Mohsen Tanabandeh


Mohsen Tanabandeh is an Iranian actor, screenwriter, and director. He is best known for his role as Naghi Mamooli in the television series Capital, for which he also served as creator and head writer, earning three Hafez Awards.
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Early life

Mohsen Tanabandeh was born on 15 April 1975 in Tehran, Iran, though his father hails from Damghan. He has mentioned that his aunt is from Behshahr, Mazandaran Province, and he is fluent in the Mazanderani language. The second of seven siblings, with three brothers and three sisters, Tanabandeh grew up in a family that moved to Tehran and later Eslamshahr due to his father’s job. He completed his primary, middle, and high school education in Eslamshahr. A graduate in acting, Tanabandeh began his professional acting career in theater in 1995, performing in plays such as Bar-e Am and Jaryan-e Asabi, both written and directed by Hassan Varasteh.

Career

Tanabandeh initially worked in theater before transitioning to film. In 2003, he debuted in cinema with a role in Tiny Snowflakes, directed by Alireza Amini. He gained recognition for his performance and screenplay in A Martyrdom for God, winning the Fajr Film Festival’s Crystal Simorgh for Best Supporting Actor and receiving a nomination for Best Screenplay. He later won the Crystal Simorgh for Best Actor for his roles in Seven Minutes Until Autumn and Ferrari and earned an Honorary Diploma for Indigences at the Fajr Film Festival.
Tanabandeh’s portrayal of Naghi Mamooli in Capital became iconic, earning him widespread acclaim and three Hafez Awards for acting and screenwriting. He also played multiple roles with distinct makeup in the series Shahgoosh and portrayed an elderly woman in Fool. In Majid Majidi’s Muhammad: The Messenger of God, he played Samuel, a Jewish character, delivering most of his dialogue in Hebrew.
In 2021, Tanabandeh appeared in the critically acclaimed drama A Hero. The following year, he won the Best Actor award in the Horizons section of the 79th Venice International Film Festival for his performance in World War III.
As a director, Tanabandeh debuted with the film Ginness and later directed Oath. Beyond acting, he has worked extensively as a screenwriter and acting coach.

Personal life

On 30 January 2026, Tanabandeh revealed that his cousin's son, Amirhossein Mohammadzadeh, who played for a youth football team, was killed in the 2025–2026 Iranian protests. Tanabandeh openly criticized the government saying: "I wish you had planned for his future as much as you have laws to punish young Iranians."

Awards and nominations

AwardYearCategoryNominated WorkResult
Asian Film Awards2023Best ActorWorld War IIINomitated
Asia Pacific Screen Awards2019Best Performance by an ActorRona, Azim's MotherNomitated
Australia International Film Festival2019Best ActorRona, Azim's MotherWon
Australia International Film Festival2020Best DirectorOathWon
Diorama International Film Festival & Market2019Best ActorRona, Azim's MotherWon
Fajr Film Festival2008Best ScreenplayA Petition for GodNomitated
Fajr Film Festival2008Best Actor in a Supporting RoleA Petition for GodWon
Fajr Film Festival2010Best Actor in a Leading RoleFirst Stone and Seven Minutes Until AutumnWon
Fajr Film Festival2011Best Actor in a Supporting RoleIndigences
Fajr Film Festival2015Best Actor in a Leading RoleIran BurgerNomitated
Fajr Film Festival2017Best Actor in a Leading RoleFerrariWon
Fajr Film Festival2019Best ScreenplayOathNomitated
Fajr Film Festival2021Best Actor in a Leading RoleOnce Upon a Time, AbadanNomitated
Hafez Awards2011Best Actor – Motion PictureSaint PetersburgNomitated
Hafez Awards2014Best Actor – Television Series ComedyKing of Ear and [Capital (2012 film)|Capital (Iranian TV series)|Capital 2]Won
Hafez Awards2014Best Screenplay – Television SeriesCapital 2Nomitated
Hafez Awards2015Best Actor – Motion PictureIran BurgerNomitated
Hafez Awards2015Best Actor – Television Series ComedyCapital 3Nomitated
Hafez Awards2015Best Screenplay – Television SeriesCapital 3Won
Hafez Awards2018Best Screenplay – Television SeriesCapital 5Won
Hafez Awards2018Best Actor – Television Series ComedyCapital 5Nomitated
Hafez Awards2018Best Actor – Motion PictureFerrariNomitated
Hafez Awards2020Best Actor – Television Series ComedyCapital 6Won
Hafez Awards2020Best Screenplay – Television SeriesCapital 6Nomitated
Hafez Awards2021Best Actor – Motion PictureA HeroNomitated
Hafez Awards2023Best Actor – Television Series DramaSet Me FreeNomitated
Hafez Awards2023Best Actor – Motion Picture3 PuffsNomitated
Iran Cinema Celebration2008Best Actor in a Supporting RoleA Petition for GodNomitated
Iran's Film Critics and Writers Association2008Best Actor in a Supporting RoleA Petition for GodNomitated
Iran's Film Critics and Writers Association2010Best ScreenplaySeven Minutes Until AutumnNomitated
Iran's Film Critics and Writers Association2011Best Actor in a Leading RoleIndigencesNomitated
Iran's Film Critics and Writers Association2017Best Actor in a Leading RoleFerrariNomitated
Jam-e-Jam Television Festival2012Best ActorCapital 1Won
Belgrade International Film Festival2023Best ActorWorld War IIIWon
Venice International Film Festival2022The Orizzonti Award for Best ActorWorld War IIIWon
Yas International Film Festival2014Best ActorKing of EarWon
Zurich Film Festival2020Best DirectorOathWon