Zahid Hasan, the popular actor who rose to fame in the 1990s, who makes audiences laugh, cry and overflow with emotion on screen, possesses an equally sharp sense of humour in real life. Throughout his long acting career, fans and well-wishers have witnessed that side of him many times.
In a recent conversation with Prothom Alo, Zahid Hasan once again displayed his wit while discussing his wife, dancer and actress Sadia Islam Mou, his family, children and his personal life. He shared lighthearted stories of their married life while also revealing some of his hidden feelings.
Like many football fans, Zahid Hasan gets caught up in the excitement whenever the FIFA World Cup comes around. As an Argentina supporter, he has been a fan of Maradona since childhood and was later mesmerized by Messi's performance. However, this time, he hopes for Portugal to win the title, saying he would be disappointed if one of the world's greatest footballers, Cristiano Ronaldo, never gets to lift the World Cup trophy.
On the other hand, his wife, Sadia Islam Mou, is a Brazil supporter. This often leads to arguments between the two regarding the game. However, these "fights" never last for long as Zahid Hasan jokingly said, "Can anyone ever win against women?"
Speaking further on his experiences, Zahid Hasan said, "It turns out she will bring up things I said ages ago. I can’t even remember what I said thirty minutes ago. They even remember what happened in 1952, while I can barely recall what she told me just a moment ago. At best, I can only give a sort of synopsis.”
During the conversation, the actor highlighted another humorous side of his married life. According to him, his wife frequently reminds him that real life and acting are not the same thing.
Zahid said, "If I say to someone, 'You look very beautiful,' she says, 'You say that to everyone, don't you, bro?' Again, when I'm talking to Mou in a certain way, she goes, 'You don't have to talk like that, there's no camera here.'"
Zahid Hasan has also faced a fair share of teasing from his family due to his romantic scenes on screen. He shared that his two children, Puspita and Purno, have been making funny comments about their father's profession since childhood. His daughter once asked whether he actually looked at the faces of the actresses to whom he said “I love you” in dramas. Also why he had to deliver such lines in the first place. His son would make similar remarks.
Zahid Hasan said he enjoys such reactions from his family and finds them entertaining rather than uncomfortable.
During the conversation, Zahid Hasan shared a deeper reflection on his life. In his view, the most difficult acting doesn’t happen in front of a camera, but rather in trying to appear normal while hiding one’s pain.
Zahid said, "I feel that when I am in pain, I have to act the most. There was one kind of pain in my childhood, another in my university years. It still exists now. I may be working on a mission and it’s not succeeding, or people are behaving in a way that doesn’t help me. Even in those moments, I act intensely. I might be dying inside from the pain, yet I try to keep a smile on my face. Later, I go to the mosque and cry, or sit somewhere alone feeling upset."
Zahid Hasan loves to make people laugh. However, his perspective on famous comedians from home and abroad is somewhat different. “If I ever meet someone who keeps people constantly entertained with laughter, I would first try to understand that person’s sorrow,” he said. “I always try to know, understand and see the backstory of the person. I have a deep desire to see the grief and pain hidden behind the laughter.”