Born in Dushanbe, Soviet Union, now Tajikistan, in 1965. He worked for Tadjikfilm Studios as a journalist and assistant director, from 1982 to 1984, and studied at the Moscow Film Institute (VGIK). In 1991 he made his first feature film Bratan (1991). He also made Odds and Evens (1993), winner of a Silver Lion in Venice Film Festival, Luna Papa (1999, 24th Mostra), The Suit (2003), Tanker Tango (2006) and Waiting for the Sea (2012, 37th Mostra). Bakhtyar died in Berlin in 2015.
