Cultural Correspondent
Razzak, fondly called ‘Nayak Raj’, made tremendous contributions to Bangla cinema, and won the hearts of millions over the years. The National Award-winning actor has also earned fame as director. He lived an illustrious life. Today marks the seventy-eighth birth anniversary of Nayak Raj Razzak. Marking this day, a 90-minute long documentary film on the late legendary actor named ‘Rajadheeraj Razzak’ will be aired on Channel-i today at 5.20pm. The film hailed as the first biopic on the actor has been directed by media personality and agricultural activist Shykh Seraj. It was premiered on Channel i on August 17 last year.
The documentary features the life-story of Razzak, his struggles, journey to stardom and contributions to local film industry. It contains a special interview of Razzak taken chiefly for the docu drama by Shykh Seraj years before the actors death. It also has his rare photographs, excerpts from films in which he acted and songs of these films along interviews of his friends, colleagues and family members about him. The interviews include those of actress Bobita and Kobori. It also details how the actor grew up in Kolkata and reflections of people there about him.
Born on January 23 in 1942 at Nagtola in Taliganj of Kolkata, Razzak had a knack for acting from his schooldays and worked on stage in those days. He acted in minor characters in Kolkata-based film industry before he migrated to Dhaka in 1964. Subsequently, he started working with some film production companies and got a breakthrough as an actor by means of Zahir Raihan’s Behula (1966) after which he did not have to look back.
Eventually, Razzak became the most popular face in the film industry. At the zenith of his career, he got the epithet ‘Nayak Raj’.
Some of his notable works are- Abirbhab, Bashori, Etotuku Asha, Nil Akhasher Niche, Je Agune Puri, Moinamothi, Dwip Neva Nai, Sharalipi, Ashikkhit, Chutir Ghanta and more. In his long and eventful career, Razzak acted in more than 300 films. His film Jiban Theke Neya is still considered a masterpiece of Bangla cinema.
Razzak died on August 21, 2017.
