The flick finally makes Union Home Minister the late Sardar Patel a hero and Qasim Razvi a villain (from the eyes of the director)!
A poster of the film 'Razakar'. (X)
Razakar: Silent Genocide of Hyderabad explores the inside story of the erstwhile Hyderabad state; from the dark chapters of Telangana’s history when Hyderabad was once gripped under fear as it was ruled by the seventh Nizam — Mir Osman Ali Khan.
Atrocities were committed against the people of Telangana by his most trusted man, Kasim Razvi.
The Islam religion was once shoved into the throats of people while the entire Indian sub-continent erupted in joy celebrating the Indian independence from the British.
The farmers in Telangana had been burdened with more taxes. Atrocities, rapes, and loot were committed against women.
The Standstill Agreement between the Indian government and the Nizam remained on paper.
What led the Congress leader Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to initiate police action against the Nizam government? How did the Exalted Highness late Mir Osman Ali Khan sense danger and shift all his wealth to England? What’s the fate of his trusted confidant Kasim Razvi — is the story.
Razakar fails to convey the people’s suffering during the Nizam’s rule. (X)
Yata Satyanarayana, a non-mainstream filmmaker who dabbled in a few documentaries, tries something “extraordinary” about Telangana’s history.
Razakar: Silent Genocide of Hyderabad is not certainly an expose. There is literature about what happened in the story and how the image of Nizam has been portrayed for decades. But Yata Satyanarayana’s perspective of seeing history is different.
It is high time that our filmmakers gave up this “commercial bracket” and narrated honest and real stories to audiences.
Too many touchups spoil the broth. In Razakar too, many commercial aspects eat up the aesthetic and artistic appeal of the story.
The movie attempts to highlight the instances of anti-Hindu violence in Hyderabad — How Razakars ill-treated the Hindus and how forcible religious conversions took place; how those who defied it would face torture, expulsion, or even execution.
Despite being made on modest budgets, the film rewrites another right-wing Hindutva narrative similar to The Kashmir Files (2022) and The Kerala Story (2023), albeit with less art.
The flick does not highlight the armed struggle or the Communist perspective in Telangana. Instead, it focuses on Kasim Razvi’s conspiracies with the Nizam, showcasing the atrocities of the Razakars against Hindus and their plot to convert Hyderabad into a Muslim state.
It depicts some major incidents illustrating widespread massacres of villagers by the Razakars, which resulted in numerous casualties, particularly in areas of Parakal, Bairampalli, Gundrumpalli, and Bhongir.
Interestingly, it highlights the roles of leaders who revolted against the Razakars — Chakali Ilamma, Narayana Reddy, Rajanna, and journalist Shoebullah Khan.
Yata Satynarayana’s directorial ‘Razakar’. (X)
However, the drama lacks emotional depth since it primarily focuses on action sequences. Ultimately, it fails to convey the people’s suffering.
Razakar unfolds from three perspectives but mainly presents the events without offering much new insight. Overall, it misses capturing the full extent of what transpired during that period.
The flick finally makes Union Home Minister the late Sardar Patel a hero and Qasim Razvi a villain (from the eyes of the director)!
However, it does not take into account the major role of the Communists who led the resistance against the Razakars. It was the communists who mobilised the people for rebellion.
Surprisingly, the movie avoids using the term “Telangana Armed Struggle” and omits many key leaders from the story.
The focus on Hindu-Muslim chaos persists throughout the movie, though it balances out towards the climax.
While a song honoured those who lost lives in the struggle, Razakar merely mentioned leaders’ names without acknowledging the contribution of the Communists.
Towards the end, the episode of the Indian Army heading to Hyderabad appears to create space to sideline the role of Communists, who had been actively involved from the beginning.
Razakar avoids using the term “Telangana Armed Struggle” and omits many key leaders from the story. (X)
Razakar: Silent Genocide of Hyderabad boasts an impressive cast.
Actor Raj Arjun should be hailed for his brilliant performance as Qasim Razvi.
Makarand Pandey, on the other hand, nails it with the mannerism of a tyrant — the Nizam of Hyderabad. He is equally natural in his role as Mir Osman Ali Khan as much as Raj Arjun as Qasim Razvi.
Senior actor Indraja as Chakali Illamma steals the show for a paltry 10-minute action episode.
Anasuya Bharadwaj as Pochamma and Bobby Simha as Rajanna try to amp up the heat. However, they make a cameo-like appearance in the fag end of the story.
The music scored by Bheems Ceciroleo serves as the film’s backbone.
Ramesh Kushender’s camera work is rich.
Director Satyanarayana pours his heart and soul into the film to tell “his perspective” of the Razakar’s movement.
Razakar: Silent Genocide of Hyderabad is a brave attempt to showcase a sensitive historical subject. But not everyone would vouch for the gore and violence depicted in the flick because of its right-wing Hindutva narrative.
The film is available in Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi and Hindi.
(Views expressed here are personal.)
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