P rominent t ajik f igures of the

Qobilov, Muhammad

Tajik actor Muhammad Qobilov was born into a farming family in

the Khavaling district of Kulab on August 9, 1920. He joined the CPSU

in 1959.

In 1936, Qobilov began working at the theater that is now named

after Sadriddin Aini, and performed as a dancer until 1960. He played a

number of Tajik characters and participated in a number of ballets. The

characters he created include Zamon and Davron in Du Gul (Two Flow-

ers) and Dilbar (Ravisher), by A. S. Lenskii; Majnun in Laili va Ma-

jnun (Layli and Majnun), by S. Balasanian; Shohzoda in Shohzoda

(Prince), by S. Propokiev; and others.

Among the Tajik dancers in the theater, Qobilov was the only one to

master the intricacies of European dance. He played many of the major

roles between 1940 and 1950. After he retired, he continued his contact

with the people by training young Tajiks in his profession.

Qobilov became a Distinguished Actor of Tajikistan in 1947. He was

a recipient of the State Award of the Soviet Union in 1949.