"The enchantment of "Shahrag" is complex and influential. I am in love with roles that are far from myself."

Azadeh Zarei, a film and television actress who is currently starring in the series "Shahrag" on IRIB Channel 2, spoke to a reporter from Saba Radio and Television about

the reason for her lack of work in recent years after her different and successful performance in the series "Avaye Baran" directed by Hossein Soheili Zadeh. She stated: "I always strive to make choices in which I can see success within the story and character itself. That's why it may take some time or create hesitation until I reach my next choice."

Shahrag is a kind of love.

She continued, saying, "I want to be involved in projects that have a certain dignity throughout, where the character I portray receives a passing grade from myself, rather than just playing any role. In selecting my roles, the story, the cast, and the character are important to me, not just the quantity of work, because I believe that Shahrag is not a job but a kind of love, and a passionate person must focus their attention on their love."

The "Shahrag" actress emphasized, "Of course, considering the current conditions in cinema and television, I may seem idealistic, but the path I have chosen for myself is a very difficult one, requiring a lot of patience. Being right is better than being abundant, and besides a few offers that I regretted due to being obsessive, I have been more satisfied with rejecting other cases."

Zarei explained that "Shahrag" is her third experience in television series, which has a completely different framework and structure compared to others. Regarding how she was introduced to this project, she said, "I was introduced to it through Amir Soleimani, the project planner, with whom I had previously collaborated. We discussed playing the role of Fariba, the story, and the plot that would happen to her in this series, and I found it intriguing. I think it was the distinctiveness of the role of Fariba that led to this collaboration."

In response to the question of why she accepted the offer to act in this series, she noted, "The mysterious structure and the thriller aspect of the storyline, which engages the audience with simultaneous emotions of excitement and suspense, appealed to me. I felt that the audience would make predictions that would often be unsuccessful. Moreover, I liked the anxieties, surprises, and twists that the story created in people's minds."

The actress from "Avaye Baran" added, "When I read the story, I knew from the beginning that I was dealing with a masculine tale. In the beginning, the character of Fariba is passive, but as the story progresses, I see a different side of Fariba where the reason for her passivity becomes meaningful. This duality within one role was attractive to me. Fariba is a strange, complex, and influential character that I chose, and I still love her now."

I don't settle for simple plans.

Zarei explained the challenges she faced in portraying the character of Fariba: "Before embodying a role, I first strive to understand that character and think about it to the extent that it becomes a part of me. When that character enters my mind, it settles within me because it's no longer Azadeh who determines how to react in a situation but the character itself that compels me to find the way, speak, and so on. This is an overall approach for me. However, before every performance, I always think even about a very simple plan, and I don't settle for simple plans. In my opinion, an actor is constantly challenging themselves and their character."

Regarding whether she can speak about the character of Fariba after the series ends, she said, "Maybe after the series is completed, I will have a better understanding of talking about the role of Fariba. From my perspective, all the characters in 'Shahrag' had an external aspect within a specific period of time and lived exactly within this society. It is the quality of these characters that has made the series appealing to its intended audience from the beginning."

• Sabakhabar