He studied literature at the University of Tehran, where he developed a lifelong fascination with storytelling and philosophy. Before entering cinema, Taghvai was a writer and translator, publishing short stories in literary magazines and exploring themes of alienation, memory, and local identity. His early engagement with literature shaped the narrative rhythm and introspective tone that would define his cinematic language.
Taghvai began his filmmaking career in the 1960s, during the rise of the New Wave, a movement that sought to break from formulaic studio productions and bring realism, symbolism, and psychological complexity to screens. His early documentaries, such as Wind of the Djinn (Bad-e Jinn), displayed his ethnographic curiosity and his respect for regional cultures and oral traditions. These films were not mere documentaries but poetic studies of place and ritual.
