The Cloth Peddler (Arshin Mal Alan)
Rashid was almost 30 years old when he was chosen to perform the lead role of Asgar. It was the third time a film had been made The Cloth Peddler ("Arshin Mal Alan"), based on the music comedy by Uzeyir Hajibeyov (1885–1948). Asgar was the rich merchant, who disguised himself as a cloth peddler just to get the chance to enter the courtyards of homes so that he could catch a glimpse of all the pretty young women and choose one for his bride.
This version of the movie came at the end of World War II and was so successful that it not only made Rashid famous, but it won Hajibeyov the coveted Stalin Prize.
When the directors were getting ready to cast the film, one of them, Rza Tahmasib, had thought he would offer Rashid the role of Vali, Asgar's servant. Vali's character was comical, a trait which came naturally for Rashid. However, during the audition, Tahmasib heard Rashid sing an aria written for Asgar and decided to give him the lead role instead. The film turned out to be so successful that it was shown in more than 25 countries.
Read more about this topic: Rashid Behbudov
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