PHOTO: ZAHID HASAN ZIBON

“I would constantly observe Al Pacino’s performance — how he ate, spoke, expressed anger, vulnerability, and even silence. I tried to ‘consume’ his character in every possible way.”

SHARMIN JOYA

Known for her fluent and lively anchoring, Mousumi Mou steps into one of her most striking roles yet as Jenny in Chokro 2 , directed by Vicky Zahed. Portraying a character that balances innocence with an unsettling brutality, her performance has earned widespread praise from acclaimed personalities, firmly establishing her as a promising talent ready to take on bold, challenging roles.

“To begin with, the character itself was incredibly different,” shares the artiste. “When Vicky bhaiya first sat down with me, even before going into the detailed brief, he said, ‘Mou, this is a very different character—not something we usually see. It’s going to be difficult, and your role is completely grey. So first listen to the story, then decide whether you can actually pull it off.’”

When she heard the story, she was immediately intrigued. “The character is a blind girl, someone who, after a certain point, is perceived as extremely innocent, almost fragile, especially following an accident that takes away her sight. But then, as the narrative unfolds, there’s a transformation, and that shift was something entirely new for me.”

Mentioning that the preparation process was quite intense, she revealed that a director friend of hers suggested Mou watch Scent of a Woman (1992), and Vicky bhaiya also strongly recommended it. He simply told me, ‘Watch Al Pacino and absorb him. ’

“I would constantly observe Al Pacino’s performance — how he ate, spoke, expressed anger, vulnerability, and even silence. I tried to ‘consume’ his character in every possible way.”

At the same time, the ‘devil’ aspect of the character came from within. “I believe all of us carry a certain darkness, suppressed anger, frustration, unspoken emotions. I tried to tap into those parts of myself and channel them into that side of the character, and it’s needless to mention how cooperative my co-actors were, especially Tawsif Mahbub.”

There’s a thing about the director, she admits, that if the artistes couldn’t meet the director’s expectations, he won’t compromise. “What stands out is how deeply he belongs to every character, and creates his own world on the sets. Jenny was one of his personal favourites, and he told me that this role would be an Eid gift for me. I am grateful to him that he believed in me for this role.”

On a personal level too, the character stayed with her. “Jenny’s journey is about trust, vulnerability, and survival. It made me reflect on how easily we place blind faith in people and how important it is to value oneself, to be aware, and to choose the right relationships. Friendship, in particular, can shape your life in profound ways — for better or worse.”

She shares that directors like Srijit Mukherji, Maksud Hossain have sent her message praising her work! “It was really an honour for me that these talented filmmakers have extended their wishes and praised my work.”

Meanwhile, Mou was featured in the Eid drama Sakhina , directed by Abul Hayat. “I was really surprised to get a call from Dolly Zahur maa , she really appreciated my work.”

Before wrapping up, the conversation turned to an amusing coincidence. Many noticed Mou’s resemblance to Susmita Chatterjee, and when they finally met, it made for a delightful moment. “She’s warm and lively, and we instantly connected,” Mou shares. Since then, they’ve stayed in touch, exchanging messages and laughing over audience reactions. She added that Siam Ahmed had also pointed out the similarity. Recalling a funny incident, Mou said, “A couple who regularly watch my shows went to see Rakkhosh thinking I starred in it—only to realise later it wasn’t me, much to their surprise!”