Behind every filmmaker’s journey are experiences and people who influence the way they understand their craft. For writer, director and producer Abdur Rahman, his association with Rahul Kumar Tewary during Begusarai became one of the most defining chapters of his professional life. From learning the business side of television production to eventually developing more than 20 stories and establishing his own production house, ABD Productions, Abdur’s journey has been shaped by continuous learning, patience and the determination to tell stories of his own.
After his association with Uttaran, Abdur joined Swastik Productions and worked on Begusarai. It was here that he met Rahul Kumar Tewary, whom he fondly considers his teacher. “After Uttaran, I joined Swastik Productions and worked on Begusarai. That was where I met Mr Rahul Kumar Tewary, whom I fondly call my teacher. If I look at the person I was when I entered the industry and the person I became while working with him, there is a huge difference. He helped me grow from being an impulsive person into someone who understood business, responsibility and the importance of looking at the bigger picture. I owe a great deal of my professional growth to him. For me, Rahul Sir was not just someone I worked with; he was someone who shaped the way I think.”
His association with Rahul Sir also influenced his decision to move to Umbergaon to work on RadhaKrishn. “My love for Lord Krishna, along with my respect for Rahul Sir, was a big reason behind that decision. I wanted to be associated with a story that meant something to me personally.”
Abdur spent around six to seven years in Umbergaon, from RadhaKrishn to Chand Jalne Laga. “Life there could be monotonous, and with very little to do outside work, I started investing my time in writing and developing stories. What began as a way to keep myself occupied gradually became something much more meaningful. Over those six to seven years, I developed more than 20 stories across different formats.”
He always wanted to create stories that were relevant to their time and could leave a lasting emotional impression on audiences. However, getting those stories made proved to be a challenge. For another four to five years, he approached people, explored opportunities and tried to find someone who would believe in his concepts. “What made it harder was that, professionally, people knew me as someone who could execute a vision and bring someone else’s story to life. But I wanted people to see me as a storyteller, too. I had stories of my own, and I wanted the opportunity to bring them to the screen. Slowly, I realised that if I kept waiting for someone to give me that opportunity, I might keep waiting forever.”
That realisation eventually led to the birth of ABD Productions. “That’s when I decided to take the leap myself. If I wanted to tell my stories, I had to find a way to make them happen. And that is how ABD Productions was born. ABD stands for Ambition, Believe, Dream. For me, these three words reflect how I have approached life. I have always had ambition, but ambition alone is not enough. You have to believe in yourself, especially when things don’t work out, and others may not see what you see.”
“I had spent years developing stories for television, films and web series, but perhaps I was too attached to the formats I had originally imagined for them. Maybe it was time to look at my stories differently. Hence, I decided to adapt my web-series concepts into vertical micro dramas. I reworked ten of my stories for this format, and that decision opened a new door for me.”
The decision eventually gave him an opportunity to create two original vertical series for a reputed company, working as a writer, director and producer. Although both projects are yet to be released, he considers the experience an important milestone. “Sometimes, you don’t have to give up on your dream. You just have to find a different way to bring it to life.”
