Bangladeshi filmmaker Mejbaur Rahman Sumon’s critically acclaimed film “Hawa” is the country’s submission to the Oscars amid reports that it is going to be released commercially in India. Bangladeshi actor Nazifa Tushi played the lead character Gulti in the film also starring the hugely popular Chanchal Chowdhury. The film about an all-men fishing trawler with a mysterious catch was screened with massive turnout in cinema halls in Kolkata in late October. Ahead of the film’s screening in the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival, India Blooms correspondent Souvik Ghosh catches up with Tushi
Q. What was your preparation for this role?
A. I went through a process in the phase between the look test and the commencement of shooting. My director wanted me to live in the character which I was playing. It was important for me to become Gulti in my personal life and not just during shooting.
My director wanted me to live the life of the character I played even off-screen. Hawa is not just a film for me, it has made me realise the senses of an actor’s life. This film will remain as an acting school for me.
Mejbaur Rahman Sumon (L) and Nazifa Tushi (R) | Image Credit: Avishek Mitra/IBNS
Q. How has life changed after Hawa as compared to the change you felt in life after Ice Cream?
A. There has been a great change. I have found the ways of life after Hawa. I always have had a passion for acting but was unaware of the lifestyle, all senses of an actor. I was almost a kid during Ice Cream but the way Hawa has been accepted gives me joy.
Q. How far is Gulti as a character from Tushi?
A. Gulti is far away from my personality. Gulti is a mysterious character which I felt initially could be justified only by a very seasoned and skilled actor.
Tushi in Hawa | Image Credit: Screenshot grab from YouTube
Q. Why did you take a break from acting after Ice Cream?
A. After Icrecream, I felt neither I was capable nor prepared to become an actor, so I finished my studies. In the meantime, I kept preparing myself and gaining knowledge about the kind of life an actor leads.
Q. You worked in theatres after featuring in Hawa? Did Hawa inspire you to do that?
A. Yes. Hawa is my first schooling as an actor. After Hawa, I realised I needed time for preparation. So I opted for workshops, masterclasses, and theatres. I still look for such opportunities.
I feel an actor should have knowledge of everything, be it romancing or flying an aeroplane. An actor becomes more confident with the development of her/his skill.
Nazifa Tushi | Image Credit: Avishek Mitra/IBNS
Q. Do you follow any actor’s work in Kolkata?
A. (Laughs) I love all who are working in Kolkata. I don’t follow anyone in particular. Likes are varied for me.
Q. What kind of roles do you wish to play in films?
A. I don’t want to play characters which are closer to my personality. I want to play those which would challenge me, excite me or terrify me. I would like to play something beyond my thinking. I don’t want to play regular characters.
Though a lot depends on directors and their offers, I always look for opportunities to play characters distant from me.
Nazifa Tushi | Image Credit: Avishek Mitra/IBNS
Q. After becoming runner up in the Lux contest (Bangladeshi reality show), you have come a long way to this success. How would you describe your feeling?
A. I always wanted to do acting. I have always participated in beauty contests. I was very fond of it. So since becoming runner-up in the Lux contest, it has been a long time to this point of my career.
(Images by Avishek Mitra/IBNS)
