TEHRAN- - A gathering will take place at the House of Cinema in Tehran on Monday to pay tribute to the renowned Iranian actor Saeed Rad, who recently passed away.

Esteemed speakers, including Enayat Bakhshi, Alireza Zarrindast, Hushang Golmakani, and Javad Tusi, will discuss Saeed Rad's artistic life and contributions to cinema. 

Rad passed away two weeks ago at the age of 79 in a Tehran hospital after a prolonged battle with health issues that lasted over ten months.

His health challenges began last year following a fall at home, which resulted in serious injuries and required hospitalization. After undergoing surgery, Rad spent a month in recovery before beginning the difficult process of relearning to walk with the assistance of a cane and walker.

Unfortunately, complications arose from his surgery, leading to a decline in his condition that necessitated further hospitalization for additional treatment. Despite extensive physical therapy, Rad was ultimately unable to regain his ability to walk independently.

As time went on, his health continued to deteriorate, with respiratory and urinary infections compounding his struggles. For nearly ten months, he faced these ongoing health issues before ultimately succumbing to his illness.

A renowned actor in Iranian cinema, Rad began his career in the 1970s with films such as "Conquerors of the Desert" by Mohammad Zarrindast and "Goodbye Freind" by Amir Naderi. His unique acting style, combined with his physique and facial expressions, quickly earned him the leading roles in several movies as a young actor. 

Rad appeared in 34 films before the Islamic Revolution of Iran in 1979, including notable works such as "Impious" directed by Fereydoun Gole, "Sadegh the Kurd" by Nasser Taqvai, "Tangna" by Amir Naderi, and "The Journey of the Stone" by Masoud Kimiai. He later appeared in seven films between 1982 and 1985, including "The Red Line" by Masoud Kimiai, " The Imperiled" by Iraj Ghaderi, "Dadshah" by Habib Kavosh, and " Eagles" by Samuel Khachikian.

Rad's career was briefly interrupted due to censorship issues, but he made a powerful comeback in 2001 with a role in “Duel” by Ahmadreza Darvish.  

In recent years, Rad has also appeared in television productions and several internet platform video series, including "In the Eye of the Wind", "Motherland", and "Silent Terror".

Rad's last appearances were in the television series "Father's Legacy" and "Gildokht".

SAB/