Dhallywood actor becomes full-time businessman at Gausia market
Once a busy Dhallywood actor, Shahin Alam, has become a full-time businessman at Gausia market in the capital city.
A tragic incident in Shahin Alam's life changed him completely. He went out for his business in that night when he was informed that his only daughter, aged just 18, hanged herself from the ceiling fan due to poor results in examination. She was a college student. Shahin Alam rushed home, but he could not save her.
Following the incident, the film actor decided to leave acting profession for good. He left the entertainment world and became a full-time businessman. He appeared in the film ‘Daroyaner Chhele’ for the last time. The film was directed by Rakibul Alam.
“Film industry started collapsing when the control of films went to the producers instead of directors. Producers requested me many times for ‘vulgar shot’, but I never agreed. Later, they shot ‘cut-pieces’. They used my closeup in the scene. When I asked them, they used to tell me we had no option, brother. The passion for film fizzled out. How long can you survive in your profession if you do not have passion for that?” said Shahin Alam.
Shahin Alam’s debut in the Dhaka film industry made a quite large ripple. He quickly established himself as a key second lead in the films, but his career got stained after pairing up with controversial actress Moyuri.
Shahin said he called it a day after acting in more than 150 films. He was involved with the garments business during his acting period. Once he left the acting career, he started working full-time in the garments business. But, he could not make profit out of it. His family has two showrooms at the capital city’s Gausia market. He started to run one of the showrooms.”
Shahin used to run the showroom, but he could not make it for last four years as he has been suffering from serious kidney complications. He has to go to Savar’s Gonoshasthaya Kendra hospital for dialysis three days a week.
“Many of the artistes used to contact me in first two years of my retirement. They stopped contacting once everybody came to know I’d quit acting,” Shahin Alam added.
Among the fellow actors, as he said, Amit Hasan and Misha Saudagar still contact with him regularly.
He also said long time ago, some members of the Bangladesh Cholochitro Shilpi Samity came to meet him. Some of them advised him to seek financial assistance from the Samity. He didn’t even lobby for government’s assistance either, though he is seriously ill.
“I thought those who need most should approach. I didn’t think of assistance. My business is not good due to coronavirus. Now we want the government should act,” Shahin Alam said.
He said his younger sister is helping him much during this corona time. He is living with his wife and only son studying at college.
He acted in over 150 films that have helped him be stable financially. He had no problem until he fell sick.
Shahin said he had signed for seven films a time following the release of his movie ‘Mayer Kanna’ in 1991. He never had to look back since then.
He was brought up in Dhaka. He once was a stage actor. He debuted in the silver screen in 1986. He later established himself as a second lead in the film industry. He for the first time appeared in the film ‘Ghater Majhi’ as a lead actor. Shahin Alam said ‘Naya Baidani’ was a turning point in this career.
Shahin Alam said he still loves to get updated of the country’s film industry. He even knows that the artistes have no jobs at the moment. Now he only desires a healthy life.