Dubai: Award-winning Malayalam script writer and director T.A. Razzaq, who passed away in the south Indian state of Kerala on Monday, was known for exploring themes of human virtues and relationships.
His demise has come as a big blow to the Malayali community in the UAE as he left without completing two UAE-based films, the stories of which were expected to have profound effect on the community, his friends told Gulf News.
|
|
T.A. Razzaq |
Razzaq, who won four awards wrote scripts for 15 films, was working on a movie based on the life of Ashraf Thamarassery, an Indian expat renowned for repatriating thousands of dead bodies home, and another one titled Uppappa (Grandpa) which tells the story of an Emirati man who weds a Malayali woman.
“They were projects that were very close to his heart,” his close friend and Dubai-based cinematographer Anil Eswar told Gulf News.
“Uppappa was in fact his dream project. We have seen many movies depicting Arab weddings that used to take place in Kerala’s Malabar region in the past. This story in fact shows the other side of the coin and narrates a very touching story of human relations beyond the borders,” explained Anil, who has worked with Razzaq on two films including the latest one which saw the latter in a directorial role.
He said Razzaq had even finalized some scenes in the movie when he was on a hospital bed a few months back.
He has worked on about 30 movies as a script writer, story writer and dialogue writer. He has also directed one movie.
In 1976, he won the state award for best screen play and best story for the movie Kanakkinavu. It went on to win the National Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration.
Razzaq won the state award for best story for the movie Aayirathil Oruvan in 2002.
Another acclaimed movie Perumazhakkalam, which was also inspired by the stories of expat Keralites in the Middle East and the diya system here, got the state award for best story for Razzaq and a National Award for Best Film on Social Issues in 2005, among various other awards.
About Ashraf Thamarassery’s story, he said, Razzaq was inspired to make a movie after reading a book on the former’s heartbreaking experiences of dealing with dead bodies and people who have lost their loved ones.
The book Paretharkkoraal (One for the departed) was written by UAE resident Basheer Thikkodi . “One of the real life stories narrated in the book had captivated him [Razzaq] and he wanted to make the movie based on that,” said Anil.
Still in disbelief that Razzaq himself has departed from this world, an upset Ashraf said it was a great personal loss to him. “We all thought he will fight it out and be back in good health. I really don’t know what will happen to the movie now. I just know that if it comes out, it will sensitize more people about a social issue and could have an impact in making some changes in people’s attitude.”
Though it is too early to talk about completing the unfinished works of Razzaq, Anil said he and other close friends of Razzaq would definitely strive to ensure that those films hit the screens one day.
“We [friends] cannot leave it like that. It is our duty to complete his wish. I am sure we will find a way to do those movies,” he said.
