‘We cannot see our enemy in this war’
Today is the birthday of popular Dhallywood actor Alamgir. The seasoned actor has gained enormous popularity for movies of all genre - family drama, action, romantic. He is also a producer, director and singer. The veteran actor decided not to celebrate his birthday this year due to coronavirus outbreak worldwide that took more than 53,000 lives so far. He talked to Prothom Alo about all this recently.
Q :
It’s your 70th Birthday. You must have planned to celebrate the day?
Yes, certainly. I used to cut cakes on my birthday and celebrate with my family. But not this time, as the whole world going through a crisis.
Q :
What is your message to the people?
I'll suggest everyone to stay home. We have to obey the rules made and suggested by the government and the experts. Coronavirus won't come to your house by itself. It will only infect you if you go out. We saw many wars, including that of our own liberation war. But this war is different as we cannot see our enemy. It has made the battle more difficult. I request all of you to stay home.
Q :
Your father Kalim Uddin Ahmed Dudu Mia is one of the producers of the first Bangla sound film 'Mukh O Mukhosh'. You made your big screen debut in 1973. You are still working. It’s not only your birthday on 3 April, it is also the National Film Day. What’s your say?
Coincidentally, 3 April is my birthday. Every year we celebrate the day along with Artists Association, Directors Association, Producers Association. We hope to celebrate it again when everything gets well.
Q :
You worked with filmmakers like Alamgir Kumkum, Khan Ataur Rahman, Dilip Biswas, Kamal Ahmed, Subhash Dutt, Amjad Hossain, Mostafa Mahmud, AJ Minto. It was golden era of Bangla film. The industry has collapsed now. What is the way out?
In fact, our films began to collapse a long time ago. First it started with porn. The people who made those indecent movies and those who acted in them, all were responsible for it. Directors started copying plots from South Indian films. Makers even copied songs from Hindi, Urdu and South Indian films. The whole industry was ruined. Now, the only solution is to renovate the entire industry.
Q :
How do spend your days in self quarantine?
I read books and watch films. Although my wife and I have different tastes in movies. She wants to watch modern films while I am die-hard fan of Uttam, Suchitra. And in the afternoon, I go to the terrace, do gardening. This is how I am doing.
*This interview, originally appeared in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Farjana Liakat