Bita Farrahi :: An Illustrious Career
Beloved Iranian Actress Passes Away at 65

By: BNN Correspondents
Published: Nov 25, 2023

Renowned Iranian cinema and television actress, Bita Farrahi (21 March 1958 - 25 November 2023), passed away due to heart and lung complications at Tehran’s Day Hospital.

Iranian director Tahmineh Milani wrote on her Instagram: "She was hospitalized for a while, we hoped that her condition was improving. But with a hard blow, the news of her death arrived! It is a bad and dark year!"

The news of her demise was announced on 25 november. Farahi, over the years of her artistic presence, especially with her roles in numerous series and films, had gained significant popularity. Her death has sparked many reactions in the artistic community and among her fans.

Her death has elicited a wave of reactions from the artistic community and her loyal fan base. Tributes have been pouring in from all corners, celebrating her life and mourning the loss of a true artist. Bita Farahi’s passing is indeed a significant loss for the Iranian cinema and television industry.



Dariush Mehrjui, the recently deceased veteran Iranian director (killed six weeks ago in his home along with his wife Vahidea Mohammadifar), has been quoted as saying that he wrote the script of "Banoo" (The Lady) based on the character of Bita Farrahi; "The Lady" had been suspended for seven years and was not allowed to be aired, and Farrahi mentioned this as one of the dark chapters of her artistic career and personal life.

Bita Farrahi's daughter: Why was my mother discharged from the hospital with a lung infection?! / She was not going to die anytime soon. Her French doctors are shocked by her death.

Mahsa Qureyshi (Bita Farhi's daughter) raised questions in the form of a note, emphasizing that she does not intend to accuse a specific person.

In a part of her note in ISNA news agency, she wrote: "My mother was suffering from a heart and lung disease for years. But the disease was controlled and my mother lived without problems. During the years of her illness, due to its control, Bita Farahi acted in several movies and series, and I dare to say that no one noticed her illness. And like all people, she was busy with her daily life.

About a year ago, my mother was staying in Paris and was undergoing complete medical tests. But she had a strong desire to return to her home and Iran, so with the approval of her doctor in France, she was allowed to fly and returned to Iran on October 28. Before the trip, she was in good health and traveled to Iran in normal physical condition, and all the tests confirm her stable condition.

Two days after arriving in Iran, my mother had a lung infection and was taken to the emergency room of the hospital, and then she went to the ICU with low oxygen and high carbon dioxide. And then due to mother's insistence to be discharged from the hospital, she was discharged from there to my sheer astonishment! Mother's companions protested and the answer was that it is the patient's right to give an opinion!

My mother was taken home by ambulance in poor conditions and returned to the hospital and intensive care unit three days later with a worse condition. My question is, why should a patient with an uncontrolled lung infection be taken home? Is there a guarantee that her situation at home will not be threatening and her life will not be in danger? My question is, is it the patient who should decide on discharge or the doctor?

The process of transferring my mother from one department to another in the hospital kept repeating. A few days in ICU, then CCU, while the infection and other problems were still there. At the same time, I called a number of friends of my mother's doctor, and asked them to visit her, but they refused. We asked for a medical group to be formed for consensus to change the treatment process, but this did not happen either. What saddens me more is that my mother was not going to die. She was sick, but she was frequently examined by doctors in France before traveling to Iran.

In the last days, the condition of her lungs was improving, and on the morning of November 25, they said that she had internal bleeding! However, she was still talking and alert. Bita Farahi was in stable condition. She came to Iran by her own will, but she died and the doctors treating her in France are amazed. She wasn't going to die anytime soon.

We still don't know what exactly happened to my mother, why so fast? Was my mother's treatment done correctly? Why was her lung infection not controlled for three weeks? Why did she suddenly suffer from internal bleeding and died at such a speed? And from whom can I get the answer to the question why my mother, in a stable physical condition, came on this journey with her own will and died due to a controllable lung infection at the age of 65."


An Illustrious Career

Farrahi was a well-known figure in Iranian cinema, having made significant contributions to the industry. She had starred in well-known films such as ‘Hamoun’, ‘Banoo’, ‘Protest’, and ‘A House Built on Water’. Her performances in these films were highly acclaimed, enhancing her reputation and popularity among Iranian cinema lovers.

Farrahi was one of the few Iranian actresses who managed to win the Fajr Film Festival's Crystal Simorgh three times for acting in the films "Kimia", "A House Built on Water", and "Mainline" (Khoon bazi).

A Sudden Demise

Farahi, who was 65 years old, had been hospitalized at Day Hospital for several weeks due to lung and heart complications. She passed away on the afternoon of the 25th of november. The details of her funeral will be announced subsequently. Her passing has left a void in the Iranian cinema industry, which she had served with dedication and talent for many years.



Reactions to Farrahi’s Death

Her death has elicited a wave of reactions from the artistic community and her loyal fan base. Tributes have been pouring in from all corners, celebrating her life and mourning the loss of a true artist. Bita Farrahi’s passing is indeed a significant loss for the Iranian cinema and television industry.

A large number of Iranian actors and filmmakers wrote in her memory on social networks and published her old and new pictures.

Hengameh Ghaziani, an actress, wrote about her on her Instagram: "Apart from having a beautiful face, her beauty arose from her high spirits and loving heart."

Iranian director Tahmineh Milani also wrote on her Instagram: "She was hospitalized for a while, we hoped that her condition was improving. But with a hard blow, the news of her death arrived! It is a bad and dark year!"

Ali Mosleh, an Iranian film critic, also wrote on the X social network (former Twitter): "With the death of Bita Farrahi, the central triangle of "Hamoun" has disintegrated in the real world; 42 days after the death of Dariush Mehrjoui and 15 years and a few months after the death of Khosro Shakibai."

Bita Farrahi' biography

Bita Farrahi (born 21 March 1958 in Tehran) was an actress and one of the most famous and internationally acclaimed Iranian actresses.

She studied Arts at John Powers’ School in the United States, she worked as professional model for art magazines in California, she left US in 1985 and came back to Iran.

"I was born in an average family, not rich, but cultured and well-bred, and I grew up in a cultural atmosphere, my relatives were all people of books and poetry. I went to America in 1978 and after some time I entered an art school, at that time I did not have an intention to become an actor and finally in 1987 after three years I returned to Iran."

Her talent as an actress was discovered by famous movie director Dariush Mehrjui ; she began her acting career with Hamoun.

She is mostly noted for willingness to play the roles of intellectual, independent women who are struggling with family and psychological problems.

"I like people very much and I care more about popularity than fame. I like to be loved by people. I feel that I am a people's person and if one day I quit my job, they will know me again and I will take what I want from people."

"I always think that I wish I had the capital to start a cozy little bookstore in a nice and convenient place, a book cafe where you can drink a good coffee, read a good book and listen to a good music, I love it. I love to do such things."


Selected filmography

1989    Hamoun
1991    Baanoo (aka The Lady, released in 1999)
1995    Kimia (aka Alchemy)
1997    Hotel Karton (aka Cardboard Hotel)
1997    Life
2000    Velayate Eshgh (TV Series)
2000    Eteraz (aka Protest)
2002    Khanei ruye ab (aka A House Built on Water)
2001    Pedar e Khak (aka The Father of the Dust)
2004    Telesmshodegan (TV Series)
2006    Khoon bazi (aka Mainline)
2007    Parkway
2008    Khak e Ashena (aka Earthbound)
2010    Shab va Ghasham be Deltangi
2011    Shish va Besh
2011    Kharash (aka Scrap)
2013    Annunciation to a Third Milennium Citizen
2015    Dorane Asheghi
2016    Baradaram Khosro (aka My Brother, Khosrow)
2016    Ghashang & Farang
2018    Irandokht
2018    The Last Fiction
2019    Raghs Rooi é Shisheh (TV Series)
2019    Az Yadha Rafteh (TV Series)
2019    Movafeghate Osooli
2019    Pish Az Anke Begooyam Khodahafez
2021    Jazireh (TV Series)
2021    The Visit
2022    LA Minor
2023    Sarzamin-e Madari (TV Series)