A Forgotten Star Rediscovered
Though Mohtasham remained a fixture of Iranian theater into the 1950s, by the 1960s, his star began to fade. The emergence of a new generation of actors, the shift in public taste towards lighter entertainment, and the rise of television gradually pushed classical theater to the margins. Mohtasham, however, never left the artistic scene entirely. He turned to directing and voice acting, lending his baritone to radio dramas and dubbing foreign films into Persian.
Then came a surprising return to the spotlight in the 1970s. In 1975 (1354 in the Iranian calendar), the director Mohammadreza Bahmani announced the production of a historical film titled Agha Mohammad Khan Qajar, with none other than Nosratollah Mohtasham cast in the title role. This decision shocked many, as Mohtasham had been absent from film for over two decades.
Now an older man, Mohtasham brought new depth and gravitas to the role. The film, released in limited theaters in 1976 and later shown in art circles and university screenings, portrayed the Qajar founder with psychological complexity. In one unforgettable scene, Agha Mohammad Khan weeps while reciting a verse from Hafez, contemplating the curse of kingship. Critics were divided—some found the film slow and overly theatrical, while others praised it as a bold homage to Persian heritage.
Mohtasham’s return was again noted by the press, and several old photographs of his 1945 performance were reprinted alongside new stills from the film. The comparisons between the two works became a talking point in Iranian cultural debates about history, performance, and identity.