Mehazabien Chowdhury is a renowned actress celebrated for her remarkable performances and versatility on the small screen. Over her 13-year career, she has acted in 490 different productions, including single-episode dramas, serials, and OTT platform projects. Her first drama, Tumi Thako Sindhu Pare, remains a cherished memory for her.
Recently, Mehazabien shared a photo on her Facebook page alongside her co-star, reminiscing about that debut performance. She wrote, “Thirteen years ago today, my first drama aired. My first co-star was Mahfuz Ahmed Bhai, and it was directed by Iftekhar Ahmed Fahmi.”
Interestingly, Mehazabien never imagined herself acting in dramas. Having grown up abroad, she wasn’t even fluent in Bengali at the time.
On January 22, 2010, Mehazabien won the title of Lux Channel i Superstar and returned to her hometown in Chattogram. Shortly after, Channel i offered her an acting role. Despite her inexperience with the Bengali language, Mehazabien faced the challenge head-on.
Realizing that staying idle after winning a prestigious competition wasn’t an option, she decided to take the plunge into acting. That decision marked the beginning of her successful journey in the drama industry.
In an interview with Prothom Alo, Mehazabien said, “They explained to me very well that the entire story revolved around my character. It’s the story of a girl who returns to Bangladesh from abroad and gradually integrates into the local culture. The main focus is on how she adapts. I was reassured that my lack of fluency in Bengali wouldn’t be an issue. I would receive full support during the shoot. That’s what convinced me to come to Dhaka. But before the shoot even began, I faced more challenges.”
Mehazabien shared, “I thought I would receive the script before the shoot and have time to practice. But in reality, I didn’t get the script beforehand. This worried me a lot, and I became anxious about how I would perform in front of the camera.”
She further said, “The shoot was scheduled for the end of January. Just two days before, I was told to bring some salwar kameez and sarees. However, since I hadn’t received the script, I had no idea which outfits would suit the character. Additionally, I wasn’t aware that I had to buy my own costumes. This financial aspect was also a concern, which added to my nervousness.”
Recalling her first day of shooting, Mehazabien said, “Despite my fear and nervousness, I went to the shooting location with my mother. The first day’s shoot was at Dhanmondi, TSC, and Charukola. Once the work started, my fear gradually subsided. I learned that Fahmi Bhai and his team don’t provide scripts to the actors; that’s just their working style. Initially, it took multiple takes to get each scene right. However, the director was never annoyed. Instead, he patiently explained each scene and guided me through it. That’s when I realized how talented Fahmi Bhai truly is as a director.”
Her co-star in this debut drama was the renowned actor Mahfuz Ahmed. Mehazabien mentioned that she hadn’t watched any of his dramas before the shoot. However, she had heard from her parents that Mahfuz Ahmed was a highly popular and gifted actor.
Recalling the humorous experience of acting alongside Mahfuz Ahmed, Mehazabien said, “Back then, I couldn’t speak proper Bengali. Because of that, we had to retake scenes multiple times. Mahfuz Bhai was a bit irritated. Apparently, he thought to himself, ‘This girl has no future.’”
Mehazabien added, “In 2018, I interviewed Mahfuz Bhai for my YouTube channel. At that time, he admitted that his initial impression of me was wrong. During the interview, he said, ‘Mehazabien, you proved me wrong. Now I’m proud of your career and your acting.’ Even now, when we meet, he jokes about those early days.”
Speaking about her success, Mehazabien shared, “Reaching this point from my first drama is not solely my achievement. After that first drama, many directors and co-artists literally guided me step by step — how to deliver dialogues, express emotions, and perform on screen. It’s because of their contributions that I am the Mehazabien of today.”
She further revealed that she earned 15,000 BDT for her first drama performance.
