Heart to heart with Ferdausi Majumdar

Born: June 18, 1943
First stage performance in 1967,
Titled: Daktar Abdullahr Karkhana,
First TV play: Ektala Dotala in 1965
Awards:
Ekushey Padak in 1998, National Television Award in 1975, Sequence Award of Merit in 1975, Kazi Mahbubullah Gold Medal in 1981, William Kerry Award, India in 1998

Why are you absent in TV serials?
Rusafie Alam
On e-mail

(Ferdousi Majumdar) FM: I was unwell for quite sometime; that was

the reason for my temporary absence. On top of that, I happen to be one of the 'blacklisted' artistes in Bangladesh TV for the last five years. Anyway, I have started acting

in TV plays again to be telecast on private channels.

Do you think religion is an obstacle to cultural activities in our country?
Imran
Agrabad, Chittagong

FM: I don't think so. It's not the religion, but the hardcore conservative attitude of some people and their wrong notion about cultural activities that are the main obstacle to cultural activities in our country.

How do you manage to laugh so convincingly and with such intensity in TV plays?
Zahid
On e-mail

FM: I can't exactly tell you. But this much I can say that laughter and crying depend on the artiste's capability of entering deep into the character. However, one has to prepare oneself a bit earlier to be able to laugh or to cry in a play.

I am a member of my university theatre troupe and have performed in some plays. I want to be a great theatre actor like you. What strategies and ideologies would be helpful for me to achieve my goal?
Ferdousi Mysa Tulip
Dhaka University

FM: In my opinion, if you want to succeed in any line of work, you have to do that with sincere love and devotion. If a portrait on the cover page of a magazine, cheap popularity and making money are on top of your mind, you can never achieve your goal in theatre.

For how many years have you been acting on stage and in TV plays and what is your opinion on the increasing number of Bangla channels?
Golam Mustafa
Dhanmondi, Dhaka.

FM: I am doing stage theatre regularly for over three decades and have been participating in TV plays since the very first TV drama of the then PTV in 1965. In my opinion, Bangla channels are too many in our country. Naturally, they don't get enough good material to fill the screens. The viewers too get confused, don't really know which one is a good play and which one to skip off. Moreover, over playing of ads is really annoying.

Do you think you have attained your goal?
Md Zahidul Islam
Central road, Dhaka

FM: Honestly, I didn't have any particular goal. I have come to this stage only because I loved acting from the core of my heart. Now I am fully content and satisfied because of the recognition from cross section of the people, their love, regard and honour for me. I don't have any dissatisfaction or discontent. Acting is my love, my devotion, my pleasure.

Do you think mega-serials go on for too long and weaken the plot?
Daaner
London, UK

FM: Certainly. If the story is so long, it is bound to be monotonous at certain points. Again the frequent disruption by ads at dramatic moments, kills the curiosity to watch the serial. However, the scenario is different in case of well written plays or well produced classics.

How is Bangladeshi theatre compared to that of our neighbouring countries?
Mousumi Barua
Cox's Bazar

FM: With all our limitations, particularly technical, we compare favourably with the Bangla theatre of India. Our stage theatre focuses more on our social realities. Ours is a theatre of passion and protest.

Do you think a career on stage is seen as a full time profession by the younger generation in your country?
Subrata Chowdhury, New Delhi

FM: Not yet in our country. Many can make a full time profession by acting in TV plays, but not on stage. And I don't think the scene will change in the near future.

Why should one take part in cultural activities when most people think cultural activists are some sort of ostracised people and do not represent our popular culture?
Dr Ashraf Siddiqui
On e-mail

FM: I don't really agree with the statement. Some people might think that way. Cultural activists are not from another planet. They are very much a part of our society. Cultural activists do have a social responsibility. It's not also true that they don't represent our popular culture.

If you were a director, whom would you include in your dream cast?
Kalpana
Gulshan-1, Dhaka

FM: The director does not cast the same set of artistes for all types of plays. It depends on the characters.