There are figures in Azerbaijani history whose destinies do not remain solely in the past, but continue to live on in people's memories today. Imadaddin Nasimi and Babek hold a special place in this regard. They are real historical figures who lived centuries ago and perished tragically. Nasimi was executed for his beliefs, while Babek was killed with severe torture at the end of his struggle against the Caliphate. This is an unchangeable historical truth, a reality.
However, society lives not so much by history books as by images. People also remember the past more through memorable figures than through facts. It is precisely at this point that cinema and art exert a stronger influence than history.
The films “Nasimi” and “Babek”, shot in the 1970s, fundamentally changed the Azerbaijani audience's perception of these figures. Rasim Balayev, who played the leading roles in these films, did not merely act; he brought these characters to life in a vivid and palpable form. In Balayev's portrayal, Nasimi was not just a historical poet, but a thinking, suffering individual who never wavered from his beliefs. Babek, on the other hand, was not merely a rebel, but became a living symbol of will, resistance, and the idea of freedom. These characters were created so powerfully and professionally that, over time, the boundary between historical facts and the on-screen image almost disappeared in the audience's consciousness.
Today, for many people, when Nasimi and Babek are mentioned, the first image that comes to mind is that of Rasim Balayev. It is for this reason that Rasim Balayev created them, eternally engraving them into memory… In fact, a significant cultural reality lies behind this idea. The legendary actor took these figures from history and transformed them into a form that modern people could feel, he re-birthed them, giving them a second life …
Interestingly, the legendary actor himself did not accept this identification. However, for the audience, this boundary had long since disappeared. Because cinema creates visual memory, and this memory has a stronger impact than written history.
Here, the concept of “second death” emerges. The death of the last Mohican of Azerbaijani cinema… Historical figures die once, but their images in memory can also disappear a second time. This occurs with the death of the actor who created that image. With Rasim Balayev's passing, people not only lost an artist, but also lost the most powerful depiction of Nasimi and Babek living in their memories.
Both Nasimi and Babek perished long ago. However, how they live today depends not on history, but on culture. Rasim Balayev did not create these great figures; he reshaped them in the people's memory… Farewell, Rasim Balayev, farewell, rare artist of Azerbaijani culture and cinema…
