The 2020 TV series ‘Magomaev’, which takes viewers back to the late 1960s and early 1970s, tells the love story and creative journey of the legendary pop singer Muslim Magomayev. A key moment of the plot is Muslim’s meeting with rising opera star Tamara Sinyavskaya — the woman who became his muse, friend, and beloved wife.
The production took four years of meticulous script development. Tamara Sinyavskaya herself played a crucial role in creating the series: she served as a consultant, editor, and had the final say in casting. Her approval was the decisive factor in choosing the actor for the lead role.
More than a hundred candidates, including actors from Azerbaijan, auditioned to play Muslim Magomayev. However, Tamara Sinyavskaya immediately and confidently recognized Miloš Biković as “her” Magomayev.
Why Didn’t Biković Want the Role?
Interestingly, Miloš Biković initially refused to even audition. Born in 1988 and raised in Serbia, the actor admitted that he knew nothing about Muslim Magomayev and doubted his ability to accurately portray such an important figure for millions of viewers. “I had no idea who Muslim Magomayev was until I was offered the role. I didn’t grow up in the USSR or in Russia, and all his beautiful performances and incredible talent were a big discovery for me,” Biković shared.
However, the producers did not give up: they called the actor and asked him to simply listen to the singer’s music and read his biography before making a final decision. And that changed everything.
Biković immersed himself in Magomayev’s world: he listened to his music and watched documentaries. He was captivated by the singer’s voice, his reserved manner, dignity, and the way he carried himself in front of the camera. In the end, the actor agreed to give it a try. “The most important thing for me about Magomayev is that he was more than just a singer. I love not only how he sang and performed, but also how he painted and everything he made with his hands. He was talented in everything,” he said.
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Tamara Sinyavskaya later explained her choice by saying that Biković’s initial unfamiliarity with Magomayev’s life may have allowed him to portray Muslim not as a solemn icon, but as an ordinary person, without “reverence.” She also pointed out the physical resemblance and the special softness in his intonation that both men shared.
According to Sinyavskaya, not knowing the legend beforehand actually helped Biković play Magomayev without unnecessary pathos. He presented him as a real, living person — talented, yet simple in communication and sincere. The actor remarkably captured the singer’s inner nature.
As for the time his character lived in, Biković said: “I knew what the 1960s were like in Serbia, and the two countries were similar in many ways. The spirit, the socialist system, the themes, the aesthetics — everything was the same. So, it wasn’t difficult for me to adapt to that era during filming.”
Working on the Character
Although no complex prosthetic makeup was required, preparation still took at least an hour and a half each day. Biković’s hair was dyed jet black, he received a popular hairstyle of the era, and instead of a full wig, only a small hairpiece was used. Makeup artists remember working with him fondly — he was open to experimentation, never argued, maintained a positive atmosphere, and fully immersed himself in the process.
