Montazur Rahman Akbar is a Bangladeshi
film director
A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...
,
screenwriter
A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based.
...
,
producer,
social activist
Activism (or Advocacy) consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in Social change, social, Political campaign, political, economic or Natural environment, environmental reform with the desire to make Social change, changes i ...
and
entrepreneur
Entrepreneurship is the creation or extraction of economic value. With this definition, entrepreneurship is viewed as change, generally entailing risk beyond what is normally encountered in starting a business, which may include other values th ...
. He is known for his work in the
Bengali-language film industry, which is centered in
Dhaka
Dhaka ( or ; bn, ঢাকা, Ḍhākā, ), formerly known as Dacca, is the capital and largest city of Bangladesh, as well as the world's largest Bengali-speaking city. It is the eighth largest and sixth most densely populated city ...
,
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
.
Akbar also fought in the 1971
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War ( bn, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ, , also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, or simply the Liberation War in Bangladesh) was a revolution and War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Benga ...
.
After directing multiple plays, Akbar worked as an assistant director on the films ''
Chhutir Ghonta'' and ''
Janata Express'' under directors
Matin Rahman and
Azizur Rahman Azizur Rahman ( ar, عزيز الرحمن ) is a male Muslim given name, meaning ''dear to the Most Gracious''. It may refer to:
* Azizur Rahman (poet) (1917–1978), a Bangladeshi poet and lyricist
* Azizur Rahman Mallick, known as A R Mallick ...
, respectively. He worked as an assistant director from 1979 to 1990.
Akbar became a director in 1991. He has worked with actor
Manna
Manna ( he, מָן, mān, ; ar, اَلْمَنُّ; sometimes or archaically spelled mana) is, according to the Bible, an edible substance which God provided for the Israelites during their travels in the desert during the 40-year period follow ...
on 22 films, writer
Abdullah Zahir Babu
Abdullah may refer to:
* Abdullah (name), a list of people with the given name or surname
* Abdullah, Kargı, Turkey, a village
* ''Abdullah'' (film), a 1980 Bollywood film directed by Sanjay Khan
* '' Abdullah: The Final Witness'', a 2015 Pakis ...
on 46 films, actor
Dipjol
Monowar Hossain Dipjol ( bn, মনোয়ার হোসেন ডিপজল) is a Bangladeshi actor, businessman, and former ward commissioner. He is a current vice-president of the Bangladesh Film Artists' Association.
Early life
He ...
on 19 films and editor Amzad Hossain on 24 films. Akbar has written screenplays for some of his films. He founded the production companies
Nayan-Apon Production and Star Plus, and he is co-founder of
Panorama Movies. Akbar's films introduced various actors, including Dipjol,
Popy
Popy (ポピー) was a Japanese toy manufacturer of the 1970s and early 1980s. The company was owned by Bandai. It was founded in 1971 and merged back into the parent company in 1983. The company is best known for its groundbreaking Chogokin robot ...
,
Keya Keya may refer to:
*Kolya, Iran, a village in Mazandaran Province
*Keya Creek (Chinese: 客雅溪; pinyin: Kèyǎ Xī), a creek in northern Taiwan
* KEYA, a National Public Radio member public radio station in Belcourt, North Dakota
* Atanas Keya, ...
,
Riya Sen
Riya Sen (born Riya Dev Varma; 24 January 1981) is an Indian actress and model. who predominantly appears in Hindi, Bengali, English, Telugu and Tamil films.
Sen comes from a royal background; her father Bharat Dev Varma hails from the royal ...
, Shakiba, Songita,
Antara Biswas
Antara Biswas (born 21 November 1982), better known by her stage name Monalisa, is an Indian actress. She has done mostly Bhojpuri language films, and has also appeared in Hindi, Bengali, Odia, Tamil, Kannada and Telugu language films. She wa ...
and
Puspi, to
Dhallywood
The Bangladeshi Cinema, better known as Dhallywood ( bn, ঢালিউড), is the Bengali-language film industry based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It has often been a significant film industry since the early 1970s. The dominant style of Bangl ...
.
Akbar served as an executive board member of the
Bangladesh Film Producers and Distributors Association and the
Bangladesh Film Directors Association The Bangladesh Film Directors Association is the pan-national trade body of film directors in Bangladesh. The association's general secretary is Badiul Alam Khokon. Mushfiqur Rahman Gulzar is the president of the association.
Controversies
On 30 Ju ...
.
He founded a development NGO, Prochesta, and a theater organization, Drama Circle.
He has also directed television commercials and serial dramas. Akbar has appeared as guest judge for multiple television programs. He also runs several
business enterprise
Business is the practice of making one's living or making money by producing or buying and selling products (such as goods and services). It is also "any activity or enterprise entered into for profit."
Having a business name does not separat ...
s.
Personal life
Family
Akbar's parents were Kabir Uddin Mondol and Rupjan Bibi. His father was a businessman and two-time elected union council member for the
Awami League In Urdu language, Awami is the adjectival form for '' Awam'', the Urdu language word for common people.
The adjective appears in the following proper names:
*Awami Colony, a neighbourhood of Landhi Town in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan
*Awami Front, wa ...
division in
Joypurhat District
Joypurhat ( bn, জয়পুরহাট জেলা, ''Joypurhat Jela'', also ''Joypurhat Zila'') is a district in the northern part of Bangladesh. It is one of the 8 districts of Rajshahi Division.
History
Ancient history
Joypurhat was ...
. His mother was a housewife. Akbar has three sisters and three brothers. One of his brothers, Istofa Rahman, was a cinematographer.
Akbar married Mariam Rahman on 13 March 1978, and they have three sons. Akbar's oldest son, Apu Monwar, is a news editor for
Ekattor Television.
Military career
Akbar fought in the
Bangladesh Liberation War
The Bangladesh Liberation War ( bn, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ, , also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, or simply the Liberation War in Bangladesh) was a revolution and War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Benga ...
in 1971. He served
Sector 7 Sector Seven, Sector 7, or variations thereon may refer to:
* Sector 7 (book), ''Sector 7'' (book), a wordless picture book created and illustrated by David Wiesner
* Sector 7 (film), ''Sector 7'' (film), a 2011 South Korean 3D science fiction acti ...
under Sector Commander
Quazi Nuruzzaman
Kazi Nuruzzaman Bir Uttom (24 March 1925 – 6 May 2011) was a Bangladeshi war hero and secular nationalist, who served as one of the principal commanders of the Mukti Bahini during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He also rejected Bir Uttam Award a ...
and Group Commander Saidur Rahman. Akbar trained at Panikhoni in
Siliguri
Siliguri, ) is a major tier-II city in West Bengal. It forms twin cities, "Twin Cities" with the neighboring district capital of Jalpaiguri. The city spans areas of the Darjeeling district, Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts in the Indian sta ...
, India.
Education
Akbar attended Akkelpur FU Pilot High School in 1973 and Akkelpur MR Degree College in 1975. He received a
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...
degree from
Joypurhat Government College in 1977. While in college, he worked in his father's fish business and distributed fish across northern Bangladesh.
He was also an active member of
Bangladesh Chatro Union at that time.
Philanthropy
Akbar is the executive director of a
non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...
(NGO), Prochesta. He founded Prochesta in 2000 in his hometown, Joypurhat. Prochesta works with various partner organizations to improve sanitation, drinking water supply, and infrastructure in Joypurhat and nearby districts.
Prochesta also spreads information about basic hygiene practices such as hand washing.
Career
19701989
During the 1970s, Akbar participated in his local theater group, ''Chantara Club,'' and his college theater group, ''Akkelpur MR College Club''. Between 1973 and 1978, he directed many stage dramas, including ''Pagla Garod, Sidur Niyona Muche, Ek Mutho Vat, Dayie Ke, Malar Prem'' and ''Nowab Siraj Ud Dowla''. Akbar was an active member of the Bangladesh Chatro Union in the 1970s. He was also worked for his father's fish wholesale business at that time.
In the 1980s, Akbar worked as assistant director under
Azizur Rahman Azizur Rahman ( ar, عزيز الرحمن ) is a male Muslim given name, meaning ''dear to the Most Gracious''. It may refer to:
* Azizur Rahman (poet) (1917–1978), a Bangladeshi poet and lyricist
* Azizur Rahman Mallick, known as A R Mallick ...
on several films, including ''
Chhutir Ghonta'', ''Janata,'' ''Express'', ''Mayer Achol'', ''Mehman'', ''Mohanogor'', ''Jontor Montor'' and ''Sonar Tori''. He also worked for
Matin Rahman on various films, including ''Lal Kajol'', ''Jibon Dhara'', ''Radha Kishna'' and ''Birangona Sokhina''. He worked with Zillur Rahman on ''Tokdirer Khela,'' ''Miss Lolita,'' ''Achol Bondi,'' and ''Sukh Tara.'' In 1989, Akbar was a special correspondent for ''Weekly Nipoon,'' a weekly entertainment magazine published in Dhaka.
19902000
Akbar's worked as a director for the film ''
Nyay Juddho'' in 1991. In 1992,
Ilias Kanchon and
Diti
Diti ( sa, दिति) is a daughter of the ''Prajapati'' Daksha in Hinduism. She is a wife of the sage Kashyapa and the mother of the demonic race Daityas and the divine group of Marutas.
Legend
According to the ''Puranic'' scriptures,
Di ...
acted in Akbar's film ''
Chakor
The chukar partridge (''Alectoris chukar''), or simply chukar, is a Palearctic upland gamebird in the pheasant family Phasianidae. It has been considered to form a superspecies complex along with the rock partridge, Philby's partridge and Prze ...
.'' Akbar's first job as a director was for the film ''Takar Pahar,'' which had a delayed debut in 1993. ''Takar Pahar'' was produced by Anwar Hossain Afjal, the older brother of
Dipjol
Monowar Hossain Dipjol ( bn, মনোয়ার হোসেন ডিপজল) is a Bangladeshi actor, businessman, and former ward commissioner. He is a current vice-president of the Bangladesh Film Artists' Association.
Early life
He ...
.
Also in 1993, he directed ''Prem Dewana'', produced by
A. K. M. Jahangir Khan under his banner Alamgir Pictures. He also directed ''
Disco Dancer
''Disco Dancer'' is a 1982 Indian dance film, written by Rahi Masoom Raza and directed by Babbar Subhash. It stars Mithun Chakraborty and Kim in leading roles, with Om Puri, Gita Siddharth and Karan Razdan in supporting roles with Rajesh Kh ...
'' and ''Babar Adesh'' for Alamgir Pictures. In 1996, Akbar directed the films ''Baghini Konna'', ''Khalnayok'', ''Bashira'' and ''Shoitan Manush''. In 1997, he directed ''
Coolie
A coolie (also spelled koelie, kuli, khuli, khulie, cooli, cooly, or quli) is a term for a low-wage labourer, typically of South Asian or East Asian descent.
The word ''coolie'' was first popularized in the 16th century by European traders acros ...
.'' The film grossed 70 million with a budget of 12 million, making it the highest-grossing Bangladeshi film of 1997.
The actress
Sadika Parvin Popy
Sadika Parvin Popy (born 10 September) known mononymously as Popy, is a Bangladeshi film actress. She won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actress three times for the films ''Karagar'' (2003), ''Megher Koley Roud'' (2008) and ''Gangajatra ...
made her debut in ''Coolie''. Later in 1996, Akbar cast
Mousumi for the romantic film ''Andha Bhalobasha'' and the Alamgir Pictures film ''Amar Maa''. In 1998, Akbar directed ''
Shanto Keno Mastan,'' starring
Manna
Manna ( he, מָן, mān, ; ar, اَلْمَنُّ; sometimes or archaically spelled mana) is, according to the Bible, an edible substance which God provided for the Israelites during their travels in the desert during the 40-year period follow ...
. The film grossed 50 million against a budget of 9 million. Akbar also directed 5 films for Arman Production. Akbar directed the Indo-Bangla joint venture film ''Moner Moto Mon'', it didn't do well commercially. ''Moner Moto Mon'' was Akbar's third collaboration with Bony Pictures, after his earlier work as an assistant director on the Bony Picture films ''Miss Lolita'' and ''Radha Kishno''.
In 1999, he was the advisor director for Helal Khan's film ''Asha Amar Asha.'' That same year, Akbar directed the films ''Ke Amar Baba,'' ''Bhoyongkor Bishu,'' ''Moger Mulluk'' and ''Lathi.''
20002009
In 2000, Akbar and Monjurul Hassan co-founded the production company
Panorama Movies. Akbar produced and directed ''
Kukkhato Khuni
''Kukkhato Khuni'' is a Bangladeshi Bengali language film released in 2000. The film is directed and produced by Montazur Rahman Akbar. The film is based on the biography of Ershad Sikder. Although the director did not admit it. The story of the ...
'' for Panorama Movies. The movie grossed 350 million with a 9 million budget, making it the highest-grossing Bangladeshi film at that time. ''Kukkhato Khuni'' premiered on 89 screens and was released as a negative format film. A print was hijacked in
Gabtoli; it was then reprinted and delivered to a booked hall.
Arman Production's second film was ''Gunda Number One''. His next film was ''Mone Pore Tomake,'' which introduced
Riya Sen
Riya Sen (born Riya Dev Varma; 24 January 1981) is an Indian actress and model. who predominantly appears in Hindi, Bengali, English, Telugu and Tamil films.
Sen comes from a royal background; her father Bharat Dev Varma hails from the royal ...
to mainstream cinema.
In 2001, Akbar established a distributorship of the electronics brand
Walton Walton may refer to:
People
* Walton (given name)
* Walton (surname)
* Susana, Lady Walton (1926–2010), Argentine writer
Places
Canada
* Walton, Nova Scotia, a community
** Walton River (Nova Scotia)
*Walton, Ontario, a hamlet
United Kingdo ...
in Joypurhat under ''Apu Electronics Bazar'' (20012014).
Rituparna Sen Gupta and
Ilias Kanchon were cast in ''
Chairman
The chairperson, also chairman, chairwoman or chair, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the grou ...
,'' another film directed by Akbar. Arman Production's third film, ''Kothing Bastob'', which introduced
Keya Keya may refer to:
*Kolya, Iran, a village in Mazandaran Province
*Keya Creek (Chinese: 客雅溪; pinyin: Kèyǎ Xī), a creek in northern Taiwan
* KEYA, a National Public Radio member public radio station in Belcourt, North Dakota
* Atanas Keya, ...
, was directed by Akbar. He also directed ''Rongbaz Badsha'' and ''Bhoungkor Sonstrasi'', the latter of which was banned by censors.
In 2002, he produced and directed ''Bhayanok Songghorso'' and an Arman Production film ''Major Saheb.'' He also directed a Dipjol film, ''
Dhakaiya Mastan''. Akbar directed three further films that year: ''Arman'', ''Mastaner Upor Mastan'' and ''Aghat Palta Aghat''. In 2003, he produced and directed ''Bachao,'' ''Top Somrat'' and the Dipjol film ''Kothin Shimar''. He directed ''Bouer Somman'', produced by
Mousumi. Akbar also wrote songs for the film ''Big Boss.''
In 2004, Akbar directed ''
Bostir Rani Suriya,'' with lead actors
Sadika Parveen Popy,
Shakib Khan
Masud Rana ( bn, মাসুদ রানা), better known by the name Shakib Khan ( bn, শাকিব খান) born 28 March 1979) is a Bangladeshi actor, producer, occasional singer, film organiser, and media personality who works in B ...
and
Dipjol
Monowar Hossain Dipjol ( bn, মনোয়ার হোসেন ডিপজল) is a Bangladeshi actor, businessman, and former ward commissioner. He is a current vice-president of the Bangladesh Film Artists' Association.
Early life
He ...
. In 2005, he directed ''Bhoyonkor Raja'' and ''Action Lady''. In 2006, Akbar founded
Nayan-Apon Production. He made the films ''System,'' which came out in 2006, and ''Nishidhdho Prem,'' released in 2007 and produced by his wife Mariam Rahman. Akbar also directed ''Dushman Khotom'' in 2006 and ''Kukkhato Nuru'' in 2007. In 2008, Akbar founded StarPlus, where he produced and directed ''Babar Jonno Joddho''. In 2009, he directed ''Kajer Manush,'' directed by Dipjol. ''Kajer Manush'' was a hit at the box office, and it won the Janatar Niswas Personality Award. Akbar later directed ''Tumi Amar Swami'' in 2009. He was also a guest judge on television reality programs ''Super Hero Super Heroin'' (
NTV NTV may refer to:
Television
* NTV (Bangladesh), a Bengali-language satellite television channel in Bangladesh
* NTV (India), Telugu regional channel
* NTV (Kenya)
* NTV (Mongolia), a television channel based in Mongolia
* NTV (Newport Televis ...
).
20102020
In 2010, Akbar directed and produced ''
Top Hero
''Top Hero'' is a 1994 Telugu-language drama film, produced by Mulpuri Venkatrao and Achanta Gopinath under the Sri Chitra Creations banner and directed by S. V. Krishna Reddy. It stars Nandamuri Balakrishna, Soundarya and music is also compo ...
'' with
Shakib Khan
Masud Rana ( bn, মাসুদ রানা), better known by the name Shakib Khan ( bn, শাকিব খান) born 28 March 1979) is a Bangladeshi actor, producer, occasional singer, film organiser, and media personality who works in B ...
. He and Dipjol cast Mayer Chokh and Rikshawalar Chele for his next films, ''Evabey Bhalobasha Hoy.'' The film used songs by singer S.D. Rubel. The film was successful at the box office. In 2011, Akbar directed the Dipjol films ''Chotto Songsar'' and ''Bajarer Coolie''. That same year, he was a guest judge on ''
Mirakkel
''Mirakkel'' is an Indian reality show on Zee Bangla hosted by Mir Afsar Ali and directed by Subhankar Chattopadhyay. It is produced by Subhankar Chattopadhyay Productions. The show features stand-up comedians judged by Paran Bandyopadhyay, ...
Akkel Challenger'' (2011) on the channel
Zee Bangla
Zee Bangla is an Indian general entertainment pay television channel broadcasting in the Bengali language. It is owned by the Zee Entertainment Enterprises. It is the first Bengali-language satellite television channel in India, officially com ...
. In 2013, Akbar directed the
Jaaz Multimedia
Jaaz Multimedia is a film production and distribution house in Bangladesh.
History
2011-2014: Initial Years
Jaaz Multimedia released their first film, ''Bhalobasar Rong'' starring Bappy and Mahiya Mahi, in 2012. In 2013, Jaaz Multimedia rele ...
film ''
Tobuo Bhalobashi
''Tobuo Bhalobashi'' ( bn, তবুও ভালোবাসি) is a Bangladeshi Bengali-language film. It is directed by Montazur Rahman Akbar. It stars Mahiya Mahi, Bappy Chowdhury, Amit Hasan (villain), Sohel Rana, Diti, Asif Iqbal, and ...
''. Akbar switched to television and directed his first TV drama, ''
Pakhal,'' which aired in 2013.
He directed package dramas ''Golden Swarna'', ''Bracelate'' and ''Kuasha.'' He also directed the drama serials ''Kaji Saheber Tin Putro'' and ''Pakhi Ebong Mnushera''. He directed television commercials and documentaries such as ''Agency Greenland Training Center'', ''Decent Holding'' and ''Hiton TV.'' In 2013, he was a guest judge on ''
Voice of the Nation'' which premiered on
Ekushey Television
Ekushey Television ( bn, একুশে টেলিভিশন; , in reference to 21 February), also known by its acronym ETV, is a Bangladeshi Bengali-language privately owned satellite and cable television channel owned by S. Alam Group of ...
.
In 2014, Akbar produced and directed the low-budget films ''
Age Jodi Jantam Tui Hobi Por'' and ''My Name Is Simi''. After the success of the Walton showroom, he took distribution of
Pran under the trading corporation Mariam Traders later that year. In 2015, he produced and directed
''Bojhena Se Bojhena'', which was neither very successful nor very unsuccessful at the box office. He also set up the furniture brand Furniture Village. In 2016, Akbar returned to the mainstream media with the film ''Nawab Siraj-Ud-Dowla,'' produced by United Club in Jamalgonj Theatre in Jamalgonj, Joypurhat.
In 2017, he directed ''
Dulavai Zindabad'' which yielded average box office returns. He also established a fashion house called Cholte Cholte, which lasted from 2016 to 2017.
In 2018, Akbar founded the theater group
Drama Circle in Joypurhat, Bangladesh. His first film under the group was ''Swadhinota Amar Maa.''
He also directed multiple short films, including ''Obohela,'' ''Riksawalar Shopno'', ''Mobile Recharge'', ''Ekti Premer Mrittu'', ''Ekjon Medhabi Chatrir Mrittu'' and ''Dance Teacher.'' He also directed 53 episodes of the
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''Ekdin Protidin''.
2021–present
he is producing the films ''My Darling'', ''
Ayna'', ''Kajer Chele'', Manush Keno Omanush, ''Banglar Hercules, Jemon Jamay Temon Bow, Ghor Vanga Songsar''.
Kazi Shaheber Tin Putro premiered in
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
.
Works
As theater director
As television director
As producer, director, writer
As web series director
As assistant director
As television commercial director
Awards and honours
References
External links
*
Montazur Rahman Akbaron Bangla Movie Database (in Bangla)
Montazur Rahman Akbaron
Facebook
Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin M ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Akbar, Montazur Rahman
Living people
People from Joypurhat District
Bangladeshi film directors
Bangladeshi theatre directors
Bangladeshi film producers
Year of birth missing (living people)