Despite her family’s traditional expectations, Aghdashloo’s passion for acting proved unstoppable. At 19, she began performing professionally in Tehran’s theater scene, where she quickly gained attention for her poise and maturity. Her breakout role came in 1973, in a stage adaptation of the novel The Narrow Road to the Deep North, a production that allowed her to explore themes of identity and exile that would later define her career.
Although her heart was in the arts, Aghdashloo also pursued higher education. She earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Brunel University in England, a choice shaped by her growing interest in politics and global affairs. The degree would later prove symbolically fitting, as her own life would unfold at the intersection of international cultures and political change.
Rise to Fame in Pre-Revolutionary Iran
By the mid-1970s, Shohreh Aghdashloo had become one of the most sought-after actresses in Iranian cinema. Her film debut came in Chess of the Wind (Shatranj-e Baad, 1976), a haunting and visually innovative film directed by Mohammad Reza Aslani. The film’s exploration of greed, class conflict, and female oppression resonated deeply, and Aghdashloo’s performance demonstrated an uncommon blend of vulnerability and strength. Though Chess of the Wind was banned shortly after its release, it has since been restored and recognized as one of Iran’s cinematic masterpieces.
