Mohsen Tanabandeh (; born April 15, 1975) is an Iranian actor, screenwriter, and director. He is best known for his role as Naghi Mamooli in the television series Capital (2011–2025), for which he also served as creator and head writer, earning three Hafez Awards.
Early life Mohsen Tanabandeh was born on 15 April 1975 in Tehran, Iran, though his father hails from Damghan. He has mentioned that his aunt is from Behshahr, Mazandaran Province, and he is fluent in the Mazanderani language. The second of seven siblings, with three brothers and three sisters, Tanabandeh grew up in a family that moved to Tehran and later Eslamshahr due to his father’s job. He completed his primary, middle, and high school education in Eslamshahr. A graduate in acting, Tanabandeh began his professional acting career in theater in 1995, performing in plays such as Bar-e Am and Jaryan-e Asabi, both written and directed by Hassan Varasteh.
Career Tanabandeh initially worked in theater before transitioning to film. In 2003, he debuted in cinema with a role in Tiny Snowflakes, directed by Alireza Amini. He gained recognition for his performance and screenplay in A Martyrdom for God (2005), winning the Fajr Film Festival’s Crystal Simorgh for Best Supporting Actor and receiving a nomination for Best Screenplay. He later won the Crystal Simorgh for Best Actor for his roles in Seven Minutes Until Autumn (2009) and Ferrari (2017) and earned an Honorary Diploma for Indigences (2010) at the Fajr Film Festival.
Tanabandeh’s portrayal of Naghi Mamooli in Capital (2011–2025) became iconic, earning him widespread acclaim and three Hafez Awards for acting and screenwriting. He also played multiple roles with distinct makeup in the series Shahgoosh and portrayed an elderly woman in Fool. In Majid Majidi’s Muhammad: The Messenger of God (2015), he played Samuel, a Jewish character, delivering most of his dialogue in Hebrew.
In 2021, Tanabandeh appeared in the critically acclaimed drama A Hero. The following year, he won the Best Actor award in the Horizons section of the 79th Venice International Film Festival for his performance in World War III.
As a director, Tanabandeh debuted with the film Ginness (2015) and later directed Oath (2019). Beyond acting, he has worked extensively as a screenwriter and acting coach.
Personal life On 30 January 2026, Tanabandeh revealed that his cousin's son, Amirhossein Mohammadzadeh, who played for a youth football team, was killed in the 2025–2026 Iranian protests. Tanabandeh openly criticized the government saying: "I wish you had planned for his future as much as you have laws to punish young Iranians."https://www.iranintl.com/202601303333
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Actor Screenwriter Director2003Tiny SnowflakesMine GuardAlireza Amini2005How Much You Want to Cry?Shahed AhmadloA Few Kilos of Dates For A FuneralSadriSaman Salur2006OffsideTicket SellerJafar Panahi2007Catch Me If You CanShahed Ahmadlo2008A Time to LoveAmiriEbrahim ForouzeshA Petition for GodAli MohammadAlireza Amini2010Seven Minutes Until AutumnNimaAlireza AminiFirst StoneHassan AliEbrahim ForouzeshSaint PetersburgKarimBehrouz Afkhami2011IndigencesMahmoudMohammad Reza Arab2014Lamp 100FarzinSaeed Aghakhani2015Iran BurgerFathollah KhanMasoud Jafari JozaniGuinnessBekMohsen TanabandehMuhammad: The Messenger of GodSamuelMajid Majidi2017FerrariNaderAlireza Davood Nejad2018Rona, Azim's MotherAzimJamshid Mahmoudi2019OathMohsen Tanabandeh20203 PuffsMojtabaSaman SalurKiller SpiderSaeedEbrahim Irajzad2021Once Upon a Time, AbadanMosayeb CharkhidehHamid Reza AzarangA HeroBahramAsghar Farhadi2022World War IIIShakibHouman Seyyedi2024Pressure CookerSirousRambod Javan
Web Year Title Role Actor Screenwriter Director Platform2013–2014King of EarIsmael Zekavat / Esfandiyar Majbour / Haji Mohsen TalaiDavood MirbagheriVideo CD2014–2015FoolHoushang's MotherKamal Tabrizi2021Mutual Friendship HimselfShahab HosseiniNamava2023Set Me FreeHatam Nayeb SorkhiShahram Shah HosseiniFilimoBuried AliveShahram Shah Hosseini
Television Year Title Role Actor Screenwriter Acting Coach Director Network2006Life on the Condition of LaughterMehdi MazloumiIRIB TV52007For Sogand's SakeEbiSeyyed Rahim Hosseini2008SMS from Another WorldSiroos MoghaddamIRIB TV1The Escort OfficerAfshinSaeed SoltaniIRIB TV5Yalda Night's WatermelonGhafarSaeed Aghakhani2009Boys Aren't Born SoldiersShahed Ahmadlo2010EnclosureSiroos MoghaddamIRIB TV12011–presentCapitalNaghi MamouliSiroos MoghaddamIRIB TV12012Returned CheckSiroos MoghaddamIRIB TV12017AlalBadalAghasiSiroos MoghaddamIRIB TV12023HomelandMortezaKamal TabriziIRIB TV3
Awards and nominations
Award Year Category Nominated Work ResultAsian Film Awards2023Best ActorWorld War IIIAsia Pacific Screen Awards2019Best Performance by an ActorRona, Azim's MotherAustralia International Film Festival2019Best ActorRona, Azim's Mother 2020Best DirectorOath Diorama International Film Festival & Market 2019 Best Actor Rona, Azim's Mother Fajr Film Festival 2008 Best Screenplay A Petition for God Best Actor in a Supporting Role A Petition for God 2010 Best Actor in a Leading Role First Stone and Seven Minutes Until Autumn 2011 Best Actor in a Supporting Role Indigences 2015 Best Actor in a Leading Role Iran Burger 2017 Ferrari 2019 Best Screenplay Oath 2021Best Actor in a Leading RoleOnce Upon a Time, Abadan Hafez Awards2011Best Actor – Motion PictureSaint Petersburg 2014 Best Actor – Television Series Comedy King of Ear and Capital 2 Best Screenplay – Television SeriesCapital 2 2015Best Actor – Motion PictureIran Burger Best Actor – Television Series ComedyCapital 3Best Screenplay – Television SeriesCapital 3 2018 Best Screenplay – Television Series Capital 5 Best Actor – Television Series ComedyCapital 5 Best Actor – Motion PictureFerrari 2020 Best Actor – Television Series Comedy Capital 6 Best Screenplay – Television SeriesCapital 62021Best Actor – Motion PictureA Hero 2023Best Actor – Television Series DramaSet Me Free Best Actor – Motion Picture3 PuffsIran Cinema Celebration2008Best Actor in a Supporting RoleA Petition for GodIran's Film Critics and Writers Association2008Best Actor in a Supporting RoleA Petition for God2010Best ScreenplaySeven Minutes Until Autumn2011Best Actor in a Leading RoleIndigences2017Ferrari Jam-e-Jam Television Festival2012 Best Actor Capital 1Belgrade International Film Festival2023Best ActorWorld War IIIVenice International Film Festival2022The Orizzonti Award for Best ActorWorld War III Yas International Film Festival2014Best ActorKing of Ear Zurich Film Festival2020Best DirectorOath
References
External links
Mohsen Tanabandeh On SourehCinema (in Persian)