“I Never Planned to Enter the Entertainment Industry; I Always Wanted to Do Business, But Life Had Other Plans,” Reveals Abdur Rahman!
Not every successful path in showbiz is mapped out from the beginning. Quite often, unexpected circumstances pivot individuals toward uncharted territories, leading them straight to their genuine passion. Writer, director, and producer Abdur Rahman’s entry into the entertainment world is a testament to this unpredictability. Driven initially by a desire to venture into business, he stepped into television out of a pressing need for employment, only for that unplanned step to turn into an incredible journey of learning, creative growth, and artistic discovery.
Talking about his initial days, Abdur Rahman shares, “Honestly, if you ask me whether I always wanted to be a part of the entertainment industry, the answer is no. I never planned this career. I always wanted to do business, but life had other plans. There were circumstances when I needed a job to survive, and that is how I accidentally entered this industry.”
He began his journey as an intern assistant director at Cinevistaas Limited with Hamari Betiyoon Ka Vivaah. Interestingly, opportunities to direct individual shots came his way within just six months. “I started as an intern assistant director on Hamari Betiyoon Ka Vivaah. Within six months, I started getting opportunities to direct individual shots. Sometimes, I would get a wide shot in the morning, and at other times, a close-up or a two-shot towards the last hour of the day’s shoot. For someone who had joined as an intern, these opportunities came quite early, and I was excited to learn and prove myself. But I also learnt something early in my career: when opportunities come your way, not everyone will necessarily be happy for you.”
His initial progress, however, was followed by an unexpected professional setback. Disagreements with the director’s associates eventually resulted in one of them refusing to work with him, leaving Abdur without a job. “My journey wasn’t a smooth one. I had disagreements with the director’s associates, and eventually, one of them refused to work with me. Suddenly, I was jobless. I had to find a way forward, so I decided to explore another department. I joined the production team as an Intern Executive Producer on Subah Kadam on Sahara One, featuring Mahi Vij.”
His move into production opened up new opportunities. He subsequently worked as an Intern Executive Producer on Jaane Pehchaane Se… Ye Ajnabbi, featuring the late Sidharth Shukla. Later, he joined Filmfarm India Pvt. Ltd. as an Executive Producer on Dil Se Diya Vachan, starring Neena Gupta and Gaurav Khanna. However, one of the most memorable phases of his career was his association with Uttaran.
“Uttaran holds a very special place in my heart. Producer Rupali Guha Ma’am gave me a platform and opportunities to prove myself. It was one of the biggest learning experiences of my career. I also got opportunities to direct a few scenes when the director couldn’t shoot them because of time constraints. Those moments meant a lot to me because they allowed me to explore another side of myself.”
By Keerti Kadam