Director: Hossein Tavassoli
Cast: Maryam Rostami
Jonoon is a 2017 Iranian drama film directed by Hossein Tavassoli, running approximately 200 minutes. Set within the psychological unraveling of a deeply disturbed man, it examines obsession, delusion, and the blurred line between belief and madness in contemporary Iranian society.
What is Jonoon about?
Behzad, a psychologically unstable man, becomes convinced that the soul of a figure named Barsad has taken over his mind and body. Consumed by this terrifying belief, he intrudes upon the private world of a young woman named Ghazal, dragging her into the orbit of his delusions. What unfolds is a sustained, harrowing confrontation between a fragile reality and a shattered psyche — as those around Behzad struggle to understand whether he is dangerous, ill, or perhaps telling a truth no one else can see. The film builds its tension slowly, tracing the damage that unchecked mental illness can inflict on ordinary lives.
Cast & crew
Maryam Rostami leads the cast as Ghazal, bringing quiet strength to a character drawn into circumstances far beyond her control. Director Hossein Tavassoli guides the narrative with a restrained hand, letting the psychological pressure accumulate through atmosphere and performance rather than overt dramatic flourishes. The film's extended runtime allows its character study to breathe.
Context & significance
Iranian cinema has long engaged seriously with mental illness, isolation, and the private cruelties that unfold behind closed doors — and Jonoon sits within that tradition. For diaspora viewers who grew up watching socially conscious Persian drama, it offers a familiar emotional register: slow-burn tension, morally complex characters, and a refusal to offer easy resolution. The title itself — meaning 'madness' or 'obsession' in Farsi — signals that the film is less interested in plot mechanics than in the interior landscape of a disturbed mind. It is the kind of Iranian drama that rewards patient, attentive watching.
Where & how to watch
Jonoon is available to stream on K-Time with the original Persian audio. Watch on the web browser, your Android TV, or your phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, and no extra download required. Subscribe and cancel anytime.