Ruhulla Fatulla oghlu Akhundov (Sidgi Ruhulla) was born on April 9, 1886, in Buzovna, Baku uezd, into a teacher's family. Although his real name was Ruhulla and his surname Akhundov, he adopted the nickname Sidgi on the advice of his friends after skillfully playing the role of Sidgi Bey (Sıtkı Bey) in Namık Kemal’s drama "Vatan yahut Silistre" in his youth.

He received his primary education from a village teacher. His father, Molla Fatulla Akhundov, played a major role in his son's spiritual development. Molla Fatulla, who had a great passion for science, art, and poetry, would teach in Baku during the winter and in the village of Buzovna during the summer. He was an admirer of classical Azerbaijani poetry. He would explain the poems he read to his son Ruhulla.

In 1903, when he was 17, his father apprenticed him to a wealthy merchant's shop in Baku. His father's goal was to accustom his son to trade. However, Sidgi intended to continue his education. Therefore, they would call him "the unruly apprentice."  Sidgi would not come to the shop on time, but would spend most of his days with his young intellectual friends who were stronger than him in science. Many of Sidgi's comrades were enlightened and revolutionary youth.

In 1904, Sidgi's father died. On the advice of his friends, Sidgi sold the household goods left by his father and moved to Moscow to study. In Moscow, Sidgi hoped to continue his education with the support of his relatives. However, this hope was in vain. Sidgi could not stay in Moscow and returned to Baku.

In 1905-1906, 20-year-old Ruhulla joined several strikes. He became friends with well-known Baku revolutionaries. He aimed to serve his people by any means necessary. First, he thought about studying and getting an education. Ruhulla, whose dream of getting an education was not fulfilled, met Huseyn Arablinski, a great tragic actor of the Azerbaijani stage, in 1906. He first saw Arablinski playing the part of Teymur Agha in Mirza Fatali Akhundov's comedy "Sərgüzəşti-vəziri-xani-Lənkəran" ("Adventures of the Lankaran Khanate Vizier"). Ruhulla, who was ecstatic over this performance, had his future fate decided. Sidgi seemed to have found a field of activity he had been looking for for a long time. He had a great passion for acting since childhood. Sidgi Ruhulla, who became friends with Arablinski, shared his desire for the stage. Arablinski could see a future actor in Sidgi's voice, posture, facial expressions, and gestures, and commended Sidgi to the stage.

In 1906, Sidgi first appeared on stage as Telli in Najaf bey Vazirov's comedy "Adı var, özü yox" ("He Has a Name, Not Himself"). Since no Azerbaijani girls were on the national stage, men played women's roles then.

Sidgi performed in various working-class districts of Baku and occasionally in the city. Sidgi's first small parts clearly showed that he had an extraordinary talent. In particular, Arablinski highly appreciated Sidgi's talent. Arablinski gave Sidgi a manuscript of Abdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev's tragedy "Dağılan tifaq" ("The Breaking of Unity"), writing on it: "To my student Sidgi Ruhulla."

In 1908, Najaf bey Vazirov’s tragedy "Müsibəti Fəxrəddin"  ("Fakhraddin's Misfortune") was staged at the "Seamen's Club" («Морское собрание») in Baku. Here, Rustam Bey's part was assigned to Sidgi. In this role, Sidgi captured attention with the naturalness of his performance and the way he deeply felt and lived the role. After this performance, Sidgi determined to give up everything and become a professional actor.

From 1906 to 1920, S. Ruhulla performed in more than 250 cities and regions. He visited Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tabriz, Tehran, Rasht, Qazvin, Isfahan, Shiraz, Samarkand, Bukhara, Merv, Ashgabat, Kharkiv, Kyiv, Tula, Tiflis, Iravan, Krasnovodsk, Derbent, Makhachkala, Vladikavkaz, Grozny, Andijan, Sarab, Ardabil, Anzali, Kazan, Batumi, Odesa, Rostov, Sukhumi, Yalta, Sevastopol, Simferopol, Tuapse, Sochi and other cities.

Sidgi Ruhulla, who played more than 300 parts, both big and small, directed both in individual troupes and at the state theater. In the early 1920s, he worked as a theater director in addition to acting. He created a series of roles in performances of national, classical and contemporary world dramaturgy produced by directors Huseyn Arablinski, Aleksandr Ivanov, Sarajan Valentinov, Huseyngulu Sarabski, Abbasmirza Sharifzadeh, Aleksandr Tuganov, Ismayil Hidayatzadeh, Yusif Yulduz, Adil Isgandarov, Rza Darabli, Alihuseyn Rzayev, Mirseyfaddin Kirmanshahli, Saftar Turabov, Aliheydar Alakbarov, Maharram Hashimov and others. He played the major parts in several productions of plays by almost all Azerbaijani classics.

Along with his stage activities, Sidgi’s social activities related to his art should also be mentioned. Sidgi, like other prominent stage masters, significantly contributed to educating the new generation of our actors and actresses.

At that time, the Soviet state highly appreciated the services of the outstanding stage figure Sidgi Ruhulla. In 1931, Sidgi Ruhulla was awarded the title of Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR, in 1938, People's Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR, and in 1949, People's Artist of the USSR. In 1945-1946, Sidgi Ruhulla was awarded the Order of the Red Banner of Labor, and the medals "For Labor Valour" and "For the Defense of the Caucasus".

In 1956, the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR awarded Sidgi Ruhulla the Order of Lenin on the 70th anniversary of his birth and the 50th anniversary of his stage activity.

Sidgi Ruhulla died in Baku in 1959 at 73 and was buried in the Alley of Honor.

Recommended literature:

1. Axundov, İmran Adil oğlu. Sidqi Ruhulla : monoqrafiya / İ. A. Axundov ; red. H. M. Nəbili. - Bakı : ADPU nəşriyyatı, 2019. - 167 s.
2. Hüseynoğlu, Sərvaz. Sidqi Ruhulla / S. Hüseynoğlu. - Bakı : Şərq-Qərb, 2017. - 112 s.
3. Rəhimli, İlham Əziz oğlu. Səhnə fədailəri : 3 cilddə / İ. Ə. Rəhimli. I cild. - Bakı : Şərq-Qərb, 2018. - 616 s.