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Eventful innings

In conversation with Dolly Zohur

Shah Alam Shazu
The dearth of accomplished artistes has created a void in the acting arena — with most newcomers seeking a shortcut to fame and stardom. In this rat race, some names transcend above others, such as Doily Zohur, whose reputation is cemented in the hearts of audience and critics alike. The Daily Star (TDS) recently had a chat with the talented actress on a gamut of subjects.
TDS: You are a reputed and respected actress. How did your journey in the media begin?
Dolly Zohur: I was born and raised in the capital's Green Road area and became an active member of the Mukul Fouj troupe as a child. I became involved with cultural activities very early in my life — going to stadiums on special days, doing children's shows on the radio, dancing and acting in school productions. Finally, acting held my attention.
My father was always supportive of my extra-curricular activities. I began acting for TV plays after I got married. My husband Zohur, who was a TV actor, helped me find a foothold in the media.
I entered the theatre world with Natya Chakra and Kothok, before joining Aranyak I also joined Chhayanaut when I was a student at Dhaka University but couldn't be regular.
TDS: Did you become busy with television after this?
Dolly Zohur: That story is a bit different. My father didn’t want me to act on TV as there was no one to escort me to the shooting spots. After I married Zohur, I found a route to join the fleet of TV actors.
My first performance was in a one-hour drama "Manik Roton”. Late Yusuf Abdullah Imam was looking for a new face who could play the role of an SSC student from a middle income family. He asked Alimuzzaman Dulu if he knew someone and Dulu bhai suggested "Zohur's wife”. A couple of us went for rehearsals with Yusuf bhai, but he told everyone to leave and asked me to wait. It was like an exam. After a while he told me to return the next day at 4pm and handed me a script.
After that there were many performances, with "Shokal Shondha" being my first popular serial, followed by "Eishob Din Ratri”.
TDS: Your multi-dimensional talents have allowed you to try out different mediums such as TV, film, radio and theatre. Which is your favourite?
Dolly Zohur: It was the stage that gave me much creative contentment. On the stage I got a chance to connect with the audience and get their direct reaction. Television does not allow that.
TDS: Many consider your portrayal of Shondha Rani in the Bangla Theatre production “Manush” as a landmark in your career. Do you agree?
Dolly Zohur: That character, Shondha Rani, was brilliantly written. I was working with Kothok when Bangla Theatre was casting for “Manush”. But Kothok did not have any regular shows at the time. One day Mamunur Rashid came to me with Fayez Zahir and said that he wanted me to play Shondha Rani in "Manush”. He insisted that I do the role, saying he had me in mind when he wrote the play.I asked for some time after hearing the story, but Mamun bhai kept insisting. He left the script with me and promised he would return the next day. His endless convincing finally forced me to change my mind about doing the play. Whenever I tried to wriggle out of the commitment and tell Mamun bhai to go with someone else, he told me that he wouldn't do the play without me. I received much praise for my portrayal of Shondha Rani in "Manush” — both in the country and abroad. Another of my favourite works on stage is Manik Bandopadhyay's “Pragoitihashik”, where I played the wife of Bagdi.
TDS: Nilu, the role you played in “Eishob Din Ratri”, became an ideal daughter-in-law/ sister-in-law to the TV audience. How did you feel about that?
Dolly Zohur: "Eishob Din Ratri” gave me recognition and audience appreciation at an unparalleled level. With the airing of each episode came a tide of praise. I remember that after only four or five episodes were aired, the serial's producer Mostafizur Rahman had to go overseas. So after recording a couple of episodes in advance, Zohur and I also left for Ajmer, India on a short vacation. As soon as we landed at the Kolkata airport, a group of people recognised me from the TV serial. A boy came up to me and asked if I was the actress from the serial. Later we went to New Market [in Kolkata], where a couple of people kept passing us and glancing. They also recognised me and wanted to be sure if I was really Dolly Zohur. "Eishob Din Ratri” was seemingly very popular in Kolkata at that time.