TA Razzaq, renowned scriptwriter for almost 30 Malayalam films, died on Monday night (August 15) in Kochi at a private hospital. He was 58.
Razzaq had been admitted to the hospital on July 28 for a liver-related ailment.
Razzaq forayed into cinema in late 1980s, as an assistant director to AT Abu in Malayalam film Dhwani. In 1991, he became a scriptwriter, debuting through Mohanlal starrer Vishnulokam. In 1996, his film Kanakkinavu won the Kerala State Film Award for Best Screenplay and Best Story. In 2004 and 2002, he won the Kerala State Film Award for best story for Perumazhakalam and Aayirathil Oruvan respectively. His other notable films include Ghazal (1993) and Thalolam (1998).
His directorial debut, Moonnaam Naal Njaayarazhcha, starring Salim Kumar, Jyothi Krishna and Babu Antony, was released this year. The film dealt with social issues and the nuances of religious conversions.
“The consequences of religious conversion can be pretty grim, as M.T. Vasudevan Nair showed us all those decades ago in his novel Asuravithu. I have seen instances of religious conversion in my own village. One of my neighbours and his family converted to Islam. Prior to the conversion, in a completely unrelated incident, one of his sons had fled the village after getting into trouble with the law. I wondered how he would react if he returned home to find his family practicing a different religion. My film originated from that thought,” he said in an interview with The Hindu.
Razzaq’s younger brother, TA Shahid, was also a noted scriptwriter who wrote hit films like Balettan (2003) and Rajamanikyam (2005). He passed away in 2013.
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Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was among those who offered their condolences at Razzaq’s passing. “Razzaq’s demise is a big loss for the Malayalam film industry,” he said. Noted actors Mohanlal, Mammootty, Manoj J Jayan, and directors Sibi Malayil, Shaji Kailas, Priyadarshan extended their condolences to the bereaved.
Razzaq’s body will be kept for public viewing at Kozhikode town hall today.
Photo Courtesy: Madhyamam.com