Mazlum Çimen

Mazlum Çimen — Biography

Mazlum Çimen was born on 18 June 1958 in Elbistan, a district of Kahramanmaraş, Turkey. The son of noted Alevi folk musician Nesimi Çimen, he trained at the ballet department of the Istanbul State Conservatory and later performed as a dancer with the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet before turning his attention to music through folk-song compilations.

Over a career spanning more than three decades, Çimen built a reputation as a composer, violinist and actor, scoring music for numerous films, series and documentaries while also appearing on screen in productions such as Gönlümdeki Köşk Olmasa, Anlat İstanbul, Yahşi Batı and Kağıt. Known as well for his Turkish folk-music recordings, he has continued to take on roles in the 2025 television series Halef: Köklerin Çağrısı.

After recovering from a heart attack in the summer of 2024, Çimen has remained active in both his musical and acting work.