He has a smile on his face, full of energy. Despite being in an old age, he is full of passion and always manages to transcend that to his audiences. His work ethics is based on honesty, which is evident in his works.
People know him from hit shows such as Friday Morning with You and Iranian Friday. He has been hosting the late night show The Way of Night for 26 consecutive years. He says if you want to be the voice of the radio show; to let the listeners know what they need and want to know; and if you want to have a strong and wonderful following, then you need to become a sweet on-air personality. You also need to really connect to the audience and bring your real personality to the broadcast. Following is a short interview with the lovely man of the national radio:
Which radio show was your first?
My first show was Silver Carnation, which kicked off my career in radio. I also did imitate voices, even the voice of my radio programmer and the then premier. This helped pave the way for my career in radio as a host.
Why did you stop imitating voices?
I did voice imitations for two years but competition was tough. So I decided to change career. I did rehearse one year for a TV show with 40 others. Our first show was Off Limits, directed by Hassan Khayyatbashi. My next show was Channel Zero, which was aired until the 1979 revolution. I also began working on radio as of 1976.
You began your career in the entertainment industry on stage, but you never seriously followed that path. Was this intentional?
I never went for a professional career in theater. At that time there were many movie stars acting on stage in Lalehzar, so there was no room for an unknown face like me. I was too young for theater. It was only after the revolution that my career really kicked off with popular radio shows like Friday Morning with You.
Many people used to listen to it every Friday morning. Why was that?
Perhaps, because there were many experts and researchers behind the program’s topics and themes. Nozari, Shishegaran and Tavakol were doing everything as programmer, host, presenter, producer, and so on. They did prepare and research everything; made sure we absorbed as much information as we could on the topics they planned to discuss. There were also many voice talents behind the show such as Nozari, Erfani, Valizadeh, Manani, Deyham and Nazerian. The show had its own audiences among Iranian fighters during the imposed Iraqi war on Iran in the early 1980s. We were so successful that we even got praised by Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.
Why was it taken off the air?
There were many reasons for it, such as the emergence of the internet, social networks, satellite TV channels, and suchlike. People are no longer patient; they want to have access to everything right away. The program later changed its name to Iranian Friday. But after three years it was similarly taken off the air.
Most of your shows are comedy. What kind of qualities do you need to succeed in this field?
The atmosphere for doing a comedy show should be sweet and away from bitterness and rivalry. Nozari’s shows always had that touch of sweetness to them. Sometimes he would lose his temper and shout, but that was it; a momentary thing. He would immediately contain himself and return to his own self, engaging all of us. He was a great communicator and it was a great lesson for us. In our new show Radio Friday, I always urge everyone to be kind and a team player; care for one another; be good under pressure; and force everyone to work hard to succeed.
How do you compare today’s young talents with your own generation?
Some of the new voices have done their homework. They know what their audiences want. No one can dispute that Mehran Modiri and Rambod Javan are doing a fine job in comedy shows. There are some who want to stop Modiri from saying things they don’t like to hear. But he still manages to send his message to audiences. You cannot possibly imitate Modiri. It is important when hosting a radio show or being in one to talk about things that are relevant to your audience. Utilizing these keys can help you reach the top. Modiri does all that and more. That’s why all we see today is just one or two popular shows. Some officials try to impose their taste on audiences but they always fail, always. We need to have a center that attracts new talents for TV. There are many young talents out there. They should get the chance to work in TV. People have right to see new faces.
Did management reshuffles affect the quality of your work?
The new IRIB managers have academic degrees in TV, film and radio. This is good news as they know how to cultivate our skills, get involved in production, and manage things as quickly and as efficiently as possible. They understand what we want. It helps to have managers like this in radio as well. There are however some who are forced on us by outside organizations. It will take some time for them to learn the craft and communicate with us.
Many of your colleagues complain they are not getting paid well. Are you happy with your work and income?
I spent all my energy and effort and got nothing in return. Then there are some who just say hello and make a fortune out of it. No one asks me how I’m doing these days and whether I can make ends meet. But I have always tried to contain myself and hold the IRIB’s head high. I can never make it as a businessman. Showbiz is what I do for a living. I feel responsible for what I’m doing and I always throw my support behind the IRIB. I try to represent the IRIB in the best possible way as a cultural and artistic center to the whole nation. I’m obliged to keep its integrity intact.
Are you having any new TV or radio show?
I’m still busy doing Radio Friday. The other program The Way of Night is still on air Saturday nights. I have been doing it for 26 years now - lately single-handedly. I’m happy to have so many professional crew members working with me in the studio. I’m confident that in my absence they will still remember my name. It’s an honor. I will work in radio for as long as possible.