Shahanaz Khushi

She may not be a well recognised figure on the cultural circuit, but plays a popular role in the drama serial Ghor Kutum: that of the shrewish Gauhar. No wonder then that Shahanaz Khushi has often been questioned as to whether she resembles her character off screen.
Her response? “I often answer in the positive because that is what people want to hear. If I say no, I am met with disbelief," said the smiling actress to this correspondent.
“In the play, my brother-in- law (ATM Shamsuzzaman) forces me into marriage with a professional thief (Fazlur Rahman Babu). At one level, I despise my husband for what he is. However, at another level, I truly love him though I never let him know how I feel. I even take up cudgels with those who bad-mouth him. Mine is a multi dimensional, highly emotional character and I love the role,” she added.
Though she has become more visible over the last one or two years, she is not a newcomer to acting. She has been a regular theatre activist since 1994.
“I became acquainted with Arannyak Natyadal after my marriage to Brindaban Das; he was with the troupe then. I still remember Mamunur Rashid saying to me 'Boibahik Sutrey, you are a member of our troupe now,' when I first met him after my wedding. For eight years, I never missed a single day at Arannyak till I became a mother.”
Later, she joined Prachyanat and is one of the founder members of the group. At that stage, she was not attracted to the small screen. In her words, “ I was serious about the stage. I was disinterested in television as the form vastly differs from theatre acting. Moreover, those days it was a bit difficult to bag an important role on the screen. There was only one TV channel and the directors did not want to take the risk of casting newcomers. I had a brief appearance in drama serial Shilpi, directed by Mamunur Rashid, and that was all.”
According to Shilpi, the second innings of her acting career was the result of a collaboration with director Salahuddin Lavlu. Under his direction she acted in Warrant, Dholer Badyi, Kedara and other works. Her recent success in Ghor Kutum, where she plays one of the three sisters, has inspired her to seriously contemplate regular roles in the TV medium.
However, she would like to refine her acting skills. “ Another obstacle I face is to restrain my emotion while I act. When you are on the stage, you can give vent to your emotions. However, to have control over your emotion is an important aspect on the screen. Basically, I am very sentimental and often get emotional while acting. Sometimes this helps but it can be troubling. However, I want to learn to give my best on the screen, ” Khushi concludes.
Ghor Kutum, the popular serial is aired on Channel i every Friday and Saturday at 7.50 pm.