Iranian actor Homayoun Ershadi, star of ‘Taste of Cherry’ and ‘The Kite Runner’, dies at 78

New Delhi, Nov 12 (PTI) Acclaimed Iranian actor Homayoun Ershadi, best known internationally for his role in "The Kite Runner" and Abbas Kiarostami's internationally acclaimed "Taste of Cherry", has died at the age of 78.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that the actor passed away on Tuesday after a battle with cancer.

News of his death prompted tributes from across the film world, including from his "Kite Runner" co-star Khalid Abdalla, who remembered him as “a magnificent soul who touched millions of people around the world”.

"A great has passed. Homayoun Ershadi, my father in 'The Kite Runner'... I am so sad to hear of your passing. What an honour to have worked with you, and to be able to recall and cherish your voice and energy and humour.

"It is a very special bond when someone plays your father in film. It certainly was for me. In the photo of us together, I know exactly what he’s saying - This is my son. He's like my son. My condolences to his family and friends, and all those whose lives he touched. If you don’t know him, please search out his films," Abdalla posted on Instagram.

Born in Isfahan, Iran, on March 26, 1947, Ershadi trained as an architect and lived in Vancouver during the 1980s, working in an architectural firm for over a decade before returning to Iran.

His entry into cinema was pure chance.

According to Deadline, it was in Tehran, where he once stopped at a red light. Kiarostami reportedly tapped on his car window and asked, “I want to make a film. Would you like to be in it?” The film turned out to be "Taste of Cherry" (1997), which went on to win the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

In the film, Ershadi played a middle-aged man driving through the outskirts of Tehran, seeking someone willing to bury him after his planned suicide. His performance won critical acclaim worldwide.

Over the next three decades, Ershadi appeared in more than 90 films, balancing Iranian arthouse projects with international productions.

He portrayed Baba, the proud and principled father of Abdalla's Amir Qadiri in Marc Forster’s "The Kite Runner" (2007), based on Khaled Hosseini’s bestselling novel.

His later international credits included Alejandro Amenábar’s "Agora" (2009), Kathryn Bigelow’s "Zero Dark Thirty" (2012), and Hassan Nazer’s "Utopia" (2015). PTI RB RB BK BK