Shooting of "The Puzzle of the Shah" begins...

  

Report: Tehran Times; photos by Chavosh Homavandi,Jame Jam The shooting of "The Puzzle of the Shah", a TV series about the life story of former Iranian monarchMohammad Reza Pahlavi, began during a ceremony in Tehran's Mellat Museum on Tuesday, which was the 34th anniversary of his departure from Iran. Hadi Mehdikia (R) and Dariush Kardan play the roles of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi and his prime minister Amir-Abbas Hoveyda in a scene from "The Puzzle of the Shah", a TV series based on the life story of the former Iranian monarch. (Jamejamonline/Chavosh Homavandi) IRIB Deputy Director Ali Darabi and a number of officials attended the ceremony, during which a scene of the 40-episode series was directed by Mohammadreza Varzi. Varzi has previously made "Tabriz in Fog" and "The Years of the Constitution", both of which depict slices from the history of Iran. "Choosing this day for shooting the series is a symbolic action and I hope that the series becomes one of the best productions on contemporary history," Darabi said. "The aim of this production is to inform the young generation about the history of Iran during the second Pahlavi's reign," Varzi said. The TV series will depict the life of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi from childhood until his departure from Iran in January 1979. Obscure actors Hossein Nur-Ali and Hadi Mehdikia will play the role of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi in his youth and middle age. No one has been chosen yet to play him in his old age. In addition, Hadis Fuladvand will play Princess Fawzia of Egypt, the Shah's first wife, and Mehraveh Sharifinia will play his second wife, Soraya Esfandiary-Bakhtiari. Saghar Azizi will play the role of his third wife, Farah Diba.