From Bitter Coffee to Re-Cooperation: Unpacking the Mehran Modiri and Sahar Zakaria Feud and Unexpected Reunion

Public Criticism and the “Dracula” Incident

The strained relationship escalated into public criticism, with Sahar Zakaria becoming increasingly vocal about her grievances in the media and cyberspace. The release of news by the public relations department of Modiri’s series “Dracula,” stating that he would not be using actors from his previous team for the second season of “The Monster” and was seeking a “professional and proper team,” was particularly hurtful to Zakaria. She interpreted this as a direct insult to his former collaborators, including herself.

“I know that no news is allowed to be published by his public relations department without the director’s approval,” Zakaria stated, holding Modiri accountable for the perceived insult. She questioned the need to publicly disparage his former team when simply moving on to a new project would suffice. The relative performance of “Dracula,” despite its elaborate production values, being the “lowest table [with] the highest vote among domestic TV series,” was also highlighted by Zakaria, perhaps as a subtle critique of Modiri’s recent work compared to his past successes with his former team.

Financial Disparity and the “Voice of the People”

A major point of contention for Zakaria was the perceived financial disparity between Modiri and his collaborators, particularly in light of his public persona as someone who wants to be the “voice of the people.” She openly questioned Modiri’s claim to represent the common people while allegedly receiving a substantial salary, citing his interview with Rashidpour where he reportedly stated receiving seven hundred million tomans for “during a meeting.”

Zakaria criticized the perceived hypocrisy of Modiri, who, despite his wealth, would ask guests about their marital status and seemingly “humiliate people” by suggesting they hadn’t experienced financial hardship. Her rejection of a hypothetical “billion-dollar salary” from Modiri underscored the depth of her disillusionment and her refusal to compromise her principles for financial gain.