Googoosh, the celebrated pop music singer from Iran, had been banned from leaving Iran for more than two decades. She, like many other pop music singers, was not allowed to work professionally and was made to live in seclusion. However, in 1379 [1998/1999], when the government of Mohammad Khatami was in charge of affairs in Iran, Googoosh, along with Masoud Kimiai—who at the time was her husband—left Iran legally. Many link this to a more open atmosphere during that period, but to date no public and documented evidence has been provided regarding what happened and what analysis was behind the issuance of an exit permit for Mrs. Googoosh. In the documentary “Googoosh, Ashtinejan,” made by Niloufar Taghizadeh, Mrs. Googoosh says that officials at the Edalat Film Institute offered her the option to leave Iran and provided the conditions for it. But she herself was not certain whether such a possibility would actually be available.

You can see more details about Mrs. Googoosh’s life by watching the repeated broadcast of this documentary on BBC Persian television.

This week’s program on Aparat Googoosh, Ashtinejan Directed/Produced by: Niloufar Taghizadeh

Broadcast times according to Iran time Tuesday 10:00 a.m. Wednesday 11:30 p.m. Repeat: Friday 1:00 a.m. Repeat: Friday 12:00 p.m.