Maral

Maral has the look and feel of pre-revolutionary films of Iranian cinema. Its subject matter is one which has been covered before in seventies Iranian films. Even its music is reminiscent of that era.

A religious and pious lady (Soraya Ghasemi) is organizing a charity for the victims of an earthquake in an Iranian city. In her anxiety to help, she makes a rushed and rash decision to give shelter to Maral, one of the earthquake victims. Maral is a young and beautiful girl and therefore, as Islamic customs decree, she can not live under the same roof with another man who is not her father, brother or husband. The problem is apparently solved when Ghasemi suggests that her husband should take Maral as her second wife (which is allowed in Islam). After some resistance her husband agrees but as expected this brings about many complications.

Maral benefits from a very good script and fine acting from Soraya Ghasemi. Worth catching.