Luftar Paja, comedian, People’s Artist, was born in Gorishovë, Mallakastër. After finishing high school, he participated in amateur theater performances in Patos (1960–1968). In 1963, he attended the one-year acting studio at the People’s Theater. In 1968, he started working as a professional actor in Fier variety show (“estrada”). Luftar Paja had prominent comic data, expressive mimicry, used the provincial speech of Myzeqe, Mallakastra, Labëria with humorous effects, etc.; he is a master of portraying many figures who came from diverse social strata, especially those with folkloric colors. In 1993, he moved to the National Theater where he worked until he retired. He performed about 300 roles in the theater, stage and film, most of them leading roles. His roles are well-known, such as Çobo Rrapushi in”Çobo Rrapushi me shokë” (“Çobo Rrapushi with friends”), Gani Llapa in “Rrufe nga mali”(“Thunderbolt from the mountain”) Ballisti Refat in “Luftë e ngatërruar” (“Complicated war”), Osip in the comedy “The Government Inspector” by Gogol, etc. He played in the films “Këshilltarët” (“The advisors”) and “Guna mbi tela” (“Habiliment on wires”)etc. He received the first prize three times in the competitions of professional variety shows, while at the Humor Festival (May 1996) he was named “Best career actor”. (In the photo: Luftar Paja)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 3 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2009, page 1914.
Photo: © Albanian Telegraphic Agency
Graphic processing: AHCF
