Murod Rajabov

Murod Yodgorovich Rajabov (Murad Radzhabov in Russian transliteration) was born in Tashkent on 30 May 1949. In 1971 he graduated from the acting faculty of the Ostrovsky Tashkent Theatre and Art Institute.

From 1968 he worked as an actor at the Uzbek drama theatre Yosh Gvardiya and was later associated with the Muqimiy Theatre of Music Drama and Comedy; some sources also name him as that theatre's director.

He came to the cinema in 1973 with a small part in “Olovli sohil” (Fiery Shore). In 1977 he played Ergash in the television film “Bu Qo'qonda bo'lgan” (It Happened in Kokand), and in 1978 he received the Hamza State Prize of the Uzbek SSR for that role. In the same years he appeared in “Ajoyib hayolparast” (A Wonderful Dreamer) and the series “Olovli yo'llar” (Fiery Roads).

He became widely known for his roles in the 1990s in “Temir xotin” (1990), “Temir erkak” (1991) and “Kichkina tabib” (1998); the press called him the “iron man” of Uzbek cinema. He played in at least fifty films and series and, in comedies such as “Sarvinoz” and “Super kelinchak”, repeatedly appeared as a married couple with the actress Saida Rametova.

As a director he made four films: “Pari momo” (2000) and the “Ulfatlar” (Friends) trilogy — “Ulfatlar” (2005), “Ulfatlar 2” (2008) and “Ulfatlar 3” (2014).

On 25 August 2008 he was named People's Artist of Uzbekistan. Murod Rajabov died in Tashkent on 8 April 2023, aged 73. On 23 August 2025 he was posthumously awarded the Order “Fidokorona xizmatlari uchun” by presidential decree.