Afghan-American author Khaled Hosseini's critically acclaimed novel The Kite Runner (2003) is getting a Broadway adaptation with Pakistani-American actor Faran Tahir roped in to play Baba, the father of the protagonist, Amir, who will be essayed by The Blacklist actor, Amir Arison. The play is due to run in Broadway’s Hayes Theatre this summer, producers announced Monday, Broadway News reported. Both Faran and Amir will make their Broadway debuts with the production.
Faran is widely known for his role in Marvel's Iron Man (2008) as the villainous Raza. Born in Los Angeles, California, Faran has acted in several other Hollywood flicks such as Star Trek (2009), Elysium (2013) and Escape Plan (2013). He also portrayed Farid Rashad in season seven of the Scandal. Popular actor Zara Tareen, who’s also Faran’s wife, shared the cast announcement on her Instagram in celebration of Faran making it to the list.
"To say that I am proud of you is an understatement. I always wished I’d seen you on stage doing your Othello or your Richard III but my wish has come true [in an] even better [way],” she wrote. “I get to see you on the most prestigious stage on earth, Broadway. In my heart, you’ve always belonged here, it was just a matter of time. I’m so excited for you and cannot wait to watch you experience this beautiful journey,” concluded Zara.
Directed by Giles Croft, The Kite Runner is due to begin performances on July 6. The play, which is the first to run this 2022-2023 Broadway season, has been produced by Victoria Lang, Ryan Bogner and Tracey McFarland of Broadway & Beyond Theatricals.
The cast also includes Demosthenes Chrysan, Danish Farooqui, Azita Ghanizada, Joe Joseph, Dea Julien, Dariush Kashani, Beejan Land, Amir Malaklou, Christine Mirzayan, Haris Pervaiz, Alex Purcell, Eric Sirakian, Houshang Touzie and Evan Zes. Salar Nader, a percussive instrumentalist, will provide music for the play on the tabla.
The Kite Runner became a bestseller after being printed in paperback and was popularised in book clubs. It appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for over two years, with over seven million copies sold in the United States. Reviews were generally positive, though parts of the plot drew significant controversy in Afghanistan. A number of adaptations have been created since its publication, including a 2007 film of the same name.
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