Ashnai Ba Leila (آشنایی با لیلا) is a 2012 Iranian comedy-drama-romance film directed by Adel Yaraghi, written by acclaimed Iranian cinema master Abbas Kiarostami. Featuring Leila Hatami and Bahareh Rahnama, the film offers a warm, intimate portrait of human connection in contemporary Iranian life.
What is Ashnai Ba Leila about?
Nader, a creative director at an advertising agency, is convinced that his constant smoking is what keeps his ideas flowing. Leila, a fragrance tester with an extraordinary sense of smell, cannot stand the habit. When the two meet and fall for each other, she sets a single condition for marriage: he must give up cigarettes for good. The story unfolds with gentle humor and quiet sincerity as Nader, squeezed by money worries and a job he believes depends on nicotine, weighs the woman he loves against the crutch he cannot seem to drop. Without theatrical drama or grand gestures, the film trusts its characters to carry the weight of the narrative, letting authentic human moments speak louder than plot mechanics. The result is a reflective story about what it costs to change for another person.
About the cast
Director Adel Yaraghi also appears in the film, lending it an intimate, personal quality. Leila Hatami, one of Iranian cinema's most celebrated actresses and known internationally for her work in A Separation, brings understated depth to her role. Bahareh Rahnama, a respected stage and screen actress, rounds out the central ensemble with warmth and natural ease.
Context & significance
For diaspora audiences who grew up with the quiet observational style of Iranian art cinema, Ashnai Ba Leila offers a familiar emotional register — the kind of film that doesn't shout but lingers. Abbas Kiarostami's screenplay is a significant draw: his gift for capturing the texture of everyday human interaction runs through the dialogue and the film's unhurried pacing. Romance in Iranian cinema often operates through implication and restraint, and this film sits comfortably in that tradition, making it particularly resonant for Persian-speaking viewers who appreciate emotional subtlety over spectacle.
Watching Ashnai Ba Leila on Ktime
Ashnai Ba Leila is available on K-Time with Persian audio. Stream it on the web, on your TV, or on your phone — no extra download or VPN needed. One subscription covers all devices; cancel anytime.