HE GAVE UP ON …HIS LIFE

He always had more than enough work in cinematography and theater. He also had to answer countless questions from journalists. Although an experienced colleague tried to comfort me, I still had doubts that he would agree for an interview. But when I said, "I want to talk to you about your father, actor Mammadsadig Nuriyev,", his response was brief, "Come." That was the most difficult part. However, there was no time to spare. It was necessary to see him either on that or at least the next day, so as not to miss the opportunity.

During the interview, it seemed as though I re-discovered the famous actor. Quick-witted, playful and independent Yasar Nuri came across as a soft, sensitive and very sincere person. He talked about his father gratefully. "It was a much bigger actor than me," Yasar Nuri said, starting a conversation about his childhood. 

Yasar was one of four children of famous actor Mammadsadig Nuriyev. He was born in Baku on 3 September 1951. He told me that he grew up in a small house of actor Vucud (he also called his father by this name - Z. F.) in Sovetskaya, the famous street in Baku.

He smiled when he reminisced about playing football with his friends in the curved and narrow lanes of Sovetskaya, climbing up to the roof and examining the neighborhood. He described himself as a mischievous boy. But the boy knew the norms of good behavior - the old quarter of Baku was also a good school. "My childhood was very interesting. And as a relatively well-known actor, I am indebted to my father and elders of our neighborhood for that."

He went to school No 173. He proudly said that he was an excellent pupil and got a ticket to the "Artek" summer camp in Crimea three times.

He first appeared on stage at age 11. This is how Yasar Nuri remembered that day: "My father and I went to the Ordubadi summer theater in the park of "26 Baku commissars" (currently "Sahil" park - Z. F.). We watched the rehearsal of actors. The actor who was to play the part of a neighbor's son in the "Whose wedding is it?" operetta fell ill. With the consent of my father, an actor called Sunasi beckoned me to the stage. Looking at me closely, he said happily, 'Vucud, he is a ready actor, mark my word ...'. Then he sat down and wrote the words of my role on a paper bag we had brought it on our way from the market. I learned the text as we walked home from the castle gate. In the evening, I went back to the theater and, as they say, did a good job with the role. Very soon I was given the role of Badal, the son of Haci Qara, in a comedy."

In school, Yasar was a host and a participant of television shows. His natural talent was visible to the naked eye. The small actor stood out for his clear pronunciation, attractiveness and agility. But he never boasted of that at school or in the neighborhood. He shared his salary with his brother and sisters.  

Paradoxical as it may sound, the small actor who could easily perform roles, read poetry on television and on stage got only a Four in eloquent reading at school. In all other subjects he had Fives. He felt bashful showing his acting skill at school. To avoid read poetry, he even declined to participate in the "last bell". He reproached himself half-jokingly and half-seriously: "It is too bad to be able to read poetry on television and not to be able to perform for the boys at school." This is how he was raised by his mother Rafiqa, who was a housewife, and his father, recognized actor Mammadsadig Nuriyev ...

Yasar Nuri linked his acting talent to genetics. "If you go on stage once, you can't part with it," he said.

Following his vocation, in 1968 he entered the faculty of theater and film actors of the Azerbaijan State Art Institute (now the University of Culture and Arts - Z. F.). He studied the subtleties of acting from famous masters of the stage Rza Tahmasib and Aliheydar Alakbarov.

His father didn't like to ask anyone. This wasn't in his nature. But the young student did not need the patronage of his father either. Shortly after admission he was summoned by rector Rahib Huseynov. "Enough. You haven't even graduated yet, but wherever you look, you are everywhere - on stage and on television. Even on the radio," the rector said joking.

Sometimes the already famous student did not fulfill the requirements of his teachers, which caused him some problems. But the universally loved and respected rector tried to ease some of the problems for him to prevent the young actor's exclusion from the university. Recalling those days, Yasar Nuri laughed: "I stood outside the university all day long. Rector Rahib Aliyev saw me standing as if on duty and felt sorry for me. He ordered someone to bring me in ...".

In late 1974, he was admitted into the company of the National Academic Drama Theatre at the invitation of chief director Tofiq Kazimov. "My father didn't want me to become an actor. But one day he came to the theater, saw me play and said I could be an actor," Yasar Nuri recalled.

His first job at the theater was the part of Silva in the "Eldest son" comedy by Alexander Vampilov. 

Leaving aside all the honors and titles, Yasar Nuri can be described by one word - the Artist. He was a true artist. His every appearance on stage brought excitement. Therefore, most of the applause was intended for him.

He was an actor not only in theater, but also in the movies. He has acted in nearly 50 films, over a hundred performances, artistic compositions and satirical scenes produced by the Azerbaijani state television. It was Yasar Nuri's participation that made "Life roads", "On a train," "Off-key piano", "The lame Timur", "Looking for you", "Eye doctor", "Forgive me", "Knowing nothing about you" and many other performances so much spectacular and unforgettable.

His path in the Azerbaijani cinematography began with the role of Seyran in Samil Mahmudbayov's "Four Sundays" and continued with parts in films such as "Thorny Roads" (small div), "Kidnapped groom" (Israfil), "So much the better" (Abdulqani), "The window" (Nasib), etc. He also tried himself as a director, staged a theater performance based on Isa Malikzada's "Subaylarinizdan gorasiniz". He has directed the movie "Thank you".

There were no large or small roles for him. Sometimes the role he had dreamed of was given to someone else. And people knew that Yasar Nuri would play it better ... Of course, he was upset, but always said that everything would be alright. "I have been victimized so many times that I lost count. But I had no time to envy others," the outstanding actor said.

For his talent and merits, Yasar Nuri has received numerous titles and awards. Since 1981 he was an Honored Artist and since 1989 the People's Artist of Azerbaijan. His last award was "Sohrat" (Glory) presented to him on his 60th birthday anniversary in 2011 and the National Film Award in 2012.

During the interview the actor also mentioned the girls fell loved. At school she was a classmate whose name he no longer remembered, and a teacher in the 6-7th grades.

The time came and his parents decided to marry him to a relative by the name Rahima who was studying at the conservatory at the time. "When they went off wooing her, I was running to a date with another girl," he said smiling. But he was very pleased with his family life which began on 28 November 1975. "It is very difficult to bear someone like me. But she is doing alright so far...", Yasar Nuri said about his wife. He understood her. She knew it wasn't easy to be the wife of a universally loved actor. There was a constant stream of love letters for years. It further intensified after the TV trilogy about love between Elcin (Yasar Nuri) and Gulnar (Firangiz Mutallibova).

From a young age Yasar Nuri was one of the acknowledged masters the press, radio and television always paid much attention to. For many years he brought joy to the audience. But the news that spread in 2008 shocked everyone - Yasar Nuri had surgery on his liver and doctors are fighting for his life. He went through that, but the fight for survival continued.

As soon as he felt slightly better, he started to think about returning to the stage, delighting his fans. But the disease, unfortunately, did not recede. In November 2011, the actor was again placed in the intensive care unit of the Central Clinical Hospital. Then he was taken to Turkey again.

In the last months the news about his condition was always met with great anxiety and hope. But on 22 November the news agencies, radio and TV reported the tragic news: "A popular Azerbaijani actor Yasar Nuri, 61, has died after a long illness."

Yasar Nuri left this world too early - he was only 61. But his art will forever remain in the history of Azerbaijani cinema and theater.