Shaken Aimanov

Good afternoon, dear readers! Today we will talk about the biography of Shaken Aimanov, a famous actor and director who became one of the founders of Kazakh cinema. His name is Shaken Kenzhetayevich Aimanov, he was born on February 15, 1914 in Bayan-Aul, Russian Empire (now Kazakhstan). His height is 178 cm. He worked in theater and cinema, making 11 films, among which the most famous are Our Sweet Doctor, The Beardless Deceiver, and Angel in a Skullcap. If you love his work, or just want to know more about this outstanding personality, we invite you to read our article.

Childhood and family

Shaken Aimanov was born into a peasant family of cattle breeders. He came from the Suyundyk family of the Argyn tribe. He had two brothers and two sisters. He was named Shakhkerim in honor of his grandfather, but later changed it to Shaken, which means “beautiful.” He grew up in Bayan Aul, where he finished seven years of school. He loved reading books, listening to folk songs and watching local theater performances. He also showed a talent for drawing and singing. In 1931, he entered the Kazakh Pedagogical College in Semipalatinsk, where he studied history, literature, and language. In 1933, he moved to Almaty, where he began his theater career. In 1938, he married actress Klara Abdrakhmanova, with whom he had two children, a son, Askat, and a daughter, Aigul. His wife died in 1954 of tuberculosis. In 1956, he married actress Nina Andronova, with whom he had another son, Anuar. His second wife died in 1969 of cancer.

Education

Shaken Aimanov did not have a university degree, but he studied literature, art, philosophy and other sciences on his own. He also spoke several languages, including Kazakh, Russian, English, French, German, Turkish and Arabic. He was an active participant in public life, taking part in various conferences, symposia, and festivals where he shared his thoughts and ideas. He also wrote articles, essays, lectures, reviews, and autobiographical works that were published in various publications.

Career

Shaken Aimanov began his career as an actor at the Kazakh Drama Theater, where he played roles in plays by classical and contemporary authors. He was noted for his charisma, expressiveness, plasticity, and psychology. He created a number of unforgettable characters, including Othello, Hamlet, Romeo, Lensky, Lermontov, Zhambul, Leo Tolstoy, and others. He also directed performances, including Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, The White Steamer, Abai, The Woman Winner, and others. He considered theater to be his first love, but he also became addicted to cinema, where he could reach a larger audience. He made his film debut in 1938 in the movie Amangeldi, where he played the role of a Kazakh national hero. After that, he starred in many films, including Jambul, Botagoz, The Poet and the Sultan, Son of the Native Land, Our Sweet Doctor, The Beardless Deceiver, Angel in a Skullcap, Kirpichny Plant, The End of Ataman, The Poet and the Lady, and others. He also directed films, including Our Sweet Doctor, The Beardless Deceiver, Angel in a Skullcap, Kirpichny Zavod, The End of Ataman, The Poet and the Lady, and others. He was one of the first Kazakh directors to use the element of cameo, i.e. to appear in small roles in his films.

He was also a screenwriter, art director, voice actor, and producer of his films. He created films on various topics, from historical to social, from comedies to dramas, from realistic to fantastic. He tried to show the life of the Kazakh people, their traditions, culture, problems, dreams, struggle for freedom and independence. He also highlighted universal values such as love, friendship, devotion, honor, justice, courage, and creativity. He was not only a master of cinema, but also a patriot of his country, who was committed to its development and progress. He was one of the most influential and beloved Kazakh directors, who was recognized not only in the USSR but also in the world. His films were screened at many international festivals, where they won prizes and awards. He was also a recipient of the USSR State Prize, People’s Artist of the USSR, Hero of Socialist Labor, the Order of Lenin, and other honors. He died on December 23, 1970, of a heart attack while filming his last movie, The Poet and the Lady. He was buried on the Walk of Fame in Almaty. The Kazakh State Academy of Arts is named after him, as well as many streets, schools, theaters, cinemas, museums, and other institutions in Kazakhstan and other countries.

Achievements

Shaken Aimanov was one of the most prominent and talented Kazakh artists who made a significant contribution to the development of Kazakh theater and cinema. He created many masterpieces that left a mark on the history of world cinema. He was the first Kazakh director to make a full-length feature film, Our Sweet Doctor (1943). He was also the first Kazakh director to make a color film, The Beardless Deceiver (1954). He was the first Kazakh director to make a film in the widescreen Todd-AO system, Angel in a Skullcap (1961). He was the first Kazakh director to make a film in the science fiction genre, Brick Factory (1965). He was the first Kazakh director to make a film about the life and work of the prominent Kazakh poet Abay Kunanbayev, The Poet and the Lady (1970). He was also a well-known actor who played more than 40 roles in theater and film. He was the author of many scripts, articles, essays, lectures, reviews, and autobiographical works. He was a public figure who took an active part in the cultural, scientific, and educational life of his country. He was a recognized master of cinema who received many awards and honors, both in the USSR and abroad. He was a patriot of his country, striving for its enlightenment and progress. He was a man who loved life, art, people, nature, and freedom.

Conclusion.

Shaken Aimanov was an outstanding, talented, courageous and influential personality who made a significant contribution to the development of Kazakh theater and cinema. He created many masterpieces that delight with their beauty, depth, originality, and relevance. He showed the life of the Kazakh people, their spirit, history, culture, dreams, and struggles. He highlighted the universal values that unite us all. He was not only a master of cinema, but also a patriot of his country, who strived for its development and progress. He was a man who loved life, art, people, nature, and freedom. He left a glorious name that will live on in the memory of the people and in the history of art.

We hope that our article was useful for you and you learned more about this unusual and extraordinary personality who deserves respect and admiration. We would like to end our article with a few quotes from Shaken Aimanov that reflect his views on life:

• “Life is art, and art is life.”
• “Cinema is not only entertainment, but also education, upbringing, and enlightenment.”
• “Nothing is impossible for a person who has the will, talent, and hard work.”
• “Love is the highest value that unites people, nations, and cultures.”
• “Freedom is the greatest treasure that needs to be preserved and protected.”

Thank you for your attention and interest in our article. We wish you a good day and new discoveries!