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Film fraternity condoles Altaf Mazid�s death

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, April 16 - Condolences poured in from different quarters of the film industry at the untimely death of noted film critic and director Altaf Mazid, especially from his ilk (director).

Mazid passed away in Bengaluru recently following a cardiac arrest.

National award winning director Jahnu Baruah said, �I knew him even before he made his debut as a director. He had even interviewed me as a journalist. As a director, he made films with strong subject lines. His demise came as a shock to me. I had great expectations from Altaf, the director. It is an irreparable loss to the film industry.�

�Altaf had a strong penchant for thriller plots and I first came across a story written by him in a magazine. Later I came to know that it was the same Altaf Mazid who by then had become a noted director,� said Utpal Dutta, director and a close acquaintance of Mazid.

�It is said that every director should don the role of a critic at least once and vice versa, to understand the nuances of filmmaking. Altaf did both with ease and passion. It is a massive loss for the film fraternity. His passion for cinema was unparalleled,� Dutta said.

National award winning Assamese film director Munin Barua too expressed grief at the demise of Altaf Mazid and said that his dedication to cinema was unmatched.

�I met him a few times. Despite being a person from an altogether different field, Altaf carved a niche for himself and gave the industry some quality works. His cinema will continue to have a lasting influence on every cinema buff,� Barua said.

Mazid, 59, died in Bengaluru on Wednesday following a cardiac arrest. He is survived by his wife and daughter. Mazid took the initiative to screen the digitised version of Joymoti, the first Assamese film made by Jyotiprasad Agarwala in 1935, at different film festivals.

He made a number of documentaries and films, including Byoktigata Aru Goponio (1992), Jibon (1998), Lakhtokiat Golam (2001), Our Common Future (2002), The Joy of Giving (2004), Las Vegasat (2004), Bhal Khabar (2005), Crazy on the Rocks (2007), Kunir Kutil Dosha (2008), Boliya Pitair Sohoki Sotal (2008), Chitra Sutram (2010) and Rahashyar Bitchaku.

In 2008, Mazid was awarded the Rajat Kamal (national award) for his documentary Boliya Pitair Sohoki Sotal and also won the Swarna Kamal as best film critic. In 2014, he was conferred the Sonali Sankha award for his 40-minute documentary Rahashyar Bitchaku.

Mazid also served as a jury member in several film festivals, including the International Film Festival of India (IFFI).

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