Biography

Munavvar Samad qizi Kalantarli (Azerbaijani: Münəvvər Kələntərli) was an Azerbaijani actress and folk singer. Born to a wealthy landowner family descended from Iranian émigrés, Munavvar "Mina" Kalantarli received her primary education at Maryam Bayramalibeyova's Uns School for Girls in Lankaran. Her aunt-in-law and prominent Azerbaijani folk singer, Yavar Kalantarli, noticed young Mina's talent for singing and encouraged her to pursue career in music. In the early 1930s, Munavvar Kalantarli moved to Baku to work at the Azerbaijan State Opera Theatre, where together with Yavar Kalantarli and Munavvar's brother Hashim, she performed folk songs. Prior to becoming an actress Munavvar Kalantarli had not received professional training in acting.