Roqe

This is a 3-Part series based on interviews conducted in 2020. On the 40th anniversary year of the death of the Shah, we aim to assess the current accepted understanding of the history of Iran in the last century, the place of the Pahlavi Dynasty, and the precipitants of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The series features three well-known thinkers who have all deeply studied the Pahlavi era and have differing opinions on the legacy of Mohammad Reza Shah, four decades after his death in exile.

This is a 3-Part series based on interviews conducted in 2020. On the 40th anniversary year of the death of the Shah, we aim to assess the current accepted understanding of the history of Iran in the last century, the place of the Pahlavi Dynasty, and the precipitants of the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The series features three well-known thinkers who have all deeply studied the Pahlavi era and have differing opinions on the legacy of Mohammad Reza Shah, four decades after his death in exile.

A feature interview with Iranian-American singer-songwriter Rana Mansour. Rana joins Jian for a very frank conversation about being a musical child prodigy growing up in Washington DC, early years at Berklee College of Music and releasing English records, her move into the Persian music marketplace, frustrations at lack of industry recognition and self-criticism, working with her father as a songwriting partner, and the interesting paradox of being celebrated for her sublime voice and captivating performances in Persian, despite being born and raised in the USA and never having actually been to Iran. Plus, Kyan bring a new edition of “It’s All Persian To Us” and the Roqe Team revisit Monday’s veganism debate.

What are the benefits of cutting dairy and meat from your diet? Popular Iranian-American gastroenterologist and vegan diet advocate Dr Angie Sadeghi joins Jian for a feature interview about her journey from dreaming of being a doctor as a kid in war-ravaged Iran, to becoming a medical professional, and then embarking on a mission to share her story of giving up meat and dairy and dramatically transforming her life for the better. Dr Angie is now an internationally recognized force online and a fitness competitor to boot. Plus the Roqe Team discusses the prospect of a life without cheese and kabob, and reads the Letters of the Week.

A very animated edition of Roqe (so to speak!) including a feature interview with Iranian-American visual artist, illustrator, and production designer, Mehrdad Isvandi. Mehrdad, while still only in his 30s, has become a key player at Disney Animation involved in the creation of blockbuster films. He joins Jian from Los Angeles to discuss growing up as a kid in Ahvaz with drawing as his escape and form of expression, overcoming personal challenges around learning ability, taking every measure to leave Iran to pursue his illustration talent and creative skills, landing at Google and Dreamworks in California, and his present role at Disney where he’s been instrumental in creating films like “Moana,” “Raya and the Last Dragon,” and “Ralph Breaks the Internet.” Plus the Roqe On-Air Team pokes fun at Jian for his low-status vaccination, discusses the merits of exiting WhatsApp groups, and Kyan delivers a new edition of “It’s All Persian To Us!”

A fun-filled episode including a feature interview with popular Iranian-British TV personality, documentarian, and social media influencer, Shirin Nasseri. Shirin joins Jian from London for a very frank interview about her nomadic childhood, her lifelong love affair with dance, her years as a broadcaster at Manoto Television (and her difficult final days at that network), and her commitment to being genuine and refusing to submit to culturally-mandated expectations. Plus the Roqe Team discusses ethical eating, Jian’s trip to the Persian car garage, and the Letters of the Week.

A feature interview with the Australian-Iranian founder of Persian Yoga, Kashi Azad. Kashi is a former electrical engineer, chiropractic doctor, and MBA, who has become a martial arts mentor and has set his sights on introducing the world to Iranian ‘Pahlavani’ sport. Kashi joins Jian from Sydney to discuss teaching the most ancient living art of strength and physical culture, the nature of the ‘zoorkhaneh’ space, and his growing global popularity online with what he has coined, Persian Yoga. Plus the Roqe Team deals with Captain Reza’s enormous portion of koobideh kabob creating havoc in the Roqe offices.

A feature interview with New York Times bestselling author, Jasmin Darznik. Jasmin is an Iranian-American writer, professor and former lawyer who burst onto the literary scene in 2011 with her acclaimed debut book, “The Good Daughter: A Memoir of My Mother’s Hidden Life.” She followed it up with “Song of a Captive Bird,”  a novel inspired by the life of Forough Farrokhzad, Iran's notorious woman poet, and her latest, just released, “The Bohemians.” Jasmin joins Jian to discuss her journey as an Iranian kid in denial growing up in California, learning - while a grad student at Princeton - of her mother’s harrowing life story, fighting ‘imposter syndrome’ while attaining success, and finding her voice as an internationally recognized writer. Plus the Roqe Team convenes to pore through Letters of the Week and Bahman Ghobadi.

A diverse and entertaining edition of Roqe featuring prolific Iranian-American actor Necar Zadegan and rising Iranian-Canadian cuisine creative and online sensation Piaz Miaz. Necar joins Jian from a stop on the road in Santa Fe to talk about her impressive career (so far) in stage and screen, working with Robin Williams, performing in Persian and English, playing a pivotal role in the popular series “24,” and spending the last three years as one of the lead stars of “NCIS: New Orleans.” Masoud (Piaz Miaz) joins from Vancouver where he recounts his journey from Iran as a teen with stops in Syria and other places before finding a home in Canada, his years as a serial entrepreneur, and now the Persian cooking brand that he has developed with a passion from within a pandemic. Plus Kyan has a new edition of “It’s All Persian to Us” with an unquestionably Persian cultural trait.

A feature interview with acclaimed Iranian-Kurdish film director, producer, and writer, Bahman Ghobadi. The award-winning creative force behind films including, “A Time for Drunken Horses,” “Turtles Can Fly,” and “No One Knows About Persian Cats,” joins Jian for a rare long-form conversation about his life journey, lessons learned, his rejection of material goods, his mission to support Kurdish youth, and new projects with Martin Scorsese and Roger Waters. This wide-ranging, and, at times, emotional interview, is conducted mostly in Persian (with English subtitles on our YouTube and Instagram channels). Plus the Roqe Team convenes to assess the 2021 Oscars and to discuss the Letters of the Week.