What it means
درام (derâm) is the Persian term for drama as an artistic genre, referring to any serious, emotionally weighty work for stage, screen, or television. It entered Persian from French “drame,” which in turn drew from Greek “drama.” The word is widely used in everyday conversation whenever speakers describe the type or mood of a film or series. درام stands in direct contrast to کمدی (komedi), and many Iranians describe their preferences in terms of these two poles. The longer compound سریال درام (seryâl-e derâm) specifically means a drama series.
How to use it
- اون سریال یه درام خیلی سنگینه. (un seryâl ye derâm-e kheili sangineh.) “That series is a very heavy drama.”
- دوست دارم فیلمهای درام ببینم. (dust dâram film-hâ-ye derâm bebinam.) “I like watching drama films.”
- این نمایشنامه یه درام کلاسیکه. (in namâyeshnâme ye derâm-e klâsike.) “This play is a classical drama.”
- آخر این درام منو به گریه انداخت. (âkhar-e in derâm mano be gerye andâkht.) “The ending of this drama made me cry.”
Cultural note
Iranian cinema has produced internationally recognized dramas, with directors such as Abbas Kiarostami and Asghar Farhadi winning major awards at Cannes and the Academy Awards respectively. Farhadi’s films, including “A Separation” (2011), exemplify the kind of socially grounded درام that has become a signature of Iranian art cinema. On television, melodramatic serials are among the most-watched content inside Iran, and the word درام is used freely to describe them regardless of whether they meet any formal artistic standard.