Iranian film director to make film on Uzeyir Hajibeyli’s operetta

A new musical film will be made basing on the operetta “If Not This One, That One” by great Azerbaijani composer Uzeyir Hajibeyli.

The film will be shot by famous Iranian film director Yadulla Samadi. Azerbaijani and Iranian actors will play the roles in the film. Yadulla Samadi has arrived in Azerbaijan to hold talks concerning the film. The film director met with the media representatives and gave information about the film. He said the film will be called “Mashadi Ibad”.

“Iranian actor will act the part of Mashadi Ibad. Azerbaijani people’s artist Afag Bashirgizi the part of Senem, people’s artist Rasim Balayev the part of Rustam bey. We have not determined the other actors. We have met with a lot of students, but have not found anyone for the part of Gulnaz and Server. We will continue to search. We have made some test footages. We will choose among them after returning to Iran,” he said.

He said Azerbaijani people’s artist Alim Gasimov will perform the mugham in the scene of banquet.  The film director said main shootings will be made in Azerbaijan, he underlined that Baku changed a lot.

“We went to Icherisheher, it is impossible to shoot the scene of bazar, or bathhouse there. Now all bathhouses have saunas, Jacuzzis. Therefore, we will have to search these places in the regions. Some shootings will be made in the pavilion in Iran,” he said.

The shootings will start in March and last for three months. The film director said the film will be in Azerbaijani. Later, it will be dubbed in Persian. All songs in the film will be performed by Azerbaijani musicians and these fragments will remain unchanged in the Persian version. After the film is ready, it will be sent to the festivals.

Head of the Center of Azerbaijani Culture and Art in Tehran Abdulla Asadullayi said some episodes will be changed in the film. “The aim in making the film is to make Uzeyir bey known in Iran. About 75 million people live in Iran. Not a percent of the population knows Uzeyir Hajibeyli,” he said.


/APA/