Masud Ali Khan gets Meril-Prothom Alo Lifetime Achievement Award
Veteran actor Masud Ali Khan has been honoured with the prestigious Meril-Prothom Alo Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the cultural arena of Bangladesh.
The award was conferred upon him at the stage of Meril-Prothom Alo Awards-2023 at the Grace Auditorium of the United Convention Centre in Dhaka on Friday.
Masud Ali Khan has been a towering figure in Bengali drama for more than five decades.
He, known for his versatility, stepped into the acting career with stage performance and made his debut in small screen following the launching of a TV station in Dhaka. Throughout his life, he appeared in nearly 500 plays and some films.
Noted presenter Hanif Sanket announced the lifetime award at the beginning of the grand event, along with the screening of a documentary on the illustrious life and career of Masud Ali Khan.
Earlier, Masud Ali Khan received the Meril-Prothom Alo Critics Award in 1999. Born in Manikganj on 6 October, 1929, he is arguably the eldest actor alive in the industry. He passed the higher secondary level in 1952 and completed his BA from the Jagannath College later.
The actor made his debut on the small screen through Nurul Momen's play "Bhai Bhai Shobai" in 1964, while the big screen debut with Sadek Khan's "Nodi O Nari."
At the programme, the esteemed actor entered the stage following the announcement of his name, with a standing ovation from the audience. He was presented with a crest, a check of Tk 300,000, and a scarf.
Highly acclaimmed artist Rafiqun Nabi handed over the crest to him, in presence of Anjan Chowdhury, managing director of Square Toiletries Limited, and Matiur Rahman, editor of Prothom Alo, on the stage.
Expressing his gratitude, Masud Ali Khan said, “Respect, salam, and salutations to those who have decided to award me and those who have handed over the award to me. Respect and salam to my innumerable audience, who watched my performance."
Addressing the current generation of artists, he underscored the importance of passion and sincerity for the works. “The role you play, you have to do it with faith. Those who act should do it with heart. Acting is such a thing, once entered into, stays within him. As I am 94, I still act whenever I get a chance," he said.
In family life, the noted actor has been a devoted husband to Tahmina Khan since 1955 and a father to a son and a daughter. He served in different government offices before his retirement as the secretary of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation in 1988.
The Merrill-Prothom Alo Awards began its journey in 1998, but the lifetime achievement award was incorporated in 2002.
With Masud Ali Khan, a total of 22 cultural personalities have so far received the Meril-Prothom Alo Lifetime Achievement Award. The award was presented to legendary singer Syed Abdul Hadi in the previous year.