How an Iranian Dubber Immortalized Alain Delon in the Hearts of a Nation

By Aida Ghajar

On August 18, the legendary French cinema icon Alain Delon died. Despite the controversies and inheritance battles that marred his final years, it’s his piercing blue eyes, dark hair, and undeniable charisma that will forever define his legacy.

Brigitte Bardot, another iconic figure of cinema, mourned his death, describing it as a profound void that "no one can fill."

For many Iranians, Delon's charm went beyond his looks and films - it was immortalized through the voice of Khosrow Khosrowshahi, the 82-year-old dubbing director whose artistry made Delon, along with other international stars, a lasting part of Iran’s collective memory.

Ali Khosrowshahi, Khosrow's son, who now lives in Germany, spoke to IranWire about a lifetime spent with the voice of Alain Delon.

In the 1970s and 80s, Alain Delon became a household name in Iran, thanks to the warmth and depth Khosrowshahi's voice lent to his image. During the golden era of Iranian dubbing, Delon's dark hair, blue eyes, and Khosrowshahi's unforgettable voice became the embodiment of seduction.

Alain Delon's life was marked by struggle and success. From a troubled childhood, dropping out of school, and going to war, he rose to become a star of French cinema, a status honored by the French media.

Alain Delon and Anne Parillaud in Paris - 1983

Described as possessing "indescribable beauty," being "a cinema legend," "a symbol of shadowed masculinity," and "an actor with crazy charisma," Delon’s legacy is complex and multifaceted.

Le Monde magazine offered perhaps the most balanced portrayal of Alain Delon, celebrating his charm and legendary status while acknowledging his controversies. In recent years, Delon made headlines for legal battles with his sons over his estate and for his political stance when he declared support for Marine Le Pen and the far-right in 2013.

In the past two days, some French outlets have hailed Delon as "the only global male star of French cinema," while others have shared photos of him with his many lovers.

French actress Anne Parillaud recalled Delon as her "first love," writing, "You know what's frustrating, Alain? Or perhaps, what’s wonderful? It's holding feelings for someone you know you love. It's like convincing your heart to keep beating and reminding your lungs to keep breathing."

But Alain Delon's heart finally stopped beating in his home near Paris, surrounded by his daughter, two sons, and his dog.

Yet, the French media missed a profound connection between Alain Delon and Iran, where his legendary roles were immortalized by the voice of Khosrow Khosrowshahi. After Delon’s death, Iranian outlets turned their focus to Khosrowshahi, now frail and ill. Upon hearing the news of Delon’s death, Khosrowshahi, with only a few words, expressed his grief: "I am not in a good mood, and my ailing heart feels tight."

"They silenced him," his son, Ali Khosrowshahi, says. "In any situation, my father always valued the integrity of his work over money or status. Many times, he was approached to dub or voice commercials with lucrative offers, but he always refused. He believed that the art of dubbing in Iran had vanished."

Ali Khosrowshahi, who lives in Germany with his brother, sister, and mother, is also a member of the "Munich Circle" group. After the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, this group worked to aid the victims of the crackdown, ultimately saving dozens of lives.

Following the news of Alain Delon's death, we reached out to Ali, not to discuss the victims' cases but to talk about his life and that of his father - a man whose voice is so deeply embedded in Iranian history that even today, you might find people around you attempting to speak like Alain Delon.

According to Ali, Delon’s face and his father’s voice were so inseparable that no one else could ever duplicate Delon’s roles as Khosrow Khosrowshahi did.

Mansoureh Katebi, Khosrow Khosrowshahi's wife, was also a notable figure in Iran's dubbing industry. However, they rarely worked together on films. Ali explains that his father always prioritized the perfect voice for a role over personal or financial considerations. Even when offered the role of dubbing Dustin Hoffman in the film Papillon, he passed it on to someone else, believing that his voice wasn’t the right fit.

So, what was life like with Alain Delon's voice? What legacy did it leave behind?

Ali recalls that from the moment he opened his eyes to the world of cinema and dubbing, Alain Delon was inseparable from his father’s voice. Their gatherings were always filled with famous Iranian dubbing artists: "Not only were my parents dubbers, but the late Ahmad Rasulzadeh - one of the masters of dubbing, known for the voice of nature documentaries - was also my aunt's husband. My parents always tried to keep us three children away from the dubbing profession. They must have had their own reasons." 

In a 2013 interview with Khanevadeh Sabz magazine, Khosrow Khosrowshahi explained why he discouraged his children from pursuing careers in the arts: "With the knowledge and experience I had in dubbing and the arts, I didn’t want my children to enter this field. Although my son Ali was offered some acting roles at the age of 12, I stopped him, preferring that he focus on his studies, play, and excel academically."

Ali Khosrowshahi reflects, "My father's voice has always been beloved in Iran, and it remains so to this day. During the 1980s, when Alain Delon was still at the height of his career, Khosrowshahi's voice resonated with people across the country. Young men even mimicked his tone to impress girls, embodying the charm and allure that his voice carried. In such an environment, it was natural for us to be surrounded by the voice of Alain Delon and other iconic sounds that became part of our lives."

Among Khosrow Khosrowshahi's most memorable works were his dubbing of Al Pacino in The Godfather and Robert De Niro in Taxi Driver. He also oversaw the dubbing of enduring classics like the second Iranian version of Gone with the Wind, Star Wars, and The Exorcist.

Despite his immense contributions, Khosrowshahi has received limited recognition, mostly through a few interviews, documentaries, and accolades. In the documentary I Am Khosrow Khosrowshahi, produced by Majid Tavakoli, he offers glimpses into his life and career. Khosrowshahi explains that in 2019, he moved from Tehran to Rasht, seeking a quieter environment to work and mentor his students.

Alain Delon’s magnetic presence became so closely linked with Khosrow Khosrowshahi’s timeless voice that rumors and anecdotes about their connection began to circulate.

One such tale, featured in Majid Tavakoli’s documentary, humorously recounts a minor car accident where the other driver quipped, “You’re acting like Alain Delon after crashing your car!” Whether fact or fiction, the story reflects the enduring association between Delon’s image and Khosrowshahi’s voice - a connection still vivid in the minds of many.

Alain Delon in Iran

"After the 1979 Islamic Revolution, my father and several other prominent dubbers were banned from their craft for a few years. During the 1980s, we didn’t tell anyone who our father was.

With the revolution, the management of all sectors fell into the hands of novices, including the TV dubbing unit, which was taken over by those lacking experience. Imagine someone whose entire life and passion are dedicated to cinema being told one day that he can no longer work in dubbing in Iran because of his past artistic activities."

Khosrow Khosrowshahi’s several-year ban from dubbing was not the only reason he distanced himself from the industry. The golden era of foreign films entering Iran and the freedom to promote culture had come to an end.

Ali Khosrowshahi recalls: "Even after my father was told he could return to work, he chose not to collaborate with radio and television due to artistic differences."

One striking example illustrates this. Ali recounts how his father was once asked to dub a Shakespearean film. Khosrowshahi invited 35 voice actors and requested four days to complete the recording. The head of the dubbing unit, however, objected, saying, "What’s going on? Four days with so many voice actors? How is this film any different from Westerns, which we finish with a few voices in an afternoon?"

In an interview with Bani Film newspaper, Khosrowshahi explained his refusal to work on television, particularly on the Shakespeare project: "I was striving for excellence so that any Shakespearean scholar who watched the film wouldn’t find fault. I had to search for different translations and even put down deposits to borrow books because the sellers were unwilling to part with them. After all that effort, they expected me to just go along with their approach. I couldn't bring myself to compromise on quality."

Ali Khosrowshahi adds: "The industry didn’t pay much attention to my father in his later years, which is why he hardly worked, if at all. He did some dubbing in private studios but refused to take on just any project. He believed the art of dubbing had been devalued, turning into something akin to fast food in Iran. He refused to participate in underground dubbing, where translations were poor and the dubs were not truly professional. In some cases, they even inserted jokes or accents mid-film, which he saw as a disrespect to the original work. Today, many people prefer to watch films with subtitles or in their original language rather than these modern dubs."

He also addressed the issue of censorship: "When movies and series are heavily censored, there’s nothing we can do." He continued, "Our people still don’t know some of the greatest actors in the world because they’ve never had a distinctive voice to introduce them to the public. Instead, they’re given completely ordinary voices."

Khosrow Khosrowshahi achieved something nearly impossible in today’s world of dubbing. As Mir Ali Hosseini noted in an interview with Radio Farda, Khosrowshahi presented Alain Delon with an "Iranian identity."

For any voice actor, meeting the face behind the voice they brought to life would be thrilling. When Alain Delon visited Iran in the 1970s, Khosrow Khosrowshahi was invited to meet him. However, that day, Khosrowshahi was tied up with work at the "Shahab" studio on South Saadi Street and couldn't make it to the meeting.

When the news of Alain Delon's death broke, Ali Khosrowshahi called his father: "My wife told me the news, and the whole family was very upset. I also spoke with my father, he was deeply affected.

Although they never met, my father felt a deep connection to Alain Delon. It’s as if Delon had become a part of his being. My father admired both Delon’s talent and his character. Hearing about his death left him profoundly saddened."