Haft Sang (TV series)
Haft Sang (Persian: هفتسنگ; "Seven stones") is an Iranian television series by the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB). It began airing in 2014, one day after the beginning of Ramadan. It is an unauthorised adaptation (or, as some commentators say, shot-for-shot copy) of the American television series Modern Family. 20th Century Fox did not authorize the production of this series, due to the economic sanctions by the U.S. against Iran.[1]
Haft Sang | |
---|---|
Also known as | Seven Stones |
Genre | Drama Romance Comedy Family |
Created by | Christopher Lloyd Steven Levitan |
Based on | Modern Family by Christopher Lloyd Steven Levitan |
Written by | Alireza Bazrafshan Sara Khosroabadi |
Directed by | Alireza Bazrafshan |
Starring | Mehdi Soltani Parviz Poorhosseini Behnam Tashakkor Farnaz Rahnama Shabnam Moghaddami Elham Pavehnejad Afshin Sangchap Amir Reza Delavari Arsalan Ghasemi |
Country of origin | Iran |
Original language | Persian |
No. of episodes | 25 |
Production | |
Running time | 45 minutes |
Production company | 20th Century Fox International Television |
Release | |
Original network | IRIB TV3 |
Original release | June 29 – July 31, 2014 |
The show is named after "haft sang" or lagori, a children's game. Each episode is around 40 to 50 minutes long, twice as long as each episode of the original American version. As a result, the series has been said to have a slower pace compared to the American version.[2] Some subplots in the American version are not present in Haft Sang, such as the ones that pertain to homosexuality or dating.[2]
Characters
Character Name in Haft Sang |
---|
Mohsen |
Leila |
Shaahin |
Shadi |
Amir* |
Anoush |
Nasir |
Mehri |
Hamed |
Behrooz** |
Elham** |
*Portrayal of friendships between boys and girls is not permitted on Iranian television. As such, the character of Haley Dunphy is replaced by that of a teenage boy, Amir. Haley's boyfriend, Dylan, is accordingly changed to Anoush, Amir's friend.
**Due to complications in televising homosexuality in Iran, the Iranian equivalents of Mitch and Cam are a heterosexual couple, Behrooz and Elham. Accordingly, the reason for them adopting a child is due to Elham's infertility.
References
- Jordyn Holman (3 July 2014). "Iranian Version of 'Modern Family' Unauthorized By 20th Century Fox TV - Variety". Variety. Archived from the original on May 28, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2015.()
- Harris, Aisha (2014-07-03). "The Story Behind That Iranian Version of Modern Family". Slate Magazine. Archived from the original on 2022-07-15. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
External links
- "Can you guess the difference between Iran’s Modern Family remake and the original?." Pink News.
- YouTube video comparing Modern Family and Haft Sang frame-by-frame.