Entertainment
Once silenced by authorities, Iran’s Olivia Newton-John reveals her ‘sinful voice’ at 75
On the Shelf
Googoosh: A Sinful Voice
By Googoosh, Tara Dehlavi
Gallery Books: 336 pages, $30
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The first time Googoosh was asked to write a memoir, the request came from Iran’s Islamic Republic interrogators. Their goal was for the pop superstar to relay a “cautionary tale.” This, of course, did not sit right with the beloved diva who was the Olivia Newton-John of Iran’s music world until the Islamic Republic of Iran was established in 1979 — and all female performers were banned from singing in public.
“I didn’t want to cooperate with them,” Googoosh tells me as she reflects on the sham memoir the agents tried to get her to write. “I hated to tell my story to them.” Decades after refusing to put her name on a government-sanctioned lie, Iran’s biggest pop star has finally broken her silence. Her new book, “Googoosh: A Sinful Voice,” was not a choice, she writes, but a “necessary duty.”
The lyrical story chronicles her life from birth to the present, including Googoosh’s four marriages and moments of joy and despair spent under decades of house arrest while Tehran was rocked by war. It’s shockingly candid, revealing multiple abortions, drug abuse (including her own) and chilling moments of suicidal ideation. “If people hate me when they read it, it’s OK. That was my life,” Googoosh says. She asserts she didn’t want to write something just to be pleasant. She also considers her home country tenderly, and in her book notes, “Iran is part of my being. You can take Googoosh out of Iran, but you can’t take Iran out of Googoosh.”
Googoosh’s book chronicles her life from birth to the present, including her four marriages and moments of joy and despair spent under decades of house arrest in Tehran.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
Faegheh “Googoosh” Atashin was born in 1950 in Tehran to parents who were Azerbaijani Iranians. Googoosh wasn’t even potty-trained when she began performing as a toddler at cabarets as orchestrated by her showman father. She was mostly self-taught, imitating other famous singers. Soon she was in films and by the ’70s she was Iran’s most famous pop export, performing on international stages alongside Ray Charles and Tina Turner. Her infectious vocals, whether upbeat disco bops or heartwrenching ballads, became imprinted on the national consciousness. Ultimately her career was cut short. She writes: “The revolution swept across my homeland like a raging storm, unraveling the delicate fabric of a world once interwoven with tradition, modernity, and poetry. Almost overnight, the shimmering parties, the premieres of daring boundary-pushing films, and the intoxicating rhythm of music and freedom were replaced by fear, uncertainty, and darkness.”
On a recent fall afternoon, I met with Googoosh and her co-writer, Tara Dehlavi, on Zoom. Googoosh appears as chic as ever with her signature honey-gold hair slicked to the side and impeccable Covergirl-worthy shimmery makeup that makes the 75-year-old look decades younger. Googoosh mentions many famous writers over the years have reached out wanting to work with her on a memoir, but Dehlavi is not a known writer; she’s instead a soft-spoken 39-year-old former clinical psychologist whose exile from Iran has placed her in France most of her life.
“I said let’s write it in English,” Dehlavi tells me. She adds the reason she wanted Googoosh to write her memoir was that so much of it was untold, including how at age 50 she made a miraculous comeback. “I proposed, let’s please share your story with the world … and future generations. Because there have been many documentaries made about you but nothing from you yourself,” Dehlavi says.
(Brian Bowen Smith/Simon & Schuster)
Googoosh places full responsibility for the memoir’s existence on Dehlavi. “With Tara, I opened my heart,” she says. “I was free to talk about myself.”
Since settling in the West in 2000 — first Canada, then Los Angeles where she still resides — Googoosh has enjoyed multiple tours, including performances at the Hollywood Bowl, Madison Square Garden and the Sydney Opera House. Her fame is as solid as ever, thanks to a loyal diaspora full of fans old and new. Last spring, not only did she star in Ed Sheeran’s music video “Azizam” (she appears in the final seconds, where Sheeran is launched from the endless festivities of his Persiophile fever dream back into the recording studio. There, Googoosh tells him in Persian, ‘Azizam, let’s go write a hit song, hurry up!’), the song was released a week later with her vocals for a Persian version. Like everything she touches, it was a huge hit.
Googoosh admits her star has not yet dimmed, not even in her 70s. “For 21 years they closed the bottle, and all of a sudden, the bottle is opened and [out] I popped!” Googoosh says with her signature smile as one of her beloved Pomeranians pops up on her lap.
It turns out Dehlavi was the perfect person to have asked her to chronicle her life — and perhaps the only one who could have gotten that eventual yes. “Actually her mom is my very best friend from when she was 13 years old,” Googoosh says. “They are a part of my family.”
Dehlavi did not expect to be a key part of the team, a project that would essentially encompass the whole of her 30s, but it’s clear this would not have gotten done without her. “There were times where I jokingly felt I was worse than the interrogators in Evin [Prison],” she says. “But I just wanted to be the project manager on this. … I just got scared if we found a ghostwriter, her voice would get lost in translation and so I got more and more protective of that voice. I was just like a bodyguard — I can’t just let anyone take Googoosh’s voice as the narrator.”
As a protector of Googoosh’s story, she recalls double-checking if the star really wanted to share some more revealing anecdotes. “She was like, ‘We’re either going to write this memoir or we’re not,’” Dehlavi says. “Just like in her art, where she goes all in, and feels the lyrics, the words, the music, it was the same with this book. She was like — I either speak or I stay quiet and I don’t write this.”
In their decade of drafting, Dehlavi and Googoosh wrote two other versions of the book until they got to this one — the version that finally felt right.
Googoosh admits her star has not yet dimmed, not even in her 70s.
(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)
The result is a memoir that is poignant without being distractingly ornate. Chronological chapters are interspersed with glimpses into Googoosh’s horrific time incarcerated in an Islamic Revolutionary Court makeshift prison, where she was among detainees who at times looked to her legacy, and songs, for light amongst the turmoil. The book operates in a similar way as we journey to what we know is a happy ending — Googoosh getting her voice back to not just sing again but to tell us this long-awaited story.
“I was thinking my story was not important for people, especially for foreigners,” Googoosh shares with me. “But I was wrong.”
One of the most moving parts of the book is how it ends, with the specter of a protest slogan linked with Iranian women’s rights activism, “Woman, Life, Freedom,” alluded to, adding to the noble grandeur and potent ambition you somehow sense throughout the project. Dehlavi agrees. “I think both Googoosh and I through her story and through her memories knew that inevitably it would shine light on the struggle of women in Iran,” she says.
In the final pages, Googoosh notes that women in Iran are currently not allowed to record music or sing solo in front of a male audience. She writes with the same aching longing you hear in her ballads, the acknowledgement of pain, but the steadfast belief in something bigger and better — in this case, her “hope that my story can break down the silence that surrounds my people’s plight, especially our women. I pray that very soon, they, too, will have reclaimed their voices.”
Khakpour was born in Iran and raised in Greater Los Angeles. She is the author of five books, including most recently, “Tehrangeles.”
Movie Name : Bhartha Mahasayulaku Wignyapthi
Release Date : Jan 13, 2026
123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5
Starring : Ravi Teja, Ashika Ranganath, Dimple Hayathi, Sunil, Satya, Vennala Kishore, Tarak Ponnappa, Muralidhar and Others
Director : Kishore Tirumala
Producer : Sudhakar Cherukuri
Music Director : Bheems Cecireleo
Cinematographers : Prasad Murella
Editor : A Sreekar Prasad
Related Links : Trailer
Mass Maharaja Ravi Teja returns to the big screen with Bhartha Mahasayulaku Wignyapthi, which has released today as a Sankranthi special. Ashika Ranganath and Dimple Hayathi play the female leads. Read on to know how the film fares.
Story:
Ram Satyanarayana (Ravi Teja), who manufactures the alcohol brand Anarkalee, travels to Spain after it is rejected by a wine company owned by Manasa Shetty (Ashika Ranganath). The trip leads to a romance, but Ram returns to India to his possessive wife, Balamani (Dimple Hayathi). Problems begin when Manasa arrives in India, leaving Ram Satyanarayana caught between the two women, and the film follows how he navigates the situation and brings it to a resolution.
Plus Points:
Ravi Teja steps away from his usual mass persona and opts for a calm, restrained role laced with style and situational comedy. While this is familiar territory for him, his effortless screen presence and comic timing make the character work once again.
Ashika Ranganath looks appealing and gets a role with a fair emotional arc. Her scenes with Ravi Teja are pleasant and register well. Dimple Hayathi, cast as the possessive wife, does an average job and fits the requirement of the role.
Comedy is largely driven by Satya in the opening portions, and his track works effectively. After his exit, Sunil takes charge and delivers humour in his trademark style. Together, their portions ensure a fairly engaging first half. Vennela Kishore also contributes with his reliable comic timing.
Minus Points:
The biggest drawback is the story itself. The core conflict of a man trapped between his wife and girlfriend has been explored countless times, and this film offers little novelty beyond fresh casting. The narrative, humour, and emotional beats follow a predictable pattern. The second half, in particular, had ample scope to deepen the conflict between Ravi Teja, Ashika, and Dimple Hayathi, but the writing fails to capitalise on it.
Director Kishore Tirumala manages the first half competently, but the film loses momentum after the interval. The drama feels artificial, and the comedy turns ineffective. Predictability becomes a major issue as the film progresses.
While the humour is reasonably engaging in the first half, it falls flat in the latter portions. The second half struggles to generate laughs, and the climax is simplistic with minimal emotional payoff. A stronger blend of comedy and drama could have at least elevated the film to a passable level.
Tarak Ponnappa’s track brings nothing new and feels like a filler in the narrative. The Vammo Vayyo song and the remix of the Karthika Deepam and Pinni serial tracks are aimed at mass audiences but appear suddenly and do not flow well with the story.
Technical Aspects:
Kishore Tirumala attempts to package a routine storyline with humour and emotion, but the execution remains inconsistent. While a few moments click, the overall impact, especially in the second half, is underwhelming.
Prasad Murella’s cinematography is serviceable. Sreekar Prasad’s editing needed to be sharper, as trimming several redundant scenes would have improved the film’s pace. Bheems Ceciroleo’s music is passable, though the background score fails to leave a strong impression. Production values are adequate.
Verdict:
On the whole, Bhartha Mahasayulaku Wignyapthi ends up as a familiar drama with sporadic moments of entertainment. Ravi Teja delivers a composed performance, Ashika Ranganath looks good, and Satya, Sunil, and Vennela Kishore provide some relief. However, the predictable narrative, forced drama, and weak second half significantly dilute the impact. With tempered expectations, the film can be watched for its performances and humour.
123telugu.com Rating: 2.75/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team
Trevor Noah is gearing up for one last Grammys hurrah.
This year, the comedian and former host of “The Daily Show” will helm the awards show for the sixth and final time, CBS announced Tuesday. Noah has emceed the ceremony every year since 2021.
“I am beyond thrilled to welcome Trevor Noah back to host the Grammys for his sixth, and sadly, final time,” the show’s executive producer Ben Winston said Tuesday in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter.
Winston went on to call Noah “the most phenomenal host.”
“He’s so smart, so funny, and such a true fan of the artists and music,” the producer said. “His impact on the show has been truly spectacular, and we can’t wait to do it together one last time.”
The official Grammys Instagram account also confirmed the news.
“It’s music’s BIGGEST night and he’s on a generational run,” the caption reads.
The 68th Grammy Awards will return to L.A.’s Crypto.com Arena on Feb. 1, and will broadcast live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ starting at 5 p.m. PT.
In addition to marking Noah’s final turn as host, this year’s show will be the last to air on CBS, its home network since 1973. After that, it kicks off a 10-year run with Disney. The Grammys will air on ABC, Hulu and Disney+ beginning in 2027.
Kendrick Lamar led the 2026 Grammy nominations with nine, including album and record of the year. Trailing just behind were Lady Gaga and producers Cirkut and Jack Antonoff, with seven nominations each.
Noah himself is also up for a Grammy Award this year for his audio narration of his children’s book “Into the Uncut Grass.”
The Times of India
TNN, Jan 13, 2026, 1:24 PM IST
2.0
Un Paarvayil Movie Synopsis: When her twin sister dies under mysterious circumstances, Bhavya goes on a hunt to find the murderer, but the fight isn’t easy as she loses her vision.Un Paarvayil Movie Review: The opening sequence of Un Paarvayil reminds one of a few finely written scenes from films about twins like Charulatha (2012) or Thadam (2019) where we learn about their special bond. In Un Paarvayil, Bhavya (played by Parvati Nair) gets on stage to receive the Best Business Woman award. Parallely, her twin, Dhivya (also played by Parvati Nair), is stuck in a dangerous situation. As the latter faces difficulty, Bhavya, who is on stage, also feels like she is being choked and struggles to breathe – an instant telepathy of sorts that suggests her sister is in danger. Without a lot of words or too many scenes, this one sequence conveys the bond between the sisters Bhavya and Dhivya. However, this narrative creativity is never seen on screen again throughout the film’s run time.Everything about Un Paarvayil is right on paper. With a textbook formula, Un Paarvayil has the right recipe for a psycho thriller – a scary bungalow, a loving but mysterious husband, and a psycho killer. But that’s about it. The stage is set, writing is done, and actors deliver the dialogues, but these don’t come together cohesively. In most scenes, the dialogue delivery is bland, and the writing becomes increasingly predictable. For instance, Bhavya is informed very early on in the film that Dhivya has a best friend with whom she shares all her secrets. However, the writing is so contrived that until the last moment, Bhavya never thinks about reaching out to this friend to learn more about her sister. It’s as though Bhavya forgot that piece of the puzzle.Which is why it feels like the film suffers from progressive amnesia. For instance, at one point, it looks like the cops give lethargic explanations for a murder, but we are not sure if they are just lethargic or are partners-in-crime with the psycho killer. And we keep wondering – but we never get to know that because the film has forgotten such a sequence existed. Likewise, Bhavya learns about an important CCTV evidence and pursues it. Still, before she uncovers the truth, she begins to track down another clue, and the CCTV evidence is never mentioned again. Remember how we see the twins share a unique connection in the opening sequence? It is also depicted only once and gets forgotten. Just like this, the film keeps jumping from one sequence to another, with all the old clues left behind and forgotten, before another new clue randomly reaches Bhavya. So, the next time we find a missing puzzle, we are no longer curious about it.That said, the film did have some interesting scenes. Whenever the psycho killer is on screen, the tension rises, and we are hooked to what’s next – but such sequences are very few. By the book, it might look like the film has a perfect premise, and some really good performances from Parvati Nair and Mahendran do make things intriguing, but the film turns a blind eye to its basic cinematography and contrived writing, leaving us in the dark for the most part.
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