Shirin Meliyeva

Shirin Meliyeva (1921–2001) was an Uzbek stage actress and director. Her whole career was tied to the theatre in Kattakurgan, in the Samarkand Region. She was born in Kattakurgan on 25 February 1921.

She joined the Kattakurgan theatre as an actress in 1937, and accounts of the theatre's history name her among the young talents who arrived in the second half of the 1930s. Besides acting, she worked as a director.

From 1948 to 1978 — thirty years — she was director of the Kattakurgan theatre. During those years the theatre was reorganised: in 1953 it became the city's Uzbek musical drama theatre, and in 1961 the city's Uzbek drama theatre.

She played more than 100 stage characters. The National Encyclopedia of Uzbekistan notes that her acting was marked by a vivid portrayal of her characters' inner lives and by sharp confrontations that showed the clash of opposing views. Her roles include Xonzoda, Hojiona (Boy ila xizmatchi), Xolisxon (Xolisxon), Maysara (Maysaraning ishi), Kime (Nurxon), Martena (Zo'raki tabib), Agafya Tikhonovna (Uylanish), Farmonbibi (Kelinlar qo'zg'oloni) and the Mother (Qonli to'y). As a director she staged Adolat, Xolisxon, Surmaxon, Bahs, Ona and Og'riq tishlar.

In 1964 she was awarded the honorary title People's Artist of the Uzbek SSR, and in 1999 the Order «El-yurt hurmati».

Shirin Meliyeva died in Samarkand on 16 April 2001. Her son was the well-known theatre and film actor and director Bahodir Yoldoshev (1945–2021); her husband, Tursun Yoldoshev, worked in the theatre as a musician.