Director: Artem Ohanjanyan

Rezashaah is an Iranian short documentary directed by Artem Ohanjanyan that examines the political rise of Reza Khan, the military officer who transformed himself from a Cossack brigade commander into the founder of the Pahlavi dynasty and the first modern monarch of Iran.

What is Rezashaah about?

The film opens with Reza Khan at the margins of Iranian political life — a soldier distinguished by discipline and ambition in an era when the Qajar dynasty was crumbling under foreign pressure and internal weakness. Through archival material and historical framing, the documentary traces how this career military man navigated the fractured politics of the early twentieth century to consolidate power, eventually deposing the last Qajar shah and declaring himself ruler under the Pahlavi name. The short format keeps the focus tight on the mechanics of his ascent: the alliances forged, the opposition neutralized, and the nationalist project he used to legitimize his authority across a country searching for stability.

Cast & crew

The documentary is directed by Artem Ohanjanyan, a filmmaker whose work engages with Iranian historical subjects. The production does not center on dramatic performance but rather on archival footage, photographs, and contextual narration that allow the historical record itself to carry the storytelling weight.

Context & significance

For members of the Iranian diaspora, Reza Shah occupies one of the most contested spaces in modern Persian memory. He is simultaneously credited with industrialization, the building of the Trans-Iranian Railway, and a sweeping modernization program, and criticized for authoritarian suppression of tribal autonomy, the press, and political dissent. A short documentary on his rise invites diaspora viewers — many of whom carry family stories stretching across the Pahlavi era — to revisit this foundational chapter with some distance. Understanding how Reza Khan came to power is inseparable from understanding the shape of twentieth-century Iran and the forces that ultimately produced the 1979 revolution.

Where & how to watch

Rezashaah is available on K-Time with Persian dubbing. You can watch it on the web, on your smart TV, or on your Android phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, and no extra download required. Subscription plans include a cancel-anytime option.