Director: Amir Naderi
Cast: Behrouz Vossoughi, Parviz Fanizadeh
Tangsir is a 1974 Iranian drama-crime film directed by Amir Naderi, adapted from Sadegh Chooback's celebrated novel of the same name. Set in the port city of Bushehr, it follows a working man driven to the breaking point who takes justice into his own hands against those who have robbed him of everything.
What is Tangsir about?
Zar Mohammad, a hardworking laborer in the southern port of Bushehr, entrusts his life savings to a group of merchants and moneylenders — men he trusts as pillars of his community. When all four defraud him and leave him destitute, every legal and social avenue closes against him. Stripped of his money, his dignity, and any hope of recourse through legitimate channels, Zar Mohammad reaches a point of no return. He arms himself and sets out alone to reclaim what was taken, triggering a confrontation that resonates far beyond a single man's grievance — becoming a flash point for ordinary people's fury against exploitation and unchecked power.
The K-Time take
Naderi channels the raw heat of southern Iran into every frame, crafting a film whose dusty streets and glaring sun feel morally charged. Behrouz Vossoughi's performance keeps Zar Mohammad human rather than mythic — wounded pride, not heroic swagger — and that restraint is what makes the final reckoning hit so hard. Shot with documentary-like immediacy, Tangsir stands as one of the defining works of pre-revolution Iranian cinema.
Cast & crew
Behrouz Vossoughi, one of the most iconic leading men of Iranian cinema's golden era, anchors the film with a controlled intensity that made his name synonymous with working-class dignity on screen. Parviz Fanizadeh, a versatile character actor celebrated for his range, provides essential dramatic weight in a supporting role. Director Amir Naderi — who later gained international recognition — brought a poet's eye and a documentarian's instinct to this production.
Context & significance
Released on the eve of the 1979 revolution, Tangsir struck a nerve across Iranian society. Chooback's source novel was already beloved for its unflinching portrayal of the southern poor, and Naderi's adaptation amplified that charge into something kinetic and urgent. For diaspora Iranians, the film is part of a shared cultural vocabulary — a touchstone of the era when Persian cinema was finding its boldest, most politically resonant voice. Watching it today is to understand the conditions, anxieties, and moral outrage that shaped a generation. Its story of one man refusing humiliation in silence remains strikingly contemporary.
Where & how to watch
Tangsir is available on K-Time with original Persian audio. Stream it on your TV, computer, or phone — no VPN needed, no geo-blocking, and no extra download required. Subscription is flexible with cancel anytime.