Year of Birth: 1938
Place of Birth:Iran,Tehran
Education: University of Tehran, 1962

1938:
Born in Tehran, December 26

1955-58:
Experiments in 8mm film making and play writing while at high school. Writes the first draft of Ejdehak and Arash, two narratives based on Persian recital tradition.

1959:
Attends courses at the University of Tehran, Division of Humanities, Department of Persian Literature. Writes film criticism while studying cinema and theater. Research on Eastern Drama, Persian literature and painting, Pre-Islamic culture and Persian mythology. Employment at the Office of Titles and Properties Records of the Department of Justice in Damavand.

1960-62:
Discovers Iranian Passion Play (Ta'zieh) as a live, non-Western theatrical form with great capacity to depict modern subjects. Studies the theater of his homeland and quits studying Persian literature at Tehran University. Works with young groups in several theatrical productions; as assistant director, stage manager and stage designer. Starts working at the Department of Dramatic Arts, Ministry of Culture and Arts. Publishes his first play, Scarecrow by Night (Matarsak-ha Dar Shab).

1963:
Publishes Three Puppet Plays (Se Nemayesh name-ye Arousaki) for live actors (frequently staged). Writes Pahlavan Akbar Dies (Pahlavan Akbar Mimirad), a play staged many times.

1964:
Writes The Eighth Voyage of Sindbad (Hashtomin Safar- e Sandbad), a play never staged in Iran but performed in German in Switzerland (1989), published in French (Paris 1990), performed in Toronto (1992) in English. also Publishes Theater in Japan, a research.

1965:
Sunset in a Strange Land (Ghoroub Dar Diyar-e Gharib) and The Story of Hidden Moon (Ghesse-ye Mah-e Penhan), two of the Three Puppet Plays are performed by the National Theater Group in Paris (Theatre de Ia Ville-Sara Bernhardt) as official program of the Theatre des Nations. Publishes his major research Theater in Iran. Marriage with Monirazam Raminfar.

1966:
Publishes The Journalistic World of Mr. Asrari (Donya-ye Matbou'ati-ye Aghaye Asrari) frequently staged, and The King Snake(Soltan Mar) staged many times. Debut as stage director with Dolls (Arousak-ha) first of The Three Puppet Plays (Se Namayeshname-ye Arousaki). This play was later published in U.S.A. in 1989. Writes and directs his one act plays, Heritage (Miras), and The Feast (Ziafat), both frequently staged. Publishes Ejdehak. Writes The Four Boxes (ChahAr Sandough), a play staged many times but also frequently banned; later published in English in USA (1990), and performed in Toronto (1991) and in USA (1992-93). Birth of his first child, daughter, Niloufar.

1967:
Birth of his second child, son, Arjang, and his death after hundred days.

1968:
Writes The Court of Balkh (Divan-e Balkh), a play published but never staged. Co-founder of the Iranian Writers Center.

1969:
Writes The Lost Ones (Gomshodegan), a play published but not staged). Publishes Theater in China, a research. Joins Tehran University, School of Fine Arts, Dramatic Arts Department as a guest lecturer. Directs The King Snake(Soltan Mar) for the stage, a great experimental success, using native Iranian theatrical forms to express new ideas.

1970:
Writes The Stormy Way of Farman, Son of Farman Through Darkness (Rah-e Toufani-ye Farman Pesar-e Farman Az Mian-e Tariki), a play never staged; and The Truth and the Wise Man (Haghighat Va Mard-e Dana), a narrative for three adults. First film-directing experience: Directing Uncle Mustache (Amou Sibilu), a short feature film. Writes Downpour (Ragbar), and The Lone Ayyar (Ayyar-e Tanha), two screenplays, and a treatment for a screenplay The Three Witnesses (Se Shahed). = Writes Job (Shoghl), a screenplay.

1971:
Directs Downpour (Ragbar), his first feature film.

1972:
Writes The Journey (Safar), a screenplay for a short film. Writes The Stranger and the Fog (Gharibeh Va Meh), a screenplay for a feature film. The birth of his third child, daughter, Negcir. Directs The Journey (Safar), his second short feature film.

1973:
Becomes full-time professor and the head of the Department of Dramatic Arts, School of Fine Arts, University of Tehran.

1974:
Directs The Stranger and the Fog (Gharibeh Va Meh), his second long feature film. Directs Death, Step by Step (Marg Ghadam Be Ghadam), an unfinished short film based on a painting remained of an executed criminal. Resigns from the Iranian Cinema Syndicate and becomes Co-founder of Progressive Film Group (Kanoon-e Sinemagaran-e Pishro) with few other film makers of young generation. Writes the Screenplays of Job #2 (Shoghl-e Dow), Job #3 (Shogh-e Se), and Job #4 (Shoghl-e Chahar).

1975:
Writes two screenplays: The Truth About Leyla Daughter of Edris (Haghayegh Dar Bare-ye Leyla Dokhtar- e Edris), and The Ballad of Tara (Cherike-ye Tara). Withdraws from Progressive Film Group.

1976:
Writes two screenplays:The Antelope, The Indigent, The Clown and Others (Ahon, Salandar, Talhak Va Digaran), and The Crow (Kalagh). Writes The View (Cheshmandaz), a screeenpaly (Lost).

1977:
Directs The Crow (Kalagh), his third long feature film. Writes Lamentation (Nodbeh), a play, has never been published or staged in Iran, but it has been published in Paris(France), Stockholm( Sweden) and Los Angeles(USA).( Publishes Arash, a narrative based on Persian recital tradition).

1978:
Directs The Ballad of Tara (Cherike-ye Tara), his fourth feature film. Iranian Revolution starts. Those in the production of The Ballad of Tara organize the Lissar Film Group. Writes Grafitti (Neveshteha-ye Divari), a play, banned.

1979:
Writes and directs Death of Yazdgerd (Marg-e Yazdgerd) on stage with great success, and it is his last for 18 years. But later this play was staged for years in English in Toronto (Canada), and in German in Frankfurt (Germany). Later, in 1998, it was published in Tehran in both Persian and English in one volume. Writes The Tale of Shroud-Clad Mir (Ghesseha-ye Mir-e Kafanpush), a screenplay.Writes The Scroll of Sheikh Sharzin (Toumar-e Sheikh Sharzin), a screenplay. Writes Job#5 (Shoghl-e Panj) for a short film, and Illusion (Vahm) which later became Perhaps Some Other Time (Shayad Vaghti Digar).Writes three screenplays: They Are Knocking, Why Don't You Open the Door? (Dar Mizanand, Chera Baz Nemikonid?), and The Incredible Story (Dastan-e Bavar Nakardani), and The Guard (Negahban).

1980:
His frankness at the round table discussions regarding the reconstruction of the culture and cinema after the [1979] revolution works to his disadvantage. The administrative sanction against him after his return from Cannes Film Festival, in which the Ballad of Tara was shown without the support of the Iranian government. Prohibition of showing his films in the upcoming Iranian Film Festivals. Prohibiting his presence in the film Festivals, Homage and Retrospectives in which the only remaining copies ofhis films abroad could be shown. Commencement of gradual exclusion, from any form of activity in theater or cinema in Iran or, from international circles in cinema. Writes three screenplays: Night of Sable (Shab-e Samour), The Occupation (Eshghal), and Facing Mirrors (Ayeneha-ye Rouberoo). Edits filmed version of Indigent (Salandar), directed by Varuj Karim-Masihi.

1981
Directs Death of Yazdgerd (Marg-e Yazdgerd) as his fifth feature film. Ejected from Tehran University, because of his parents' religious affiliation.