HYDERABAD: A Limca Record for playing a key role in producing, directing, composing, screenplay, art direction, costume designing and at least 10 more crafts in making of a film. No, this is not a joke. Yes! Syed Rafi, hailing from Husnabad in Siddipet district of Telangana has bagged it.
The desire for appreciation and recognition has brought this man a Limca Record Certificate and citation; and an impulse to succeed was is the biggest inspiration. Although his mother tongue is Urdu, he made two Telugu movies: Madhuram, which was released on July 12, 2002 and Inkennallu, which was released in 2011. Inkennallu also won Nandi Award for the best supporting actress.
The multitasker had started his career as a singer as soon as he finished his graduation. He was greatly inspired by AR Rahman and K Vishvanath. His first album, Dard ki Muskan whose recording was done in 2001, was not only sung by Rafi but also composed by him.
Soon after this, he realised his potential, owing to the awards he won in extra-curricular activities he had won in school/college, and decided to make a movie. He had his goals clear, not to enter mainstream cinema industry.
So, with the help of the little money, and great ambition, he started working on Madhuram. At the final stage, he faced a lot of criticism from the censor board, who gave him a list of 50 cuts. Nonetheless, with great hard work and determination, he released his first movie all over the Telangana state in 2002. He then made Auvnu Nizame which was produced by Satya Narayana, because of which it has not been mentioned in the Limca record certificate. After a small break he came back in 2011 with Inkennallu in which he again worked for 16 crafts.
“The only reason to take up such a humongous task of playing roles in 16 crafts was to ‘learn’ all the crafts,” says Rafi. “My fathers’ non-interference was my biggest support,” he laughs. “But on a serious note, my father has always been a great pillar of strength and Inkennallu wouldn’t be possible without him,” says Rafi.After Inkennallu, Rafi got distracted and went off-filmmaking for a while. But how he is in back and taken up full time film-making. He also has two movies in line for back to back release. He is coming up a socio-political thriller in November which is supposed to be the sequel as well as an end to the story of Inkennallu and with a non-cliché love story in the early future.