Iranian filmmaker Kambuzia Partovi dies of coronavirus

Prominent Iranian filmmaker and screenplay writer Kambuzia Partovi died of coronavirus in Tehran on Tuesday.

Partovi, 64, was admitted to a hospital in the Iranian capital two weeks ago for a heart surgery, his family sources said.

Two days ago, he tested positive for the novel virus. In last 24 hours, his condition deteriorated, before breathing his last early on Tuesday.

Partovi's contribution to the Iranian cinema, in particular children's cinema, has been remarkable. He is best known for making films like Maahi, Golnar, Bazi Bozargan, Cafe Transit, and Pardah.

His last directorial venture Kamyoon has not been released to public yet.

Partovi also wrote screenplay for many ‌commercially successful films like Adam, Shabana Roz, Panj Sitareh, Shab Yalda and others.

However, he will be best remembered for writing the screenplay of Majid Majidi's magnum opus Mohammad Rasulallah, a trilogy based on the life and times of Prophet Mohammad.

Partovi won many national and international awards as a filmmaker and screenplay writer. He bagged Iran's prestigious Simorgh Crystal Award at International Fajr Film Festival four times for screenplay.

Tributes have starting pouring in over the filmmaker's death from coronavirus that has engulfed Iran in third wave.

The new cases and fatalities have seen a dangerous spike in recent weeks, promoting authorities to impose two-week strict lockdown.

The pandemic that first broke out in Iran mid-February has claimed the lives of many prominent people from the art and film industry of Iran.

Before Partovi, filmmakers Kiomars Derambakhsh in April, Khosro Sinai in August, and Akber Alemi also died of the virus.