The Man Behind Cabaret
Mahmoud Ghorbani is identified in various sources as a music promoter and nightclub/cabaret owner in Tehran during the late 1960s. He is often described as being among the group of entrepreneurs who built up nightclub and cabaret culture during the final years of the monarchy. Ghorbani is cited as the owner (or part-owner) of a nightclub/cabaret venue named “Miami” in Tehran. For example, one source says his then-wife, the legendary singer Googoosh, was married to “the music promoter and owner of Tehran’s ‘Miami’ nightclub, Mahmoud Ghorbani.”
Through this venue and his work as a promoter, Ghorbani played a part in the entertainment nightlife scene that combined Western-influenced music, cabaret, and a modernizing cultural milieu.
His business and personal relationships provided a platform for artists; for instance, Googoosh’s rise in the late 1960s is tied to that environment. While some sources describe Ghorbani as a “powerful former owner of nightclubs” there are also reports of controversies and complaints linked to his business activities, especially in later years.
