The origins of “Mahalle Behdasht” can be traced directly to its predecessor, “Mahalle Boro Bia”, which was produced and aired in 1984 on the Do Sima (Channel 2 of Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting). The series introduced children to the concept of law and order in society. Through neighborhood interactions, playful dialogue, and dramatic storytelling, the program translated abstract civic concepts into concrete lessons that children could grasp and apply in their daily lives.
The success of “Mahalle Boro Bia” demonstrated the effectiveness of neighborhood-based storytelling. The “neighborhood” as a setting was deliberately chosen: it represented familiarity, community, and shared responsibility, mirroring the way many Iranian children experienced life in close-knit neighborhoods at the time. Following its positive reception, Bijan Birang was encouraged to create a new series with a similar structure but focused on a different theme.
Thus emerged “Mahalle Behdasht”, officially titled “An interesting, spectacular and instructive program or Mahalle Behdasht”. While the title might sound unusual, the inclusion of the words “interesting” and “instructive” emphasized that the program was not only entertaining but also pedagogical. This reflected the broader philosophy of children’s programming in the 1980s: to combine fun with moral or social education.
