AN ACTOR'S OWN DRAMA

He was not the first to bring renown to the Seyx-zamanov surname. Even before him many representatives of this family were famous and wrote new pages in the history of Azerbaijan, working in different spheres. Thanks to them the reputation of the Seyxzamanovs spread far and wide beyond the bounds of their home town of Ganca.

A short childhood 

Mammadrza Seyxzamanov was born in Ganca in August 1915. His father Haci Isa bay dedicated most of his life to a sacred commitment, which had been passed down to them from generation to generation, namely protecting the Imamzadeh [the shrine-tomb of the imams' descendants]. He was married several times. His last wife was Boyukxanim, a widow with two children. He had three children in that marriage, the middle one of whom was Mammadrza.

Isa bay's wealth allowed the family to live comfortably. But on 28 April 1920 Soviet power was established in Azerbaijan, which expropriated the wealth of prosperous citizens. In order to prevent the roof being taken from over their heads, Boyukxanim agreed to set up a factory in the house that belonged to them, being awarded a big room in compensation. After being deprived of everything, she experienced financial difficulties and poverty. But this was not the end of their troubles.

 A representative of the family, Nagi Seyxzamanov, was one of the leaders of the security bodies of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic [ADR] which was abolished by the Soviets. He managed to escape from the new authority by emigrating to Turkey. But his bro-ther Ahmad, who remained in his homeland, was sentenced to death. Nagi Seyxzamanov was the cousin and brother-in-law of Mammadrza Seyxzamanov. His brother Alesker, who had been sent by the ADR to study in Turkey, could not return to his homeland either. He later emigrated to Italy where he spent the rest of his life.

Isa bek passed away early. He died when Mammadrza was still small. It became increasingly difficult for the family to survive. It was precisely for this reason that Boyukxanim agreed to marry off her very young daughter Hamida. Her husband hailed from Southern Azerbaijan where he took the whole family after a little while. The Soviet authority soon fortified the frontier with Iran, making it difficult to travel to that country and resulting in separation from Hamida. Mammadrza Seyxzamanov saw that it was difficult for his mother to feed the family and got a job when he was just twelve.

Engineer "with an inclination"

After enrolling at the Ganca Technical University, he began to receive a grant. It was in those years that he began to take an interest in the acting profession. At the technical university he joined the drama club. Soon the director of the Ganca State Drama Theatre, Habib Ismayilov, invited him to join the theatre's studio. There he played the small part of the Brahmin in A. Hamid's "The Indian Woman", which was his first successful role on the big stage. In his career in the theatre he created a whole series of memorable characters - namely Eldar ("Vaqif"), Farhad ("Farhad and Sirin"), Imamyar ("Yasar"), Yuri ("Two Brothers") and many others, becoming one of the most popular actors in his home town of Ganca.

When he graduated from the technical university, Mammadrza received an engineer's diploma. But he was not preparing to look for a job in that profession since he had fallen in love with acting. He had enjoyed enormous satisfaction in performing roles at the theatre in his home town, Ganca, and kept on dreaming of new roles. The 24-year-old actor already had plenty of fans, among them an 18-year-old girl, Nigar. She attended all the productions in which Mammadrza was acting. One day they got to know each other, fell in love and Mammadrza asked her parents for Nigar's hand in marriage. But the wealthy family did not want to give their daughter up to a poor actor. Then the young man, who was desperately in love, decided to elope with his beloved. A year later, in 1939, the couple had a daughter. They called her Leyla.

"Where my husband is, that's where I am"

Life began to settle down. Mammadrza was occupied with what he loved most. The number of roles he played was growing. His beloved wife and daughter who had started talking were waiting for him at home. Nigar made it up with her parents who were won over by Mammadrza's nobleness and loyalty to his family. After they got married, he was concerned that Nigar should obtain higher education. He himself, who was working in the theatre, also ran a drama club there. But the Soviet authorities did not forget about his family's background. Supporters of independence, their closest relatives were kept under close surveillance; they themselves and the members of their families were subjected to groundless arrests and persecution. Then Mammadrza's turn came. He, his own family and the wife and daughter of his brother Alaskar were subjected to repressions.

Mammadrza Seyxzamanov could not allow his wife and little daughter to suffer with him. Therefore he told his wife: "If we get divorced, no-one will touch you." But his wife did not agree. Before her husband was sent into exile, Nigar was summoned by the KGB and told that she could avoid being sent into exile if she divorced her husband. Once again she refused, "Where my husband is, that is where I am."

Mammadrza Seyxzamanov and his wife and little daughter were exiled to one of the remote regions where they spent seven years in exile. They had to live through really hard times. They had twin boys while they were in exile, but they did not survive. There were a lot of Azerbaijanis there. Most of them were women, children and elderly people. It was more difficult for them to tolerate the deprivations of life in exile. There were few strong, young people like Mammadrza Seyxzamanov. He therefore helped them as much as he could. He and his wife worked in a school. 

After seven years he secretly made his way back from Kazakhstan to Ganca, taking his wife and daughter with him. He had to hide at relatives and acquaintances for a long time. He could not get a job. He remembered the Azerbaijani poet Samed Vurgun, with whom he had been acquainted for many years. The poet became familiar with the actor's skill when he played a part in the play "Vaqif" in Ganca. Mammadrza Seyxzamanov wrote to the poet about everything that had happened to him. And Samad Vurgun helped him. Thanks to the poet, life again began to run smoothly and he started to work once again in the theatre he loved so much.

A new life

The black clouds over the head of this family began to disperse. Life began to change for the better. He started to perform new roles. In 1954, by order of the minister of culture, he began working at the Azerbaijan State Drama Theatre. He moved from Ganca to Baku. He performed at that theatre for almost 30 years.

He played numerous interesting roles from works by the classics of Azerbaijani and world literature - Xosrov ("Xosrov and Sirin"), Imamyar ("Yasar"), Edgar ("Antony and Cleopatra"), Haci Hasan ("The Dead Men"), Ixtiyar ("Iblis"), Sahbazov ("Eye doctor"), Polixenes ("A Winter's Tale"), Aydin ("Aydin"), Qacag Nabi ("Qacag Nabi") and Eldar ("Vaqif"). He had plenty of fans. He remained loyal to that theatre to the end of his days.

Seyxzamanov played many roles that were popular with audiences in films as well. In 1955, he played the part of Professor Teymur Racabov in the film "Baxtiyar". His first film role turned out to be a success. Interesting roles followed: Aly kishi ("Under the Scorching Sun"), Dervish ("Leyla and Macnun"), the healer Eldostu ("The Secret of One Fortress"), Sheikh Azam ("Nasimi"), Colonel Qurbanov ("Is it possible to forgive him") and many, many others.

In the family

In 1956, when his older daughter Leyla was 17, another daughter Afaq was born. And in 1962 a third daughter was born. Mammadrza Seyxzamanov was a caring and loving father. He found a common language with each daughter, between whom there was a substantial difference in age, and granted their every wish. One wish he was unwilling to grant. He did not want his daughters to follow in his footsteps. When Afaq expressed her desire to go on stage like her father, he explained to her the difficulties involved in the acting profession. "You have to put up with all the burdens of this profession. But the main thing is that you need to have talent. You should become an actress worthy of my name." His daughter thought over her father's words and changed her decision, recognising that he was right. 

Mammadrza Seyxzamanov is remembered by his daughter Afaq Seyxzamanova as a very decisive person: "My father had a serious character. He could have a joke, but could resolved everything with a single scathing look. He loved truthfulness. He was a generous, sincere and responsive person. He communicated with adults and children as equals. I was also always surprised by his extensive knowledge. He was splendidly well-informed about history and could recount very interesting facts." Mammadrza Seyxzamanov was a sociable person. He knew many interesting things. He not only told people about what he had read, but also about the lessons he had learned in life. 

When he was sent into exile, he never managed to find out why. Only many years later his daughter, Afaq, learned the reason when she read her father's case notes: "Mammadrza Seyxzamanov, who was a pan-Turkish enthusiast, was accused of spying for Turkey." The Soviet authorities made Mammadrza Seyxzamanov live through not only the burdens of exile, but also to taste the bitter pill of separation. Although his sister Hamida managed to return to her homeland many years later and obtain permission to reside there, he did not manage to see his brother Alaskar again.

He was awarded the title of "People's Artiste" quite late, in 1974, when he had already been an artiste of his own people for a long time. He was known and loved for his unforgettable roles in the theatre and film. Mam-madrza Seyxzamanov passed away on 25 January 1984 at the age of 69 years. But the characters he created in the theatre and in film have preserved the vivid memory of him forever.