Khosrow Shakibai

Iranian actor

Khosrow Shakibai (خسرو شکیبایی; March 27, 1944 – July 18, 2008) was an Iranian actor. He has received various accolades, including three Crystal Simorgh, a Hafez Award, two Iran Cinema Celebration Awards and an Iran's Film Critics and Writers Association Award.

He ranks amongst the most accomplished actors of his generation. Khosrow Shakibai was born to Colonel Ahmad Shakibāi and Ms Farideh Khātami. His father, who was an army Colonel, died from cancer when Khosrow (called Mahmoud by family and close friends) was only fourteen. Khosrow studied acting at Faculty of Fine Arts of University of Tehran. He began his stage career in 1963 and branched out his activities into film dubbing in 1968. Shakibā'í initiated his film acting in 1982 with Khatt e Ghermez (The Red Line), directed by Masoud Kimiai. He had played in seven feature films when the film director Dariush Mehrjui offered him the title role of Hamoun, a film that over time has achieved a cult status. Shakibai's performance in Hamoun marked a turning point in his career. He received a Crystal Simorgh at Fajr International Film Festival for his portrayal of Hamoun, a literary intellectual who gradually loses his touch with reality and becomes entrapped into an obsessive and destructive conflict with his estranged wife whom he deeply loves. Shakibai played also in some major television series. He won a Crystal Phoenix for Kimiā (The Philosopher's Stone) (1994) directed by Ahmad Reza Darvish. Shakibai found also a considerable following for his voice, brought about through publication of the recordings of his readings of poems by contributors to modern Persian poetry including Forough Farrokhzad and Sohrab Sepehri. Shakibai is credited for helping to raise the stature of performing arts in Iran by the end of the 1980s, when the authorities in charge tended to neglect this area of cultural activities. He married twice. From his first marriage with the actress Tānyā Joharí he has one daughter named Poupak, and from his second marriage with Parvin Koush'yār one son named Pouria.

Khosrow Shakibai died at 6 am on July 18, 2008, of liver cancer in Pārsiān Hospital in Tehran. Earlier it had been reported that Shakibai's death had been a consequence of his heart failure. It has further been reported that on October 5, 2007, Khosrow Shakibai had been admitted to a hospital for suffering from diabetes, however on his explicit request the press had withheld this information from public. On Sunday, July 20, 2008, the body of Khosrow Shakibai was laid to rest in The Artists Section of Behesht e Zahra Cemetery in Tehran. His funeral procession began at 9 am from Vahdat Hall (Tālār e Vahdat), Hafez Street, in Tehran and Shahab Moradi was the speaker of his memorial ceremony.

Year Title Role Director Notes1982The Red LineJamalMasoud Kimiai1983DadshahShanbehHabib Kavosh1985ThunderboltHassanZiaeddin Dorri1986RelationshipTeacher Pouran Derakhshandeh1987The Thief and the WriterRahmanKazem MasoumiThe HuntMostafaMajid Javanmard1988The TrainRasoolAmir Ghavidel1990Passing Through the DustRashid BakhtiPouran DerakhshandehHamounHamid HamounDariush MehrjuiWon – Crystal Simorgh Fajr Film Festival Award for Best Actor1991Searching in the IslandAsaad Ahmadi MotlaghMehdi SabaghzadehLuciferSaeedAhmad Reza DarvishNominated – Iran Cinema Celebration Award for Best Actor1992The LadyMahmoudDariush Mehrjui1993SaraGoshtasbDariush MehrjuiNominated – Iran Cinema Celebration Award for Best Supporting ActorOnce for EverMahmoud NabaatiSirus AlvandNominated – Crystal Simorgh Fajr Film Festival Award for Best ActorRemember the FlightBahraam SherafatHamid Derakhshani1994BluffRasoolSamuel Khachikian1995Pari(2 roles) Safaa / AsadDariush MehrjuiKimiaReza Rezaee ManeshAhmad Reza DarvishWon – Crystal Simorgh Fajr Film Festival Award for Best ActorThe Common PlightDoctorYasamin MaleknasrRomanticNaderAlireza Davoudnejad1996Land of the SunDoctor KasraAhmad Reza DarvishStrange SistersMansour KhosraviKiumars Pourahmad1997Shadow by ShadowAmir HeidariAli ZhekanNominated – Crystal Simorgh Fajr Film Festival Award for Best ActorPsychoNoori / MosaferDariush Farhang1998LegionSaber SharminZiaeddin Dorri2000The Glass Love(short role) Reza HeidarnezhadLifeNosratAsghar HashemiA Girl Named Tondar(2 roles) Rahim Khaan / MajnoonHamid Reza AshtianipourThe MixKhosroDariush MehrjuiTales of an Island (3rd episode: The Lost Cousin)KhosroDariush Mehrjui2002Unruled PaperJahangirNasser TaghvaiNominated – Crystal Simorgh Fajr Film Festival Award for Best Actor2005The CommandHade MisaghMasoud KimiaiSeason SaladAdel MashreghiFereydoun JeyraniWon – Crystal Simorgh Fajr Film Festival Award for Best Supporting Actor2007The Night BusRahimKiumars PourahmadWon – Diploma Honorary Fajr Film Festival Award for Best ActorThe BossDoctorMasoud Kimiai2008The NightRezaRasul Sadr AmeliHeartbrokenMr. KhojastehAli RouintanEasternKhosroAbdollah Monjezi2009AstonishedMahi's GrandpaShalizeh Arefpour