On September 20, 2002, a terrible tragedy took place in the history of Russian cinema, as a result of which one hundred and six people from the film crew of Svyaznoy died. The Karmadon Gorge became their eternal grave after the Kolka glacier disappeared. Among the found nineteen bodies and fragments of seventeen more dead people, it was not possible to find the remains of Sergei Bodrov, which is why he is still listed as missing. The “brother of the people” (the character of Danila Bagrov made him a popular favorite) entered the annals of Russian cinema forever, which made his name immortal.
After so many years after the terrible tragedy that claimed the life, including of the talented Russian actor and director Sergei Bodrov, many would be interested to learn about the fate of his wife, who was for him a real muse and the main love of life, so unexpectedly and early cut off.
Svetlana Sitina (maiden name) was born in 1971 in Kudrino near Moscow in a family far from the world of culture and art. From childhood, the girl showed extraordinary artistic abilities, which contributed to her admission after school to the theater school in Novosibirsk, which she successfully graduated in 1991. Subsequently, she expanded her professional portfolio with six theatrical projects and directorial works on television in the framework of the programs "Pen Sharks" and "Canon". In addition, she has a MIIGAiK diploma.
Interestingly, immediately after graduating from high school, Svetlana married a police officer, changing her maiden name to "Mikhailova". Svetlana's mother (Nina Ivanovna Sitina) still lives in her hometown, where many residents remember her daughter with extremely kind words. Despite the ardent youthful love for their chosen one, the married couple quickly broke off the relationship, unable to withstand the domestic disorder.
The divorce was marked by a move to the capital, where she met with a certain criminal authority Mikhail, about whom there is almost no information today. However, it is known that it was he who influenced Svetlana's television career.
Personal life of Svetlana before meeting with Sergei Bodrov Jr
After the future wife of the idol of millions of fans learned the details about Mikhail's occupation, she immediately made an attempt to break off all relations with him. At this time, she participated in the work of the TV project "Sharks of the Feather". On the set of the program, the aspiring artist met with Otar Kushanashvili. The young and bright girl really liked the Georgian womanizer, but his genuine interest in her ran into a wall of inaccessibility. This provoked the ardent man even more, and he began to actively seek her location.
Interestingly, after a joint visit to the capital's Soho restaurant, where Otar invited Svetlana on a date, the newly created couple decided to live together. Kushanashvili had to sort things out with a crime boss, who did not immediately leave his beloved woman alone. After a while, the Georgian star had a serious conversation about the prospects of their relationship. Otar was not ready to go to the registry office for the official registration of marriage. For some reason, he decided that the tension that had arisen could be leveled by a vacation in Turkey. And this approach was doomed to inevitable parting.
Acquaintance of Sergei and Svetlana
Subsequently, Otar Kushanashvili admitted that Svetlana could only fall in love with either a madman (he considered himself so) or an outstanding genius. It is to the last category of creative people that Sergei Bodrov can be rightly attributed. In 1996, he made his television debut as the TV presenter of the Vzglyad program.
And a year later, Sergei and Svetlana at a youth festival held in Cuba, as part of the same television group, got to know each other closely. Their relationship developed quite rapidly. According to Kushanashvili, after that fateful business trip, a bright light appeared in the eyes of Svetlana, characteristic of a loving and happy woman. And Sergei Bodrov himself at that time was forced to admit that such an image of a loved one had long been formed by his romantic-minded imagination.
The next year, the happy couple decided to officially register their union. Before the registry office, Bodrov Jr. met with Kushanashvili, and within ten minutes of communication, the latter clearly realized that his rival "with such a childish and open face" had a great romantic feeling, which he began to associate with responsibility.
The wife and children of Sergei Bodrov Jr
During those happy five years that the couple managed to live together, their desire to go through life, holding hands tightly, only strengthened even more.
A year after the wedding, their family was replenished with a daughter, Olya. And until mid-1999, Sergei continued to work successfully in the Vzglyad program, at the same time filming in cinematic projects that were paramount for him. Throughout his professional career, his filmography was able to fill with thirteen films. In the last years of his life, he managed to try himself both as a director and as a screenwriter. In a new capacity, he made his debut in the film "Sisters" (2001). And on the agenda was "Messenger".
The expedition, connected with the new project, did not work out from the very beginning. Firstly, due to the joyful event of the birth of his son Alexander, whose name was chosen by the happy father himself, she was postponed. And the original date was fixed on a summer day in 2002. And when, three weeks later, the members of the expedition still left for their destination, Svetlana clearly noted for herself that the novice director was too sad when parting with her.
Tragedy and life after it
And then there was the last telephone conversation, during which the husband insisted on taking care of the children, which was not typical of their usual communication. And then came the tragic day of September 20, 2002. The film crew was waiting for the transport for a long time, and therefore they got to the place three hours later than the scheduled time.
In the evening of that day, the glacier, which had been lying peacefully for more than fifty years, suddenly came to life and collapsed on people who were not ready to overcome the merciless element. The whole group, consisting of one hundred and six people, in an instant found itself under a multi-ton layer of ice and snow. The tragic news shocked the whole country, the relatives of the injured filmmakers quickly went to the scene. The wife of Sergei Bodrov, leaving her children, also went in search of him. The search squad "Nadezhda", formed by people distraught with grief, began an active search for an underground tunnel, which could become a refuge for the members of the film crew who found themselves in the disaster zone.
This camp, in which the parents of Sergei Bodrov (Valentina Nikolaevna and Bodrov Sr., living with their new wife in the United States), who did not lose hope of finding their son, also settled, searched for a possible refuge of the missing people for two years. Subsequently, Sergei's father abandoned the inheritance in favor of his son's widow. In the capital, the Bodrov Jr. family has a four-room apartment, a private house in Svetlana's homeland. The age of the youngest son of Sergei Bodrov is equal to the number of years since the tragedy that took the life of his father. And Alexander himself decided to devote his professional life to historical science, which his famous parent, who graduated from the history department of Moscow State University, was also fond of. In memory of Sergei Bodrov, the family trembles the legendary woolen sweater, in which the idol of millions of compatriots starred in the title role of Danila Bagrov.
In 2014, the eldest daughter of the famous actor and director Olga entered the theater university, where, on the course with Leonid Kheifets, she hones her skills of reincarnation. Her cinematic debut has already taken place when the aspiring actress starred in a short film. And Sergei's mother published the dissertation of her adored son, which made him a candidate of historical sciences. The scientific work is devoted to the art of the Renaissance.
Currently, Svetlana continues her professional career in television. For a long period of time she was engaged in directing in the TV project "Wait for Me", and now she works in the television company "VID". Some time ago, she was engaged in a private business. It is interesting that Svetlana never got married again, realizing that after marriage with such a brilliant person, any other options for her personal life are simply impossible. She leads a quiet life with her family, without attending public events and social gatherings.
