Dolatabadi, a celebrated author known for his commitment to realism and his deep connection to rural Iranian culture, publicly expressed his discontent with Kimiai’s adaptation. In a note published in Kayhan newspaper in 1973, Dolatabadi criticized the film for departing from the core themes of his novel. He argued that the film’s portrayal of the conflict as one between a lord and serfs introduced a colonial dimension that was absent from the original story.
“I did not want to raise colonial relations in this story,” Dolatabadi wrote. “Such a case has no place in Awsaneh Baba Sobhan. Baba Sobhan is a territorial story limited to internal issues. It has a real basis and a tendency towards reality and is exempt from allegorical (symbolic) aspects.”
While Dolatabadi acknowledged Kimiai’s technical and artistic achievements, he lamented the loss of the novel’s authentic perspective. He felt that the film’s deviation from the original story represented a misinterpretation of its essence, stating, “I only feel sorry for Awsaneh Baba Sobhan. I wanted a film like this to be made from a national story… but it didn’t happen, and Baba Sobhans were looted. Once on the ground and once in the film!”