Director: Mani Haghighi
Cast: Hasan Ma'juni, Leila Hatami, Leili Rashidi, Parinaz Izadyar, Ali Bagheri
Khook (Pig) is a 2018 Iranian dark comedy-drama directed by Mani Haghighi, blending sharp satire with elements of crime thriller. A scathing and self-aware look at the absurdities of artistic ego and creative suppression, it stars Hasan Ma'juni in a career-defining tragicomic role.
What is Khook about?
A veteran film director, barred from working for years by the censorship system, watches his life unravel from every direction. His marriage is crumbling, his lead actress is slipping away to rival filmmakers, and his elderly mother grows increasingly confused. Meanwhile, a mysterious serial killer has been targeting prominent directors throughout the city — but this frustrated auteur cannot get even that recognition. The killer seems to overlook him entirely, which wounds his pride more deeply than anything else. When a chaotic chain of mistaken identities and misunderstandings suddenly thrusts him into the role of prime suspect, he must navigate a surreal reality where being accused of murder feels like the first attention he has received in years.
Cast & crew
Director Mani Haghighi, one of contemporary Iranian cinema's most provocative voices, draws a raw, committed performance from Hasan Ma'juni as the tortured, narcissistic filmmaker at the center of the story. Leila Hatami brings quiet authority to the role of his estranged wife, while Leili Rashidi, Parinaz Izadyar, and Siyamak Ansari round out an accomplished ensemble that sustains the film's darkly comic tone throughout.
Context & significance
Khook arrives at the crossroads of art-world satire and Iranian social commentary — a film that dares to use the absurdity of state censorship as its premise while simultaneously mocking the ego of the artists caught in its grip. For diaspora viewers familiar with the contradictions of Iranian cultural life, the film lands with particular force: the blacklisted director who craves murder-victim recognition is both a comic invention and a pointed metaphor. Haghighi's style is unsettling and self-referential, and the film rewards viewers who appreciate cinema that turns the camera on itself. Its blend of dark humor and genuine sadness reflects a generation of Iranian filmmakers who have had to find wry ways to process creative suffocation.
Where & how to watch
Khook is available on K-Time with original Persian audio and English subtitles. Watch on the web, your TV, or your phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, no extra download. One subscription covers all your devices; cancel anytime.