Abdur Razzak

Mohammad Abdur Razzak, known professionally as Razzak, was a prominent actor, producer, and director who worked extensively in Dhallywood cinema. He achieved massive success throughout his career and earned the title "Nayak Raj Razzak" from Ahmed Zaman Chowdhury. This nickname, which translates to Razzak: The King of Heroes, was introduced by the editor of the film magazine Chitrali.

Early life and education

Razzak was born in Naktala, South Kolkata, on 23 January 1942. His parents, Akbar Hossain and Nisarunnesa, both passed away during his early years. He initially joined the Rongo Shobha Natya Dal troupe under the leadership of Chhabi Biswas. In 1961, he traveled to Mumbai to earn a diploma at the Filmalaya Film Institute.

The 1964 Calcutta riots created significant difficulties for his professional work. Consequently, he moved to Dacca that same year to enter the developing East Pakistani film industry. He secured employment at Iqbal Films with Abdul Jabbar Khan and assisted in the production of Ujala with Kamal Khan. Razzak performed small roles in the films Akheri Station and Tero Nombor Feku Ostagor Lane.

Career

Zahir Raihan selected Razzak for the lead role in the film Behula in 1966. At that time, Razzak was serving as an assistant to the director. He appeared in several films such as Abirbhab, Moynamoti, Taka Ana Pai, Dorpochurno, and Jibon Theke Neya in 1970. Following the 1971 Liberation War, he continued his work with Manusher Mon, Ora Egaro Jon, and Osru Diye Lekha.

Razzak achieved a major breakthrough when he acted in the 1974 action film Rongbaj, which was directed by Zahirul Haq. He appeared in more than 300 Bengali and Urdu films throughout his life. He worked alongside many famous actors including Anwar Hossain, Bulbul Ahmed, and Sohel Rana. He also shared the screen with actresses such as Shabana, Bobita, Kabori, and Sujata.

His work extended into production and direction. Razzak made his directorial debut in 1977 with the film Ononto Prem. He established his own company, Rajlokkhi Productions, and produced his debut film Akankha in 1976 under the direction of Subhash Dutta. He also founded the Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association.

Razzak became the first Bangladeshi actor to serve as a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador. He maintained a prolific presence in the industry for many decades. He died on 21 August 2017 in Dhaka.

Personal life

Razzak married Khairun Nesa "Lokkhi" on 2 March 1962. The couple had three sons named Bapparaj, Bappi, and Samrat. They also had two daughters, Nasrin Pasha and Afrin Alam.

Awards and recognition

He won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actor five times. These honors were granted for his performances in Ki Je Kori (1976), Ashikkhito (1978), Boro Bhalo Lok Chhilo (1982), Chandranath (1984), and Jogajog (1988). The government of Bangladesh also presented him with the Independence Award in 2015.