Maadi’s first professional step into Iranian cinema was not in front of the camera, but behind it. He began his career as a screenwriter in the 1990s, a period when Iranian cinema was gaining unprecedented international attention following the rise of auteurs such as Abbas Kiarostami and Mohsen Makhmalbaf. His earliest credited screenplay, The Swan’s Voice, marked the beginning of a decade-long journey in which Maadi honed his ability to craft character-driven stories.
Throughout the 2000s, he wrote screenplays for films such as Atash, Cafe Setareh, and Coma, earning respect among filmmakers for his nuanced dialogue and realistic character arcs. These early works demonstrated his growing fascination with moral ambiguity, emotional restraint, and social tension—elements that would later define the films in which he starred.
What separated Maadi from many other screenwriters of the time was his detailed understanding of ordinary people navigating extraordinary pressures. His characters were neither heroes nor villains, but deeply human individuals shaped by circumstance.
Breakthrough as an Actor: Collaboration with Asghar Farhadi
Maadi’s transition from screenwriter to actor came unexpectedly yet decisively. His acting debut occurred in 2008 in About Elly, directed by Asghar Farhadi. The film, which would later become one of the defining works of modern Iranian cinema, showcased Maadi in a powerful ensemble cast. His restrained, introspective performance immediately drew attention from critics.
