Logan Crawford of Spotlight TV interviewed Khalil Nikkhessal, the author of “A Flame of Fire: A Story of My Own Identity and What It, Means to Be A Minority in Iran”
Khalil Nikkhessal, the author of “A Flame of Fire: A Story of My Own Identity and What It, Means to Be A Minority in Iran,” was interviewed by Spotlight TV’s Logan Crawford to discuss the author’s message as well as his inspiration for writing this book.
Logan Crawford is an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster and anchor host. He is also a host and anchor on Ebru, WWOR-TV, FOX, and VOOM: HD NEWS. He appeared in a number of films and television shows, including The Irishman (2019), The First Purge (2018), Teenage Mutant Ninja, 40-Love (2021), and many others.
Khalil Nikkhessal was born in Yazd, Iran, on April 11, 1941. He was the fourth child in a family of seven. He was raised in the religion Bahá’í. He got his master’s degree in electronics from the Technical University of Frankfurt in 1970 in Germany and married Farahnaz in the same year. They have three children—one son and two daughters—and two grandsons.
“A Flame of Fire: A Story of My Own Identity and What It, Means to Be A Minority in Iran” follows Khalil Nikkhessal as he builds a successful business in Iran despite the obstacles he experiences as a minority. His understanding of his place in the country’s culture was formed early, from observing the treatment of the elders in his family by the Muslim community and by the mistreatment he received in school.
However, by migrating to the United States, he avoids betrayal and envy. Religious freedom is not something found all over the world. It is particularly not evident in Iran, where religious persecution takes place against the Bahá’í, the country’s second largest religion. What’s remarkable is that so many in this minority group are successful in spite of the obstacles that come with this type of discrimination. Author Khalil Nikkhessal is one such example. By his own admission, it just wasn’t very easy. A Flame of Fire is his story of perseverance.
Interspersed in the narrative of Khalil Nikkhessal’s personal life are insightful reflections of Iranian culture, chronicling historical milestones as well as perspectives on the revolution, the Shah, and the ongoing victimization of the Bahá’í. Yet, with all of the upheavals, Khalil Nikkhessal persevered, finding work as a self-employed electronics repairman after being fired from a job because of his religious convictions.
A Hollywood movie script coverage and Hollywood movie treatment have been released for the book’s qualification for a Hollywood movie adaptation. The screenplay is the common ground on which producers, directors, actors, and production teams working on the movie will collaborate from start to finish and serves as a roadmap for them in terms of what will be seen on the big screen.
Listen to the full interview: