King of Hearts (Soltane Ghalbha)

Soltane Ghalbha (Persian: سلطان قلب‌ها, literally "King of Hearts") is a 1968 Iranian melodrama directed by Mohammad-Ali Fardin, who also took the leading part. He wrote the screenplay together with Habibollah Kasmai, while the cast around him includes Azar Shiva, Victoria Nerssisian and a very young Leila Forouhar. Songs are at the heart of the picture: they were written by the pianist Anoushiravan Rohani, and the vocal performances heard on screen were actually sung and dubbed by Aref Arefkia and Ahdieh for the principal actors. The film is frequently named among the best-known productions of Iranian cinema, and in the year of its release it became the country's top-grossing picture. Its fame reached Turkey as well, where Emel Sayın recorded its signature song and its music appeared in a number of Turkish productions. Combining romance and drama with musical set pieces, the film is remembered as a defining example of Iranian popular cinema of the period, closely tied to Fardin's stardom.