Bitter Coffee (Persian: قهوه تلخ Ghahve-ye Talkh) is an Iranian historical-comedy series directed by Mehran Modiri and produced by Majid Aghagolian and Hamid Aghagolian. Three episodes are released at a time (roughly every week) on three VCD or one DVD, priced in Iran at 25000 rials (at that time approximately $2.50). The first set of episodes were released on 13 September 2010.

Quick Facts Also known as, Genre ...
Bitter Coffee
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The series poster
Also known asGhahveh Talkh
Genre
  • Historical
  • Comedy
Created byMehran Modiri
Written byAmir Mehdi Jule
Khashayar Alvand
Directed byMehran Modiri
StarringMehran Modiri
Siamak Ansari
Javad Ezati
Mohammad Reza Hedayati
Sahar Zakaria
Elika Abdolrazzaghi
Sahar Jafari Jozani
Country of originIran
Original languagePersian
No. of episodes102
Production
ProducersHamid Aghagolian
Majid Aghagolian
Production locationsTehran, Iran
EditorJavad Aslani
Running time30–40 minutes
Original release
ReleaseSeptember 2010 (2010-09) 
2012 (2012)
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Background and controversy

Production of the series began in June 2009. Bitter Coffee was meant to be produced for television, to be broadcast by the IRIB, but due to various disagreements between IRIB and the series' producers, it didn't air. An alleged reason for disagreement between the producers and IRIB was that the producers required all of the advertisement for the series to be used as their payment, but IRIB refused to agree. Another rumoured reason was disagreement about the planned content of the series. IRIB officials eventually refused to show Bitter Coffee, and the series was eventually distributed in VCD format, at various outlets throughout Iran.[1][2]

Cast

More information Name, Role ...
Name Role Title in Persian Regular/Support Description of Role
Siamak Ansari Royal Counselor Mostashar-Ol-Molk Regular He is a historian who travels back in time to become a royal counselor, or Mostashar-Ol-Molk.
Mehran Modiri Great Bluetooth Bluetooth-e-Kabir Regular He is seemingly a defected Greek prince.
Mohammad-Reza Hedayati King of Iran Jahangir-shahe Doloo Regular He is an aged King of Iran.
Sahar Zakaria Princess Lo'bat-Al-Molook Regular She, as the eldest daughter of Shah, is single, waiting for her prince of dreams to propose.
Elika Abdol-Razzaghi Queen of Iran Fakhr-Ot-Taj Regular As Queen, she wants to maintain her authority in the royal enterprise.
Sahar Jafari Jozani Royal secretary and premier's daughter Naz Khatoon Regular After having her studies finished in France, she returns to Iran to become royal secretary. And she falls in love with Royal Counselor.
Borzoo Arjmand Army General Borzoo Khan-e-Sepah Salar Regular As a relatively naive man, he only pretends to be in love with premier's daughter to succeed him as the premier.
Aref Lorestani Royal Sheriff Balad-Ol-Molk Regular Despite being the sheriff, he engages in various illegal activities.
Hadi Kazemi Father of the King Baba Shah Regular As a painter, his only preoccupation is to rival father of the premier.
Javad Ezzati Father of the premier Baba Eti Regular Affected by Schizophrenia, he is a source of laughter in the whole series.
Mandana Soori Shah's sister Gheysar-Os-Saltaneh Regular She's the Shah's twin sister who marries Baba Eti.
Reza Fieze Norouzi Premier Etemad-Ol-Molk Deylami Regular He is just trying to gather wealth, maintain his position, and succeed Shah.
Maryam Bakhshi Prime minister's wife and Shah's sister-in-law Akhtar-Al-Molook Regular It seems that her only duty is to covet her sister the Queen and try to convince royal family to accept her son as their son-in-law.
Bijan Banafshekhah Chief of Iran's colonies and premier's elder son Bikhodi-Ol-Molk Deylami Regular He, as stupid and useless as one can be, is in love with Shah's daughter. The so-called colonies he administers (which do not exist at all) include France, Russia, etc.
Shayan Ahadifar History Writer and prime minister's younger son Gonjeshk Regular He seems to be the only clever man in whole royal enterprise. However, he deliberately distorts facts he documents to be read by later generations, in order to demonstrate a more humane, clever image of Shah and Premier (his father).
Reza Nikkhah Royal astrologer and treasurer Nostra Khan Damoos-Ol-Molk Regular His name has something to do with Nostradamus, but he doesn't know how to foresee future as the royal astrologer. Hence, he makes dumb predictions which usually turn to be funny.
Ali Lak-Pooriyan Royal Jester Dambool-Os-Saltaneh Regular He does every common thing that a jester does.
Shaghayegh Rahimi-Rad Malih-Os-Saltaneh Regular Dambool's wife
Saed Hedayati Royal doctor Dava-Ol-Molk Regular Only adept in curing simple diseases such as the common cold, he is more of a parasite in the royal enterprise.
Shadi Ahadifar Court doctress Zaeef-Os-Saltaneh Regular As the wife of Royal Doctor, she deals with some women affairs.
Nader Soleimani Royal Chef Gherghi Regular As the royal chef, he is sometimes involved in conspiracies planned by other top officials.
Falamak Joneidi Royal Chef's Wife Kabootar Regular Not only involved in kitchen issues, she is a news source in the royal enterprise, kind of a wire service of old times.
Ramin Pooriman Royal courtesan Eghbal Khan Regular He organizes the events at court.
Fatemeh Hashemi Royal midwife Hamdam Regular She tries to be faithful to the Queen, but sometimes betrays her.
Aram Jafari Russian Lady of the Shah Katherine the Boy-Maker Regular Since the Shah has no son to succeed him, he marries a gorgeous Russian to make a boy. As expected, a tough rivalry occurs between this Russian lady and the Queen.
Sam Noori Interpreter French-Os-Saltaneh Regular He translates for the foreign guests of the palace, also tries in vain to teach Borzoo French in order for him to win Naz Khatoon's heart.
Hamid Kashani Royal executioner Shokoofeh Regular Despite his name meaning "blossom", he is very cruel.
Saeid Pirdoost Owner of a Cafe in Bazaar Morshed Regular He is the wise man of the story.
Ramin Naser-Nasir Bolookat Regular A lawyer who travels back in time and becomes a member of the Royal Senate.
Yousef Sayyadi Feri-Os-Saltaneh Regular A restaurant owner who travels back in time and becomes the diet coach of the Shah.
Arash Nozari Pari-Al-Doleh Regular A building manager who travels back in time and becomes the head of servants. He's in love with Ziba.
Arash Nozari Ziba Regular A stylist who travels back in time. The Shah falls in love with her and tries to convince her to marry him. She desires to become a queen one day.
Darya Aminiyan Manij-Os-Saltaneh Support Damoos's wife
Shima Mo'meni Kaniz-Os-Saltaneh Support Balad's wife
Amir Farzam Soldier Bahram Support He works for Balad along with Mohsen, in detaining and keeping order in the palace.
Mehdi Nateghi Soldier Mohsen Support He works for Balad along with Bahram, in detaining and keeping order in the palace.
Azadeh Mehdizadeh Josephine Support Katherine's lady-in-waiting
Biuk Mirzaee Thug Teimur Support He orchestrates assassination attempts and other crime. He can always be found at the bazaar.
Sepand Amirsoleimani Arshia Support A doorkeeper who works with Pari-Al-Doleh.
Hossein Rahmani Manesh
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Storyline

The series begins with history teacher Nima Zande-Karimi (Siamak Ansari) realising that his extensive research on Persian and world history is of little use to financing his day-to-day life. He is about to leave Tehran for good to go back to his hometown by the name of Darab, when he comes across young university student Roya Atabaki (Sahar Jafari-Jozani) who is researching for her final year dissertation, which is regarding the period 1198–1203, that is said to be a period of turmoil for Iran's ruling elite. Such turmoil that, very few books are available on that period for Roya's research. It is then that Nima receives an anonymous telephone call, which leads him to Niavaran Palace (currently a museum), where he is told to have a coffee and wait. The coffee (which is bitter) is ready and he duly drinks it, his sight becomes hazy, and when he manages to refocus he is in the year 1201 (1822 AD), and the story develops therein.

Reception

This was a very much anticipated series, as are all of Mehran Modiri's works, partly because it had been 4 years since his last major series work Baghe Mozaffar, discounting the two short series he did for the new years 1387 and 88, and partly because it had been rumoured to be ready for release the previous winter, and then the new year period for 89, before eventually being released at the end of the summer of 1389, and not on television but as a DVD release. As a result, according to the series' website, half a million copies of the first installment were sold on the first day of release alone.[3] At first Ghahve-ye Talkh was planned to be a 90-episode comedy series.[4] Story of Bitter Coffee, like recent Modiri works, is focused on critiquing aspects of Iranian social behaviour.[5]

References

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