VIRENDERA RAZDAN (1951-2003)
Known to his friends as Vir Ji,
Virendra Razdan was born into a middle-class family at Sutra Shahi (near Neelam
cinema) in Srinagar. His father, Pandit Govind Ji Razdan, was also into Leela and
Sufiana singing. Accordingly, Virendra developed a keen interest in singing
from his childhood days. About his acting, noted actor Pran Chandra has this to
say:-
“He was a great friend. He was a very good singer. Singing was his
hobby, and he would sing Talat, Rafi and Mukesh songs with ease. Initially, he
was not interested in acting. Very reluctantly, I brought him to the Sangam
Theatre. He had a passion whereby he would give his hundred per cent to
anything that he would do. Very soon, he became a sought-after actor. At Sangam
Theatre, he played important roles in Kashmiri plays like Gaasha-taarukh, Zuv
Ta Zaatuk, Ropayi Rood and Kaejj Raat. He was also an approved artist of Radio
Kashmir, Srinagar. Pran Kishore Ji was also impressed by his acting. If I
remember correctly, Pran Kishore Ji used his voice for an advertisement for a
circus company that had come to Srinagar. Moti Lal Kemu had recommended two
names for NSD admission from J&K State. I was one while the other happened
to be Virendra. I couldn’t go due to some domestic problems, but he went to NSD.
After 1990, I met him in Jammu, as well as his in-laws lived at Barnai–Bantalab
Link Road near Kangra Fort. He would come to Jammu every year.”
At NSD (Delhi), he was trained by
Ebrahim Alkazi, the doyen of theatre in India. Alkazi remained the Director of
the National School of Drama, New Delhi (1962–1977). Impressed by his work,
conduct and skills, Ebrahim Alkazi
wanted him to join NSD as a lecturer but Razdan decided to go to Pune to do
an advanced course in acting from FTII.
Alkazi was a noted art connoisseur, collector and gallery owner, and
founded the Art Heritage Gallery in Delhi with his wife, Roshen Alkazi. As
director of the National School of Drama, he shaped the course for modern
Indian theatre, establishing links between traditional vocabulary and modern
idiom.
It was during 1979-80 that Sir Richard
Attenborough visited India in search of talented Indian actors for his upcoming
movie ‘Gandhi’. Attenborough visited
NSD as it was the biggest premier Institute for acting and discovered Virendra.
Attenborough liked his voice and acting skills. In 1983, he was cast for
Maulana Azad’s role in the biographical film ‘Gandhi’ directed by Attenborough. Thereafter, he was seen in
various roles in television series like Darpan, Dillagi, Majdhaar, Ehsaas,
Saahil, Jab Apne Huve Paraye, Saaye Deodar Ke, Aasmaan Se Aagey, Kanoon, Yug,
Junoon, Zameen, Aurat, Parvarish, Mahayodha, Vishnu Puran, Vishwamitra, Ek
Kahaani, Katha Sagar and Bharat Ek Khoj, amongst others. He also played some
good roles in films including Zanjeer, Jaan Lada Denge, Prakope, Karan, Aaja
Meri Jaan, Zulm Hi Zulm, Bub, Sharat, Vaasta, Yaadon Ki Kasam, and Yaar Meri
Zindagi.
Mahabharat’s 1988 cast featured
actor Virendra Razdan as Vidur. According to the mythological epic, Vidur was a
Maha-Mantri of Hastinapur, a very sagacious and impressive character. In the
Mahabharata, Vidur was Dhritarashtra and Pandu’s brother. He was notably known
for his devotion to Dharma (righteousness). Mahabharata describes him as the
wisest man in Bharatvarsha. At the initial stage, actor Nitish Bharadwaj was expected to play Vidur; however, B R Chopra personally intervened and
selected Virendra Razdan. About Virendra
Razdan, noted actor Mukesh Khanna says this:
“I had lots of scenes with Virender Razdan. Nice actor and a very nice
human being too. God rest his soul wherever he may be. All scenes between
Bheeshm and Vidur were excellently written by Late Rahi Masoom Raza Sahib.”
About Virendra Razdan, well-known film and TV
actor K K Raina has this to say:-
"Dear Avtar Ji, it is very difficult for me to say anything about
Virendra, I still can’t accept the fact that he is no more. I miss him every
minute. He went to the FTII to do a Film
Appreciation course organised by NSD, only as part of the training. When he came
to Mumbai, we joined the Surnai theatre run by Ila Arun. He did remarkable work in the theatre in Mumbai. Some important plays that he did at Surnai are: Riyaz,
Beech Bhanwar Mein and Agni-leek. He
remained a core member of Surnai till his last days. Virendra was more than a
friend to me, like my brother; our families were connected in some kind of a
relationship. Yes, he had a wonderful voice and hypnotic personality that
impressed everyone. It was an experience to watch him perform on stage. We did
some TV series together. His untimely death was a great blow to all of us in Surnai,
and for me it was a great loss. I lost my brother, my friend, a confidant and
well-wisher. I am in touch with his two sons; Sunny and Bunny, both married and
of course his wife Usha Ji, who is like a
sister to me."
About Virendra Razdan, Padamashri Pran Kishore Kaul
says this:-
“I was mesmerized by his voice. I remember how he became a part of the
long chain of drama artists of Radio Kashmir, Srinagar. I first saw him in the
stage play Gaasha Taarukh written by the prolific writer Sajood Sailani for the
Annual Drama Festival of the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. His
voice and impressive personality were his assets. I always had him in mind and
wanted to utilize his talent when I moved from radio to film and television.
God gave me the chance and I cast him in my TV serial ‘Saaye Devdaar Ke ‘. As expected, he gave a
memorable performance, one of his best. It was a delight to spend a few weeks
with him when we were shooting for it in Chail near Shimla in Himachal
Pradesh."
( Virendra Razdan doing theatre in Srinagar ...Photo source ..Pran Chandra ) ( Virendra Razdan doing theatre in Srinagar ...Photo source ..Pran Chandra )
About Virendra Razdan, Mumbai-based film producer and director, M Y Bhat has this to say:-
“He was a pious and noble soul. I sincerely miss him. He was a gem of a person, a gentleman, a great actor and a good friend. It was a pleasure to work with him. I liked his God gifted voice. He had a fantastic role in my film ‘Zanjeer the Chain’. He did justice to his role and performed very well. Virendera and K K Raina used to visit singer Illa Arun's apartment often for rehearsals of the play. He would visit my home whenever he used to come to our building. A young man lost his life too early, and we lost a versatile actor too. I liked the company of Virendra, who was like a saint."
Bihari Kak, noted actor and producer, had this to say:-
“We worked together in the Bub movie. I spent some days in his company. I had seen him in Srinagar doing theatre, but he had matured a lot. He would read good literature and carry some books with him to shooting locations. He had an amazing voice. He was the definition of a gentleman. Never did he speak ill of any person. He was pained about what had happened in Kashmir and how Pandits had to leave their homes and hearths.”
Virendra was a lover of Kashmir, his motherland. Before 1990, he would join his family in Kashmir, taking a break from his busy work schedule in Mumbai. In 1990, his family had to leave Srinagar, and after a brief stay in Jammu, they moved to Mumbai to live with him. He felt pained to see the plight of his friends and relations who had to leave everything behind in Kashmir to save their lives.
He was a thorough gentleman who remained away from all vices, including cigarettes, liquor and women. He was shy and avoided the limelight and glamour. He died quite young after being diagnosed as suffering from cancer of the stomach at an advanced stage. He leaves behind his wife and two sons who live in Mumbai. The family had to struggle hard and presently his children are well-settled and happily married. His family lives in Mumbai. Virendra Razdan died young . And about such young people, Friedrich Nietzsche rightly said:-
" Though the favourites of the Gods die young, they also live eternally in the company of Gods."
(Avtar Mota )
PS
This is a copyright material included and published in the second edition my book ," The Bright Stars of the Foggy Nights" available at Amazon and Flipkart in India and also at Amazon worldwide .
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