APersonIndependent states
Rashid Behbudov
Singer and actor (1915–1989) who won world fame as Asgar in the film Arshin Mal Alan and founded the Azerbaijan State Song Theatre.
Rashid Behbudov was born in Tiflis on 14 December 1915 into the family of the mugham singer Majid Behbudov, and as a young man sang with jazz and variety orchestras.
In 1945 he played Asgar in the film Arshin Mal Alan, which made him famous in the USSR and abroad. He sang in dozens of languages and toured more than 60 countries.
In 1966 he founded the Azerbaijan State Song Theatre and led it for the rest of his life; it now bears his name. Behbudov died in Moscow on 9 June 1989.
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Updated: October 1, 2026