A legendary star of Bangladesh film industry

Abdur Razzak was a famous Bangladeshi actor and film director.  He is referred to as 'Nayak Raj Razzak', a title given by Ahmed Zaman Chowdhury, editor of the magazine Chitrali.  Razzak was born on 23 January 1942 in Naktala of South Kolkata, India.  His father was Akbar Hossain and mother was Nisarunnesa.


Both of them died at early ages. He joined the troupe Rongo Shobha Natya Dal led by Chhabi Biswas. In 1961, he went to Mumbai to get a diploma at the Filmalaya Film Institute. He and his family fled to Dhaka as refugees during the Calcutta communal violence in 1966. In Dhaka, he found work at Abdul Jabbar Khan's Iqbal Films, and assisted in Kamal Khan's Ujala. He then worked in small roles in the films Akheri Station and Tero Nombor Feku Ostagor Lane.


In 1966, prominent Bangladeshi novelist, writer and filmmaker Zahir Raihan was looking for someone to play the lead role of his new film 'Behula'. He chose Razzak who was then serving as one of his assistants. Razzak went on to act in films including Abirbhab, Moynamoti, Taka Ana Pai, Dorpochurno and Jibon Theke Neya (1970). After the 1971 Liberation War he continued working on the films Manusher Mon, Ora Egaro Jon and Osru Diye Lekha. Razzak got his major breakthrough by acting in the action film Rongbaj (1974), directed by Zahirul Haq.

He has acted in leading roles with many prominent actors, including Anwar Hossain, Bulbul Ahmed, Sohel Rana, Ilias Kanchan, Shuchanda, Shabana, Bobita, Kabori, Sujata, Shabnam and others. He appeared in a number of films opposite actress Shabana. He went on to make more than 300 appearances in Bengali and Urdu movies.

Razzak won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actor five times for his roles in the films Ki Je Kori (1976), Ashikkhito (1978), Boro Bhalo Lok Chhilo (1982), Chandranath (1984) and Jogajog (1988). He was awarded the 'Independence Day Award' in 2015 by the Government of Bangladesh.

Razzak was married to Rajlokhhi.  Together they had three sons, Bapparaj, Bappi, and Samrat, and two daughters, Nasrin Pasha & Afrin Alam.  Razzak made his directorial debut in 1977 with the film Ononto Prem. He created his own production company Rajlokkhi Productions. He went on to become the first Bangladeshi actor to be a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador. He later founded the Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association.

This great artist breathed his last on 21 August 2017 in Dhaka. But he will remain alive in the hearts of Bengali people due to his enormous contribution to Bengali film.