Born in 1949, Mazahir Rahim graduated from the FTII (Film & Television Institute of India) in Direction. A multi-faceted personality, Rahim has been equally at ease with Directing Serials, Music Videos, Award-Winning Documentaries and Featurettes, Journalism and Editor for a newspaper.
Trained in Czech Republic for Multi-screen film projects, Mazahir started his career as a journalist for two leading newspapers in Pune – Maharashtra. (India) He went on to write a feature column PINT SIZE THIS WEEK for The Current, published by D.F. Karaka from Bombay. At his stage of life he joined the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, and was trained over three years as a Scriptwriter and Director. In 1970 he reached Bollywood and started making short films.
His first film was on the Bombay Police, OPERATION 100. His second film was on the WOMEN POLICE OF INDIA. He worked with several eminent Directors and then went on to be Chief Assistant to H.S. Rawail in his blockbuster – Laila Majnu among others.
Working with Films Division, Mazahir bagged 2 Prestigious National awards for his films - New Images & Mughal Garden in 1981. He also bagged a double nomination for This Is India & Mughal Gardens at the Karlovy Vary Festival in 1983. In Films Division he Directed and Scripted over 80 documentaries.
Satisfied with the accolades and recognition he had earned in Documentaries, Mazahir
took the plunge into Serials with his debut Direction and Production serial – Aur Bhi Hain Raahen (1986) for DD. This 19 part serial became a runaway success, hailed as a new benchmark and trendsetter for women’s issue programming. More Success followed with great hits like Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad (1991), a 6 part mini-series, Sunehre Waraq (1990), based on the lifestyles and poems of 5 great Indian poets, Tane-Bane (1990) and also directing sizeable episodes for Sanjay Khan’s epic – The Sword of Tipu Sultan (1991), Parivaar - a 30 episode soap, all for DD.
Among his Telefilms & Featurettes, Agar Aap Chahein (1992) fetched him the Silver Lotus at the National Awards for the Best Short Fiction Film. Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai (1986) for DD, Chakravyuh(1995), based on the agony of Coal Miners and Nawab Buta (1998), based on the conflicting traditional past and the modern are other features Produced and Directed by him. Besides this, Mazahir has directed several Music Videos for Merica/Thakral Entertainment and HMV. He has completed a feature film for CFSI, titled Ladli. He has also written the Dialogues and was Associate Director in the feature film Valentine Days.
In 2015 he wrote and Co-produced the feature film MANGO DREAMS. This film has won awards at Arizona International Film Festival, MAMI INDIA, Full Bloom Film Festival, CEBU International Film Festival (Phillipines). Reel Asia Film Fesitval, (UK), Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India, Kolkata International Film Festival, India and has been screened at many more festivals around the world. It was also premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival.
In 2007 Mazahir migrated to Canada and has gone on to direct several short films. Mazahir collaborated as Executive Producer with Thoughtlab Pictures in Toronto in their web series INVISIBLEME and their feature THIS IS NOT A LOVE POEM. He also completed the shooting of Alphan Pictures short feature NOT FOR SALE as the Producer and Writer.
He has also Produced, Edited and Directed the short film SISTERS, in collaboration with Street Relief Productions, Edited & Directed COURTNEY & CHESTER for Bill Sleno and NEVER AGAIN for Jagmohan Films.
His company Rahim Films Inc. has produced several award winning short films and four documentaries. The short films are THE PENITENTS, SAY NO FOR A KISS, THE DOLL’S POSTMAN, IN PLAIN SIGHT & A SEAT BETWEEEN US. The Documentaries are for SHUBH HELPING HANDS & for CULTURE LINK.
Mazahir also runs a filmmaking course under “Mazahir Rahim Academy of Film”, in Toronto. Five student films have been produced, VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED, DELUSIONS, CHOICES, LOVE SURVIVES & YOU & ME, under his tutelage and the sixth batch of the Bootcamp has just been completed.
Mazahir also acts in TV commercials and has performed three major roles for Theatre in Toronto in plays. At present he is in the process of shooting his feature film, a Indo-Canadian Co-Production for which the script and cast have been finalised.
My Links:
IMDB
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1586757/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
YOUTUBE
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJTiNrkelYrr09S6t5LH9XQ
Website
www.mazahirr.com
Linked-In
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mazahir-rahim-1b9a2229/
