I Left, Hid, and Took Shelter; Interview with Iraj Janati Atai

On the fortieth anniversary of the February 1979 Revolution, an event that has impacted the lives of Iranians for four decades, we have highlighted the narratives of historical figures or Iranian activists from the years leading up to the revolution and thereafter through forty interviews. In another program from this series of interviews, we spoke with Iraj Janati Atai; a poet, songwriter, playwright, and theater director. At the time of the Iranian Revolution, he was 32 years old and left Iran a month before February 22, 1979. Iraj Janati Atai now resides in Britain and lives in London. In this interview, we asked him about the atmosphere of poetry and song in Iran before the revolution and also about the political songs of that time. Mr. Janati Atai, let's start with the days before the revolution when you apparently left Iran in December 1979 and began your life in London at the age of 31. What prompted you to leave Iran a month before the revolution? This was not just one issue. Because in those conditions [and] before that, there had been fluctuations throughout Iran, and before that, due to censorship, interrogation, threats, and prohibition of activities, I had reached a point where confusion had engulfed me. Then, because what was supposed to happen in society against the existing regime did not have a single ruling for me, and there was no clear and specific manifesto for replacement, I was under threat from both sides. I had a relative who worked in the telecommunications department of the Ministry of Information; he had seen and told my aunt that Iraj's name was on the list of those who needed to be careful during martial law and such things. On the other hand, in meetings with friends and colleagues or acquaintances I had, I heard that one had to express interest in one of these existing thoughts or organizations, especially the religious section, otherwise, one's life would be in danger... I saw no other option but to escape, hide, and take shelter, so at that time, on December 13, 1979, I fled. In those pre-revolution days, what was happening in the environment of poetry and song and the artistic space in Iran? Were all or some artists in solidarity with the protests and strikes? Certainly, there were. And you know that there were songs that would eventually be examined and researched. Unfortunately, we have not had the chance in our history to have the history of Iranian songs, their fluctuations, and ups and downs examined and recorded by professional researchers with references to documents. Everything that exists now, especially with the internet and online media, everyone has expressed their opinions and presented their interpretations or exercised their self-praise. And this has become a document and history for the youth and subsequent generations. However, what I remember now is that there were songs that praised religion. There were others that praised other people nominally, and in general, a religious perspective was prevalent in Iran. Even the rulers of that regime were religious or had affection for religion or pretended to. They even went to Mecca or the shrine of Imam Reza or such things. Therefore, in the poems, there were many traces of worship, belief, and praise of religion or religious symbols and examples. You mentioned various poems. Some of your songs before the revolution, however, had different content and were considered anti-regime by some. I want to ask how you feel about writing such songs? Do you think it was a necessity of the time, or were you ahead of your time? I don't think it can be said that an artist is ahead of their time. Because I believe an artist lives in society, and what they take is what exists in society. If some believe that there was no oppression, no poverty, no repression, execution, torture, and censorship in the pre-revolution society, that is another discussion. If someone like me says that I lived in that society and as an artist, I saw the sense of community, it is natural that I would be impregnated with this feeling and emotion and experience, and that would turn into an artistic report looking towards the future, that's it. Now if there is another true report that proves that all artists in the world who spoke about oppression, tyranny, poverty, or any other negative thing in society were either mistaken or such things did not exist, or because history saw itself ahead of its own time, that is another discussion. Mr. Janati Atai, despite the censorship that you mentioned existed during the Pahlavi regime over poetry, songs, and books, how did these critical poems pass through the censorship blade, and for example, the song 'Jangal' was broadcast by Dariush or other singers? First of all, it was not only during the Pahlavi era. We are a censored nation. Our culture is a culture of censorship. Even naming our children is censored. You see that in every era, a certain naming trend becomes fashionable and is applied. Therefore, what relates to censorship is that when various methods come, the different expressions of thought that come may not be dominated or understood by the various censorship apparatuses. But when [that method and expression of thought] works in society, they are forced to proceed with other tools and means, which are often primarily suppression, or arrest and prohibition of activity. As I have said in my interviews and others have experiences, some censorship apparatuses had control over the types of songs that referred to before us, and those songs were confiscated. The censorship apparatuses of radio, television, and the press are meant. But our cinema, which was known for 'Film-Farsi' and had not yet absorbed artistic strands influenced by Western filmmaking, the music that was presented and broadcast in cinema was not subject to censorship and scrutiny. Because the songs that were in that period's Film-Farsi, which the late Dr. Kavousi titled, were known for what they were, and the music and songs were not heard by those who issued permits. Therefore, for a period, these songs were used as background songs or in cinema and were broadcast. After they saw the reflection in society and realized it, the review department there also had to be established, and a poem used in cinema had to receive permission. Mr. Janati, here I would like you to name one of your favorite songs to be played. This question is very difficult because I have more than a few favorite songs and every artistic work of every artist is like their child, so one cannot choose one from among their children. But given the subject of your interview, I would like to start with the song 'Mar in Mihrab'. This is a song that I composed in early 1979, during the first phase of my being outside my homeland, on a melody created years ago by my old collaborator, the late Parviz Maghsoodi, called 'Mar in Mihrab', which as you can see, the name of this song expresses my belief, feeling, and words about what I felt at that time, in early 1979, that there is a snake in the altar. We return to the conversation with Iraj Janati Atai. Mr. Atai, you have composed more than 300 songs and have actually established a new style in Iranian songwriting. Many of your songs have been sung by artists such as Googoosh, Dariush, Ebi, Farhad, and Fereydoun Foroughi. Who primarily chooses the song and the singer for your compositions, especially for your protest or critical songs, you or the singer? Me. You see, in artistic work, we have two parts. One part is the creators of the work, and one part is the performers of the work. The creative part goes back to the songwriter and composer or melody maker, and the performance part involves the musicians and singers and the arranger - which the arranger's work is somewhat related to creativity. Therefore, the type of work we did at that time, it is natural that what was in the poetry was something that the songwriter wanted and said, then, in coordination and empathy with the composer or melody maker, it would reach completion, and it was there that it was decided in what way and with which performing artists it would reach the ears of the public. It should be noted that some opponents of the Islamic Republic and critics of the 1979 Revolution cite many reasons for the factors of the 1979 Revolution, and some even consider you and specific songs you have composed as among these factors. What is your reaction and response to this criticism?