Reza Rooygari, an actor of cinema and television, passed away on Wednesday morning, January 21, 1404, due to a heart attack at the age of 75 in Tehran. Many recognize him for the revolutionary anthem "Allah Allah" during the early days of the Islamic Revolution in 1357, which contributed to his fame.
Mr. Rooygari was born in 1329 in Tehran and began his acting career in 1340 on the theater stage. He acted in various films including "Eagles" directed by Samuel Khachikian, "Tenants" by Dariush Mehrjui, "The Night of the 29th" by Hamid Rakhshani, and "Exiles 3" by Masoud Dehnamaki. Notable television roles include the series "Mokhtarnameh," "Neighborhood Bro Bia," and "Neighborhood Health."
In 1392, Mr. Rooygari released a music album, but it did not achieve the same fame as "Allah Allah," which became known as the "Voice of the Revolution." The song's lyrics were by Hossein Sarfaraz, and the music was composed by Fereydoun Khoshnood, being the first anthem broadcasted by the Islamic Republic of Iran's broadcasting service.
In later years, especially after the events of the executions of the 60s and subsequent movements, critics particularly targeted the part of the lyrics that stated: "Tomorrow when spring comes... we are free and liberated..." arguing that neither spring nor freedom came.
Reza Rooygari shone again with his role as "Engineer" in one of Dariush Mehrjui's prominent works, the highly viewed and successful film "Tenants." The film, set during the war while eight years had passed since the revolution in Iran, reflected a still revolutionary atmosphere that Mr. Rooygari was familiar with.
Three decades later, he appeared again as "Engineer" in the film "Exiles 3" by the hardline director Masoud Dehnamaki. His role as "Engineer" evoked memories of Mir Hossein Mousavi and the film's release a year after the Green Movement; a political and ironic commentary on the controversial presidential election debates of 1388, which were suppressed with house arrests of its leaders and harsh crackdowns on protesters.
In subsequent years, Mr. Rooygari apologized for playing roles that did not bring joy to the audience, stating: "An actor is like a grave digger, and humans are fallible." However, he later emphasized that this apology was not related to the film Exiles 3.
Mr. Rooygari was under care due to a heart attack in 1393. He shared his poor living conditions in a nursing home through social media videos multiple times. In various interviews during his illness, he expressed regret for his healthy days and acting in films like Boutique or Mokhtarnameh, mentioning that after acting in Mokhtarnameh, he was "banned from television for four years" but did not explain why.
In his appearance on the show "Dorehami" hosted by Mehran Modiri, he mentioned that his greatest fear was aging without a good ending and that he wished to stand on his own feet and manage his life in old age.
This fear ultimately caught up with him, and his last years were spent in the Kahrizak nursing home. In one of those days, Reza Rooygari complained about his situation in the nursing home, and finally, this morning, he passed away in Tehran, with reports stating that he will be buried in the Artists' Section of Behesht Zahra in Tehran on Friday, February 3.