Director: Tahmineh Milani

Cast: Niki Karimi, Merila Zare'i, Mohammad‑Reza Foroutan, Atila Pesyani, Reza Khandan

2 Zan is a 1999 Iranian drama-thriller directed by Tahmineh Milani, following two women whose paths cross through education and become entangled in the obsessive violence of a dangerous man — a bold, unflinching portrait of female vulnerability and resilience in contemporary Iran.

What is 2 Zan about?

Fereshteh is a university student who takes on tutoring work to support herself, eventually befriending Roya, a fellow young woman navigating the pressures of life and study. Their connection draws the attention of a volatile, controlling man whose fixation on one of them quickly spirals beyond ordinary harassment into something far more threatening. As his obsession grows, the two women must rely on each other to survive a situation that the institutions around them seem ill-equipped — or unwilling — to address. The film builds tension methodically, refusing to look away from the social structures that enable such men to operate with impunity.

Cast & crew

Niki Karimi, one of Iranian cinema's most celebrated actresses, anchors the film with a restrained and emotionally precise performance. Merila Zare'i brings warmth and credibility to her role as the second woman. Mohammad-Reza Foroutan plays the antagonist with unsettling conviction, while Atila Pesyani and Reza Khandan round out the supporting cast.

Context & significance

Tahmineh Milani is among the most important feminist voices in Iranian cinema, and 2 Zan stands as one of her defining works. Released in 1999, the film arrived during a period of intense scrutiny of women's rights in Iran and sparked genuine controversy — Milani was briefly arrested in 2001 in connection with another film, underscoring the stakes attached to her work. For diaspora viewers, 2 Zan resonates as both a thriller and a social document: it names dynamics of gender-based control that many Iranian families have lived with but rarely seen depicted so directly on screen. The film holds a place in the canon of late-1990s Iranian socially engaged cinema.

Where & how to watch

2 Zan is available to stream on K-Time in its original Persian audio. Watch on the web, on your TV, or on your phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, cancel anytime.