Director: Abbas Jalali

Cast: Shahab Hosseini

Shekarestan 1402 is a 2023 Iranian animated comedy series directed by Abbas Jalali, set in a whimsical old city where each short episode draws on beloved Persian proverbs and folk tales, retelling them through playful characters who change roles from story to story.

What is Shekarestan 1402 about?

In the imaginary ancient city of Shekarestan, everyday life is never quite ordinary. Each self-contained episode conjures a fresh cast of townsfolk who step into different roles — merchant, elder, trickster, or fool — depending on the moral demanded by that week's story. The series mines the rich vein of Persian and Eastern folk wisdom, repackaging age-old sayings and fables as animated vignettes with comedic timing and visual charm. Short in runtime but dense in cultural reference, every episode functions as a standalone fable, gentle enough for young viewers yet layered with the kind of wry humour that grown-ups in the family will recognise from their own childhoods.

Cast & crew

The series is directed by Abbas Jalali, whose work here channels the illustrated storybook aesthetic of classic Persian children's television. Voice and performance talent includes Shahab Hosseini, one of Iran's most recognisable screen presences, whose contribution lends the animation an air of warmth and playful authority that anchors each episode's comedic tone.

Context & significance

For Iranian diaspora families, Shekarestan occupies the same emotional space that fairy-tale anthology shows hold in other cultures — except its building blocks are distinctly Persian: the proverbs recited by grandparents, the folk characters that populate centuries of Iranian storytelling, and the gentle moral fables passed down through generations. Watching it abroad becomes an act of cultural transmission, a way for parents to share the idioms and reference points of their own childhoods with children growing up outside Iran. The short-episode format makes it ideal for evenings or weekends, light enough to enjoy casually yet rich enough to spark a conversation about the old saying at the heart of each story.

Where & how to watch

Shekarestan 1402 is available on K-Time with original Persian audio. Stream it on the web, on your TV, or on your phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, no extra download required. Cancel anytime.