Khan, Mahfuzur Rahman
Khan, Mahfuzur Rahman (1949-2019) National Film Award winning cinematographer, actor, producer. He was born on 10 May 1949 at Hakim Habibur Rahman Khan Road, Chawkbazar, Lalbagh, Dhaka. This road was named after his grandfather Hakim Habibur Rahman Khan. His father’s name is Hakim Irtiza-ur-Rahman Khan. Mahfuzur Rahman Khan was the eldest among 6 brothers and 3 sisters. His uncle Irtifa-ur-Rehman Khan was a renowned director and producer of Bengali films in the 1960s and 1980s. Besides, the famous film directors Abu Noor Mohammad Ehteshamur Rahman and Mustafizur Rahman were his cousins.
Mahfuzur Rahman Khan became interested in cinematography while studying at school. At that time, he took pictures with his father’s camera and started filming. To learn cinematography, he went to the sets of film director Zaheer Raihan’s movie, ‘Let There Be Light’. Besides, he went to the sets of cinematographers and directors Abdul Bari Chowdhury and Abdul Latif Bachchu and acquired various skills of filming. At the same time, he worked as an apprentice under Abdul Latif Bachchu. He worked under Latif Bachehu as an assistant cinematographer on ‘Darpachurna’ in 1970 and ‘Swaralipi’ in 1971.
Mahfuzur Rahman Khan received his bachelor’s degree in 1972. This year he started his artist career as a lead cinematographer as well as an actor in the main character in films. His films include ‘Jallader Durbar’ (1972) directed by Abdullah Al Mamun, ‘Amar Janmabhumi’ (1973) directed by Alamgir Kumkum, ‘Alo Chhaya’ (1974) directed by Mustafizur Rahman, ‘Daabi’ (1974) directed by Dilip Biswas, ‘Chalo Ghar Bandhi’ (1974) directed by Professor Nurul Alam), ‘Ekaler Nayak’ (1975) directed by Sirajul Islam Bhuiyan, etc. Although he gained fame in his acting career, he could not devote fully to this field. Gradually he turned to filming.
Mahfuzur Rahman Khan’s first film as chief cinematographer was ‘Kancher Swarga’ (1973) directed by Abul Bashar Chunnu. Later, he filmed hundreds of films with many directors including Humayun Ahmed. Notable among his films are ‘Jhumka’, ‘Amar Janmabhumi’, ‘Abhijan’, ‘Chapa Dangar Bou’, ‘Mahanayak’, ‘Shahajatri’, ‘Jokar’, ‘Veja Chokh’, ‘Chashir Meye’, ‘Janma Mrittu’, ‘Ghetu Putra Kamala’, etc. He traveled to many countries including India, Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia for shooting films.
Mahfuzur Rahman Khan won the Bangladesh Film Journalists Association (Bachasha) award in 1983 for filming ‘Princess Tina Khan’. He received such awards in several times.
He won the first National Film Award in Cinematography category for ‘Abhiyan’ (1984) directed by Nayek Raj Razzak; Azharul Islam Khan’s ‘Shahajatri’ (1987)’ Humayun Ahmed’s ‘Shravan Megher Din’ (1999), ‘Dui Duari’ (2000), ‘Amar Chai Jal’ (2008) and ‘Ghetu Putra Kamala’ (2012).
Mahfuzur Rahman Khan married educationist Nirafat Alam Shipra in 1978. He passed away on 6 December 2019. [Moniruzzaman Shahin]
