Nayak Raj Razzak’s 2nd death anniversary observed

Eminent actor and one of the most iconic film-personalities of Bangladesh, ‘Nayak Raj’ Razzak’s 2nd death anniversary has been observed on Wednesday, reports UNB.
The beloved actor passed away on this day in 2017, at the age of 75.
Marking the occasion, the artiste’s family arranged a programme which includes offering prayers at the actor’s graveyard at Banani and milad Mahfil.
Also, to commemorate and pay homage to the legendary actor, various socio-cultural organizations including Bangladesh Film Artiste and Directors Associations placed floral wraths on the actor’s grave at the Banani.
Various organisations arranged programmes including discussion highlighting his remarkable life and works.
Several satellite television channels and Bangladesh Television aired his widely-popular movies to pay tribute to this legend of Bengali cinema.

Born on 23 January, 1942, at Naktala of South Kolkata, Razzak became a very popular actor in both Bangladesh and West Bengal. He started his career as a member of the troupe Rongo Shobha Natya Dal. Later in 1961 he went to Mumbai to get a diploma at the Filmalaya Film Institute.
During the Kolkata communal violence known as the infamous Hindu-Muslim riot in 1966, he came to Dhaka as refugee along with his family and thus his life in Dhaka began as a blessing in disguise.
Razzak started his struggling life in Dhaka from the very beginning as an actor and assistant director.
At this time, he worked in small roles in the successful films like Akheri Station and Tero Nombor Feku Ostagor Lane.
Legendary director Zahir Raihan finally gave Razzak first major break in his film Behula (1966) which launched him as the lead actor. Razzak was then serving as one of his assistants in the film’s set, and Zahir found him as the perfect one for the lead role.
Since then, his career skyrocketed towards success.
His successful journey continued with films such as Abirbhab, Moynamoti, Taka Ana Pai, Dorpochurno and Jibon Theke Neya which is widely acclaimed as the national cinema of Bangladesh.
He continued working on the films as a heart-throb in the industry with films such as Manusher Mon, Osru Diye Lekha, Ora Egaro Jon, Maynamati, Obujh Mon, Neel Akasher Niche, Chhutir Ghonta, Ashikkhito, Ki Je Kori, Boro Bhalo Lok Chhilo, Chandranath, Jogajog and Beimaan, to name a few.

He became the first action hero of the country with Zahirul Haq's Rongbaj, and by then Razzak's career started to become more versatile with ‘mold-breaking’ roles.
At that time, he was given the title ‘Nayak Raj’ (King of Heroes), by prominent journalist Ahmed Zaman Chowdhury who was the editor of famous film magazine Chitrali in 1973.
Besides his monumental success as an actor, Razzak also had a pioneering career as a producer and director.
He emerged as producer with the film Akankha in 1976 and debuted as a director with his film Ononto Prem in 1977.
He established his own production company Rajlokkhi Productions and made several films from the banner.
Razzak, throughout his versatile career, won Bangladesh National Film Award five times as best actor 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.
He was also awarded several lifetime achievement awards, most notably Indo-Bangla Kala Music Awards (2003), Bachshas Awards (2009), Meril Prothom Alo Awards (2014) and Tele Cine Awards in Kolkata (2017). He went on to become the first Bangladeshi actor to be a UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador.
Razzak later founded the Bangladesh Film Artistes' Association.
A devoted family-man, Razzak was married to Khairunnesa who was always called Laxmi by Razzak. Together they had three sons, Bapparaj, Bappi, and Samrat- and two daughters, Nasrin Pasha & Afrin Alam. His sons Bapparaj and Samrat became actors in the industry following their father’s glorious footsteps.