Frunzik Mkrtchyan

Mher Musheghi Mkrtchyan (; 4 July 1930 – 29 December 1993), better known by the name Frunzik (; ), a diminutive of his official given name Frunze, in honor of Mikhail Frunze, was an Armenian stage and film actor. Mkrtchyan is widely considered one of the greatest actors of the Soviet period among Armenians and the USSR as a whole. He received the prestigious People's Artist of the USSR award in 1984.

Life Childhood

Frunze (Mher) Mkrtchyan was born in Leninakan (present day Gyumri) to father Mushegh Mkrtchyan and mother Sanam Mkrtchyan, both of whom were orphaned survivors of the Armenian genocide. Mushegh Mkrtchyan fled to Gyumri from Mush, while Sanam escaped the genocide from Van. His parents met while they were working in a local Leninakan textile factory that was created in the 1930s, with Mushegh later going on to work as a bricklayer and Sanam as a dish washer.

After marriage, Mushegh and Sanam had their first child, Mher Mkrtchyan, who would be the eldest of their four children; one brother in 1941, Albert Mkrtchyan (who would later become a film director) and two sisters, Clara born in 1934 and Ruzanna born in 1943. Mher's nickname, Frunzik, was given to him in honor of Soviet general Mikhail Frunze. Growing up, Mher took an interest in the arts, and attended the local art and music school.

Early adulthood and start of acting career In 1953, Mkrtchyan left Gyumri to further his education in Yerevan at the Yerevan State Institute of Theater and Arts. In that same year, Mkrtchyan had his first film debut with a role in the film , it was also during this time period, at the age of 28, Mher Mkrtchyan met and fell in love with his future wife, the 18 year old , also an actress.

Personal life Frunzik was initially romantically involved with a classmate of his, Knar, but was rejected by her family and thus the pair never married. Mkrtchyan's first wife was Donara Pilosyan, and together they had a daughter, Nune, and a son, Vahagn. The couple played in a number of films together, notably Kidnapping, Caucasian Style and Khatabala. The marriage was initially a happy one, but Donara was diagnosed with schizophrenia and eventually sent to a mental institution for treatment. Mkrtchyan became a single parent of two young children. Frunzik became immensely depressed by the illness of his wife and his son Vahagn's subsequent inheritance of his mother's mental illness. Both Donara and Vahagn eventually went to France for treatment.

Death It is said by family members that during his last days, Frunzik Mkrtchyan was depressed by the illness of his son and death of a close friend and actor Azat Sherents.

Awards Mher Mkrtchyan received multiple awards during his lifetime for his major contributions to film. He was awarded the People's Artist of the Armenian SSR in 1971 and Armenian SSR State Prize in 1978.

Legacy The house-museum of Mher Mkrtchyan functions currently in Gyumri. It was opened in 2006 on the initiative of the Gyumri Municipality. The museum displays the artist's costumes, props used in films, personal items and photographs from films in which he took part.

Frunzik Mkrtchyan: India, a 2021 documentary explored Mkrtchyan's connections with the Bollywood cinema of India, where he had worked in films such as Adventures of Ali-Baba and the Forty Thieves (1980) with Indian actors Dharmendra and Hema Malini who also feature in the documentary.

Selected filmography

Hastseatiroj voronumnere (1955) – (uncredited) Patvi hamar (1956) – Vardan 01-99 (1959, Short) – Garsevan Inchu e aghmkum gete (1959) – Khachik (uncredited) Fellows From a Music Group (1960) – Arsen The Master and the Servant (1963, Short) – Simon Thirty Three (1965) – professor Bruk Iyirmialtilar (1966) – usatyy Gochi The Formula of Rainbow (1966) – Kaburyan From the Times of Hunger (1966) Kidnapping, Caucasian Style (1967) – Dzhabrail Aybolit-66 (1967) – Pirate #2 Triangle (1967) – Gaspar Don't Grieve (1968) – Stranger in prison Belyy royal (1968) An Explosion After Midnight (1969) – Mukhtashev We and Our Mountains (1969) – Ishkhan Adam and Eve (1970) Photography (1970) Khatabala (1971) – Isai Men (1972) Monument (1972) Hayrik (1973) – Hovsep (Hayrik) Adventures of Mher on Vacation (1973) – Suren Baghdasar Divorces His Wife (1977) – Baghdasar Mimino (1977) – Ruben 'Rubik' Khachikyan Nahapet (1977) – Apro Stone Valley (1977) – Sandro Soldier and Elephant (1978) – Armenak Fuss of the Fusses (1979) – Boris Ivanovich Oh, Gevorg (1979) Adventures of Ali-Baba and the Forty Thieves (1980) – Mustafa A Piece of Sky (1980) – Grigor-agha Tbilisi, Parizi, Tbilisi (1980) The Big Win (1980) – Garnik A Humble Man (1981) Pered zakrytoy dveryu (1982) – Vartan Song of the Old Days (1982) – Nikol Offered for Singles (1984) – Vartan – zhenikh Niny The Fire (1984) – Ruben Sohni Mahiwal (1984) – Warrior The Tango of Our Childhood (1985) – Ruben On the Bottom (1987) Tchanaparh depi Sasuntsi Davit (1988) – Vardan Dykhanie (1989) – (final film role)