Parviz Parastui was born on June 24, 1955, in the rural village of Charli, Hamedan province, Iran, to a farming family. His family relocated to Tehran when he was just three years old, in pursuit of a better life. Parastui began his acting career on stage at the tender age of fifteen, when he joined the theatrical group of renowned director, Bahram Beyzaie. Later, he collaborated with the Kouch Theater Group, facilitated by fellow actor Behzad Farahani. Throughout his early years, he performed at prestigious institutions such as the Youth Palace and the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults. Parastui received his high school diploma in Biology at the age of nineteen and, shortly after, received awards from the Youth Palace for his outstanding performances in "Kiosk" and "Submitters" at ages twenty and twenty-one, respectively.
Following the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Parastui pursued his education in Dramatic Arts at the Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance. Prior to becoming a full-time actor, he worked as a judicial receptionist. His debut in cinema was in the 1984 film "Land of Lovers" (Lovers Reunion),which earned him the Diploma of Honor for Best Actor in a Supporting Role at the Tehran's Fajr International Film Festival at the age of twenty-eight.
Parastui has since played leading roles in numerous films across various genres, including comedy, drama, and lowlife. One of his most notable performances was in the 1995 film "Snowman," where he portrayed the dependable but troubled Javad, which was banned in Iran for many years. He also appeared in the 1996 film "Leily Is with Me," where he played the traumatophobic imposter Sadeq Meshkini, earning him the Diploma of Honor for Best Actor in a Lead Role at the Fajr Film Festival. His performance in the 1998 film "The Changed Man" (The Wrong Man) is also noteworthy, as it showcased his versatility as an actor.
Parastui has received numerous accolades for his work, including his first Crystal Simorgh award in the Best Lead Actor category for his role as Haj Kazem, the former commander of the Iran-Iraq war, in the 1998 film "The Glass Agency." He also won the Special Jury Award for his performance in the 2004 film "The Lizard," where he played a fugitive thief disguised as a mullah to evade imprisonment.
In addition to his film work, Parastui has collaborated with some of the most renowned directors in Iranian cinema, including Davood Mir-Bagheri, Kamal Tabrizi, Mohamad Reza Honarmand, Ebrahim Hatamikia, Fereydoun Jeyrani, Ahmad Reza Darvish, and Majid Majidi. His performances in the 2005 film "The Willow Tree" and the 2006 film "In the Name of the Father" earned him his second and third Crystal Simorgh awards, respectively, for Best Actor in a Lead Role.
