned his diploma in economics in Mashhad and later enrolled in the industrial design program at the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Tehran. He discontinued his studies to pursue a career in acting and cinema. In an interview, he noted that his choice of industrial design was influenced by family discussions and his desire to study at the Faculty of Fine Arts.
Career
1980s and 1990s: Early Career Attaran’s career began with theater performances under Hassan Hamed in the 1980s. He started at the Children and Young Adults Intellectual Development Center. He joined the children’s section of Mashhad’s IRIB in 1982, appearing in the program Rainbow. His collaboration with Hamed continued until 1991. He credits Hamed as his most significant influence.
Television Attaran’s television debut was in Bidaaran (1990), directed by Asghar Abdollahi. His breakthrough came with Parvaz 57 (1993), followed by Saat-e Khosh (1994), both directed by Mehran Modiri, where he served as an actor and writer. Saat-e Khosh was notable for its unconventional narrative and moral undertones, significantly advancing his acting career. In 1995, he continued working with Modiri in Sal-e Khosh.
In 1997, Attaran acted in Donya-ye Shirin, a children’s series directed by Behrooz Baghaei, aired on IRIB Channel 1. He later appeared alongside Khosrow Shakibai and Rambod Javan in Sarzamin-e Sabz, broadcast on IRIB Channel 2.
His directorial debut came with Sib-e Khandeh (1997), a weekly children’s program on IRIB Channel 1. In 1998, he acted, wrote, and directed Majid Delbandam alongside Majid Salehi and Yousuf Teymouri. In 1999, Attaran starred in, served as art director for, and wrote Qatar-e Abadi, a comedic series that parodied stories like Hassan Kachal, Scheherazade, and Robin Hood, incorporating social commentary. The series was among the most successful television programs of the late 1990s. He also served as a consultant director and writer for In Chand Nafar.
Cinema Reza Attaran’s first cinematic role was in Key of Marriage (1997), directed by Davood Movassaghi, where he acted alongside Alireza Khamseh and Nader Soleimani. Written by Afshin Sarfaraz, the film follows a man tasked with delivering smuggled goods to a gang in Tehran.
2000s: Directing and Television
Television In 2000, Attaran served as a consultant director and writer for Zire Aseman-e Shahr. Mehran Ghafourian, the director and producer, credited Attaran with creating all the characters, stating, “After the success of my previous projects, IRIB signed a contract with me to produce a show. I approached Reza Attaran, saying I wanted a project that would make waves. He agreed, and we spent months writing the script. Reza worked tirelessly, and he is the creator of Zire Aseman-e Shahr.”
In 2002, Attaran acted, directed, and wrote for the comedy series Koucheh Aghaghia. The following year, he took on the same roles for Khaneh Be Doosh, a series with a simple storyline that addressed social issues like poverty, greed, and ignorance. While praised for its comedic and satirical elements, some critics noted its simplistic narrative. The success of Khaneh Be Doosh inspired Attaran to use a similar style for Moteham Gorikht (2005), co-directed with Saeed Aghakhani. After this, he made a guest appearance in Ketabforoushi-e Hodhod (2006). In 2006, he directed, acted, and sang in Torsh o Shirin.
In 2008, Attaran was a consultant director for Se Dar Chahar, directed by Majid Salehi. That same year, he directed and starred in Bezangah, a Ramadan special for IRIB Channel 3. Despite his television success with series like Khaneh Be Doosh, Moteham Gorikht, Torsh o Shirin, and Bezangah earning him widespread popularity, Attaran parted ways with IRIB after facing restrictions. On 18 September 2008, the IRIB Oversight Council sent a letter to the organization’s management, citing public criticism and norm-breaking content, leading to the series’ suspension. However, IRIB Channel 3’s public relations later clarified that the broadcast would continue. Although Attaran still receives offers from IRIB, he has cited exhaustion as his reason for avoiding television work, and no official collaboration has been reported since.
Cinema In 2000, Attaran starred in his second film, Cinderella, alongside Poopak Goldarreh and Rambod Javan. In 2002, he appeared in Kolah Ghermez va Sarvenaz. He later acted in Hoo and Kolah-i Baraye Baran (2006). Reviews of Kolah-i Baraye Baran praised Attaran’s effortless performance and well-written dialogue, noting his ability to remain believable despite weak character development.
2007 was a prolific year for Attaran, with roles in five films: Tighzan, Quarantine, Khorus Jangi, Towfigh-e Ejbari, and Tasvieh Hesab. His performance in Khorus Jangi stood out, with critics attributing the film’s box office success to his presence despite a flawed script. In 2009, he starred in Nish-e Zanbour, which grossed 1.75 billion tomans after 72 days across 25 theaters. Producer Ali Sertipi noted the film aimed to differentiate itself from other recent comedies by avoiding superficiality, a goal he believed was largely achieved.
In 2010, Attaran played a fraudulent sergeant in Asb Hayvan-e Najibi Ast, showcasing a more subdued performance compared to his usual energetic roles. That same year, he starred in Vorood-e Aghayan Mamnoo, which solidified his reputation as an actor in 2011. Critics had mixed reviews, with Masoud Ferasti offering positive feedback. For his roles in Asb Hayvan-e Najibi Ast and Vorood-e Aghayan Mamnoo, Attaran won the Golden Smile Statuette and an Honorary Diploma for Best Actor at the second Sun Smile Ceremony.
2010s: Departure from Television, Cinematic Success, and Box Office Dominance After the series Bezangah, Reza Attaran left television. Following this departure, he only occasionally assisted as a consultant for Majid Salehi and Saeed Aghakhani. Attaran also appeared as a guest on the television program Gap, directed by Rambod Javan, which was broadcast on the iFilm network. In this program, he discussed his life, acting career, work approach, and marriage.
In 2011, Attaran directed and starred in the film Khabam Miad. The cast included Akbar Abdi, Merila Zarei, and Vishka Asayesh. The film premiered at the 30th Fajr Film Festival, where Attaran won the Crystal Simorgh for Best Director in the New Vision section. Film critic Manouchehr Akbarloo highlighted the film’s ability to connect with audiences as one of its strengths. In the same year, Attaran acted in Bikhod o Bi Jahat, directed by Abdolreza Kahani. The film was released in cinemas on December 8, 2012, and Attaran received the Diploma of Honor for Best Actor from the Film Critics Association. The film received mixed reviews; some critics, like Masoud Farasti, criticized it for lacking serious mise-en-scène, while others, such as Mehrzad Danesh, praised its strong character development.
Following Bikhod o Bi Jahat, Attaran starred in Che Khoobe Ke Bargashti, directed by Dariush Mehrjooi, alongside Hamed Behdad and Mahnaz Afshar. The film was compared to Mehman-e Maman in terms of its format and set design. Attaran then collaborated with Behrooz Shoeibi in Dehliz, alongside Hanieh Tavassoli. The film premiered at the Fajr Film Festival. Attaran was nominated for the Crystal Simorgh for Best Actor for his performance in this film and won the Best Actor award at the 7th Critics Association Awards. While accepting the award, Attaran humorously remarked to the audience, “I’m happy even if I didn’t deserve this award. Receiving an award from critics in this period means a lot to me, especially since the state of cinema in the previous period was like a scorpion in a sack!”
In contrast to his usual comedic roles, Attaran delivered a serious performance in Dehliz, which was well-received by some critics. Masoud Farasti praised the film, stating, “Dehliz is a good, Iranian, and local film. The characters are identifiable, relatable, and represent people with real issues. The cinematography is balanced and doesn’t detract from the film.” However, critic Nima Hassani-Nasab described the film as low-quality, stating, “I’m among the few who aren’t kind to Dehliz. My stance is a reaction to the trend of minority-focused filmmaking that lowers the quality of good films. We’ve led our talented filmmakers astray with such excuses. Iranian cinema and Behrooz Shoeibi deserve better than Dehliz, and I hope we raise our expectations.”