Istanbul Attack Victim Abis Rizvi’s Legacy Is an Unfinished Film

Rizvi was in Istanbul with his friends to celebrate the new year. (Photo Courtesy: Facebook Abis Rizvi)

With a film already underway, Abis Rizvi went to Istanbul to bring in the New Year with his friends. Little did he anticipate that he would not be able to see his pet project come to life.

Rizvi was a filmmaker, producer and educationist from Mumbai, who was at the helm of affairs of the Rizvi group of companies, as its CEO, as Mumbai Mirror reported.

It was a lone wolf attack and a manhunt is on for the attacker.

Filmmaker, Builder, Educationist

Rizvi was the elder son of former Rajya Sabha MP, builder and educationist, Dr Akhtar Hasan Rizvi.

According to his Facebook profile, Rizvi attended MMK College in Bandra and St Stanislaus High School, one of the biggest schools in Mumbai. He was also linked with educational institutions that bore his family’s name.

Puneet Issar had been working with Rizvi on a film and had spoken to him two hours before the incident and was shattered to hear the news.

I spoke to him on 31 December at 10:45 pm and couldn’t believe it when I heard about his demise. I have written and directed a film called <i>He-Man,</i> which he is producing. We even saw the rough cut of that film together on 24 December.

The actor-director said that his bond with Rizvi had strengthened over the last two years, while working on the film.

He was a fantastic person and a lovely man. His friends swore by him.

Previously, Rizvi co-wrote and co-produced the film Roar – Tigers of Sunderbans, which was directed by Kamal Sadanah in 2014.

Refined, Polite Man

Abis’ family left for Istanbul following the attack. Sushma Swaraj got in touch with Dr Rizvi to arrange for the family’s visas, after the Ministry officials informed them about Rizvi’s death on Sunday.

Abis and his friends had been vacationing in Turkey for the past few days. Rizvi also had a younger bother, Saquib, who passed away in an accident in 2010.

Rizvi Educational Society mourns the death of its secretary Abis Rizvi in a terrorist attack in Istanbul on Sunday. Abis Rizvi was vacationing in Turkey when he fell victim to the heinous act. He is survived by his son, wife, and parents. The family requests privacy in this hour of grief.

Statement by Javed Rizvi, Trustee, Rizvi Education Society

The funeral is likely to take place in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Abis’ close associate said the builder had a large residential project in Malad’s Hanuman Tekri.

I am shocked. He was refined and very polite.

Contractor

Condolences Pour In

Brothers Naved Jafri and Jaaved Jaaferi of Boogie Woogie fame were close to Rizvi and posted condolence messages on social media.

Raveena Tandon also visited the late filmmaker’s family in Mumbai and tweeted out her condolences.

(Source: The Times of India, Mumbai Mirror,Financial Express)