There are films that are not erased from memory for a long time after watching them. What keeps these films alive in memories is, of course, their captivating plotline and the actors' performances.
Modern.az website continues its rubric on films that audiences watch with interest and that leave a lasting impression.
In our rubric titled “The Unforgettable Hero of a Famous Film,” we provide brief information about the memorable characters from interesting films and present their past and present appearances with photos.
When the film “Lətifə,” shot in 1989, was released, it caused a great stir not only in Azerbaijan but throughout the entire USSR. Until then, no film rich with such sharp political satire messages had been screened in Soviet cinema. After its release, "Lətifə" was banned in some regions of the USSR.
The events depicted in the film, whose scriptwriter is Rövşən Ağayev and directors are Nizami Musayev and Yefim Abramov, are taken from real life. The screen work has three plotlines, which merge into a single narrative. In the first plot, events unfold in the party committee secretary's office, in the second, in his reception room, and in the third, in an elevator.
The film, depicting the late 1980s of the 20th century, showcases the shortcomings within the Soviet system, gaps in governance, the inactivity of officials, and injustice.
The film's idea and structure were somewhat innovative for Azerbaijani cinema, as political satire and a grotesque approach of this kind were rare at that time.
The events in the film coincide with the final years of the Soviet era, the "perestroika" period. During this time, criticism of the Soviet system was increasing, and society had begun to think more about the transparency, efficiency, and justice of the government. "Lətifə" plays a kind of mirror role within this trend.
The characters and events in the film are not merely a critique of specific officials or governance, but rather illustrate the general state of the system, human relations, and bureaucracy.
Until then, such explicit critical motifs were often restricted by censorship during the Soviet era. In this sense, "Lətifə" had, to a certain extent, pushed boundaries.
Famous Azerbaijani actors such as Rasim Balayev, Yaşar Nuri, Ceyhun Mirzəyev, Muxtar Maniyev, Xuraman Hacıyeva, and Əjdər Həmidov starred in the leading roles of the screen work.
Viewers of "Lətifə" likely also remember the role of secretary Alya. The actress for this role was invited from Moscow. We are talking about the Russian actress Yelena Kostina.
So, how was she invited to the film "Lətifə," and where is Yelena Kostina now?
According to reports, the role of the secretary, which Yelena Kostina played, was initially offered to People's Artist Həmidə Ömərova. However, the Azerbaijani actress, after familiarizing herself with the script, refused to play Alya. This was reportedly because, according to the script, the actress playing the secretary had to display nudity in some scenes. Həmidə Khanum did not accept this and did not participate in the film.
The refusal of local actresses like Həmidə Ömərova to take on this role could have caused delays in the film. For this reason, it was important for the directors to continue working with an actress who would more easily agree to the explicit scenes required in the filming. They urgently decided to approach one of the Russian actresses.
In the late 80s, such content (explicit or intimate elements) in the USSR was still closely monitored by society and state control. It was important for the actress accepting the role to be prepared to consider these restrictions.
The leadership of the film's creative team settled on actress Yelena Kostina. They were confident that she would agree to play the role of the secretary. Indeed, Yelena Kostina agreed to play the role of Alya for a good fee and arrived in Baku at the appointed time.
However, hours before filming, Yelena Kostina became capricious and stated that some explicit moments suitable for the role could also create problems for her. The discussion was about the intimate scene filmed jointly by the secretary and Secretary Rəhimov (Rasim Balayev). Initially, Ms. Yelena objected to that scene but later agreed to act according to the character's requirements. She was compelled to do so by one of the film's directors, Yefim Abramov.
The director himself recalls those moments:
“Yelena Kostina, the Moscow actress who played Alya, caused us a little difficulty. According to the script, she had to undress in one of the episodes. But Yelena said she had gained weight and therefore couldn't be filmed without clothes. Yelena was being stubborn, and our patience was wearing thin. I saw that the actress was not cooperating, so I called the members of the film crew and said in a voice everyone could hear that we needed to find another actress for the role of Alya, and we would have to buy Kostina an urgent ticket and send her to Moscow. After hearing this, Lena agreed to perform all the actions required by the character, and we shot the necessary scenes for the role of Alya.”
After Yelena Kostina first appeared in the film "Flights in Dreams and Reality" in 1982, she captivated Soviet audiences, especially men, with both her beauty and acting performance. Even Nikita, the son of the famous musician, poet, and actor Vladimir Vysotsky, was smitten with her.
Y. Kostina was born on July 31, 1964, in Moscow, into an engineer's family. Her family had a connection to art.
As a child, Yelena attended music school. She had no thoughts of becoming a film or theater actress. While still a schoolgirl, she dreamed of becoming a biologist in the future. Later, while preparing for university entrance exams, she also learned to care for animals at the Moscow Zoo.
In 1986, when Yelena finished music school, she participated in a singing competition with Natalya Negoda, the star of the film "Little Vera." She competed for the title of "First Beauty of the Class" and won.
One day, her mother's friend, actress Lyudmila Ivanova, called her and said that director Roman Balayan was looking for a young actress for a role in a new film. More than 100 candidates had been reviewed, but none were suitable for the role. Lyudmila Ivanova suggested that the director also consider Yelena Kostina. Thus, the 17-year-old tenth-grade student was approved. Soon, with the consent of Oleg Yankovsky, the lead actor, Yelena was cast in the film "Flights in Dreams and Reality."
Filming lasted exactly one year. One scene required the creation of a nude sculpture of Kostina's character. Since the young actress categorically refused to undress, she had to pose in a tight blouse.
The film, released in 1983, became Kostina's most successful role. After the film's screening, Yelena became a star and decided to continue her acting career.
For this purpose, she enrolled in Oleg Yefremov's course at the Moscow Art Theatre School and graduated in 1986.
Later, Yelena was cast in various roles in many films. The role of Alya in the film "Lətifə," screened in Azerbaijan, was one of them.
Elena Kostina's personal life has also been full of drama. The young actress began a warm relationship with Oleg Yankovsky during the filming of "Flights in Dreams and Reality" in 1982. At that time, Yelena was 18, and Yankovsky was in his early 40s, at the peak of his fame. The actress confessed that she fell in love with her colleague, who pampered her and treated her with special care.
Kostina recalls that period:
"The entire creative team quietly laughed behind my back: 'I wonder how this will end? Will the girl be able to resist Yankovsky herself?' It was impossible to resist Oleg Yankovsky's charm."
However, their relationship did not last long, and they separated. But 10 years later, the couple reunited, and their feelings rekindled once more.
"My youthful love suddenly rekindled," Yelena said. But this time, too, their secret romance quickly ended.
The actress was officially married twice. Her first husband, legal advisor Andrey, passed away in the 1990s. According to Yelena, during one business meeting, Andrey picked up a grenade brought by his rival, and the ensuing explosion ended his life.
Widowed at a young age after her husband's death, Kostina married for the second time in the early 2000s after meeting a car mechanic. In 2008, their son, Pavel, was born. However, this marriage also did not last long. After 12 years of living together, Yelena Kostina divorced her husband.
61-year-old Yelena Kostina currently lives in Moscow. After 2022, she no longer appears in films. Yelena Georgiyevna currently works at the "Eksprompt" Children's Musical Theater in Moscow, where she performs in plays and also teaches acting to children and teenagers.
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