Top Iranian actress poses without headscarf as anti-Hijab protests intensify in Iran

Taraneh Alidoosti posted a photo on her Instagram account without a headscarf in an act of defiance as anti-Hijab protests over the death of Mahsa Amini rocked Iran. The actress, who starred in an Oscar-winning film, held a placard that read "Woman, Life, Freedom" (Jin. Jiyan. Azadi) in Kurdish, as she stood without hijab which is mandatory for women in the Islamic republic.

Young women have been protesting on the streets against the death of Mahsa Amini who died in September after being arrested by the morality police for not wearing Hijab properly. 

Taraneh Alidoosti's daring move to support Iranian women

Alidoosti has publicly backed the Iran protests by posting a photo on her official Instagram account, reaffirming the stand of the Iranian women, who have been raising their voices against the administration since September. The placard and the uncovered head created a massive impact and received all types of reactions. The post has a caption that read, "Your absence, the migration of birds of sound, is not the end of this absence." With over 1.2 million likes and a lot of support, the post has gone viral in twelve hours.

This was not the first time that the actor had raised her objections as four days ago, she posted another photo where she affirmed that she will stay in her homeland at “any price”. She also stated that she has now planned to stop working and instead will support the families of those arrested or killed in the anti-hijab protests. Further, she declared that she will stay and will pay any price to stand up for her rights. Stating that she did not have any foreign passport, the 38-year-old said, “I am the one who stays here and I have no intention of leaving.” Alidoosti expressed her belief in what they are 'building together today.'

For the unversed, Alidoosti is a consistent performer in films that are directed by Asghar Farhadi, including The Salesman, which was awarded the Oscar for best foreign language film in 2017. She is also known to be a forthright defender of women’s rights in Iran. Iranian cinema figures have been pressurised and some of the award-winning directors like Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof are still in custody after being arrested earlier this year.