King of Hearts

Released in 1968, the Iranian melodrama Soltane Ghalbha has a title that means "King of Hearts". Blending musical, romantic and dramatic strands, it was made by Missaghieh Studio and runs about 135 minutes. Mohammad-Ali Fardin sits in the director's chair and also takes the lead; he co-wrote the screenplay with Habibollah Kasmai. Often counted among the most widely remembered titles of Iranian cinema, it was the country's highest-grossing film of 1347 in the Iranian calendar (1968), the year of its release.

Alongside Fardin the cast features Azar Shiva and Victoria Nerssisian, while Leila Forouhar appears at a very young age. Humayun Tebrizyan, Mohammadtaghi Kohanmouei and Gholamhossein Bahmanyar are also among the players. Music shapes the whole film: pianist Anoushiravan Rohani composed the songs and wrote their lyrics. The singing parts of the on-screen actors were performed by Aref Arefkia and Ahdieh, who also dubbed the leads.

The film's reach extended beyond Iran. Its main song was re-recorded in Turkey by Emel Sayın, and its music was reused in many Turkish productions. Closely tied to Fardin's stardom, it is regarded as a key example for anyone trying to understand the popular Iranian cinema of its day.