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Bangladeshi ‘Oscar’ for Oldham actor

Shelina Begum
28/ 7/2006

AN OLDHAM man walked away with the best actor award at the recent Bangladeshi 'Oscars' held in London.

Sazzadur Rahman received his gong at the Bangladeshi International Media Awards for his role in hit Sylheti telefilm Keetha Oilow'(What Happened). The film also bagged its director Luthfur Rahman the best film award.

Keetha Oilow was Sazzad's debut Sylheti movie. He began his career as an actor working for touring theatres including Chol and Alhambra and later went on to become the director of the north west's only south Asian theatre company, Peshkar Productions.

Said Sazzadur: "It was great experience working in Bangladesh especially with Shanta Islam, a movie icon who also starred in the movie. Filming in Bangladesh was fantastic, in particularly a scene where I had to catch fish in a dried up small river with mud all the way up to my waste.

"However the success of 'Keetha Oilow' is also thanks to its director. It was his hard work, sleepless nights and dedication which has made this film a hit.

"Making a movie requires immense team work, which we had with the crew in the UK and Bangladesh. The film wouldn't be complete without their hard work. We all came together because we love creativity and it was a learning process for us all.

"For me as an actor this was a humbling experience and to get an award for something you love is the icing on the cake and as a team to get two awards - it's ecstatic!"

And a big thanks to mum for supporting Sazzadur, "One hundred per cent."

Keetha Oilow starred several Oldham actors and was based in both Oldham and Sylhet. The film raised standards for Sylheti telefilms with quality production in terms of cinematography and acting as many Sylheti telefilms are of poor quality.

The director takes up the serious issue of corruption and abuse people from the UK face at Bangladeshi airports. It follows the journey of a young Bangladeshi, Kamal (Sazzadur Rahman), a graduate who is unemployed. He lives in Sylhet where rejection in job interviews and his inability to fulfil his late father's wish, to build a high school in the village, leaves him thoroughly demoralised.

He leaves Bangladesh and ends up in Oldham where he starts work in a restaurant. There, Kamal meets his future wife and the film shows how a penniless man in a foreign country can be successful.

But it's his journey back to Bangladesh that constitutes the centre of the drama where Kamal and his family receive injustice and inhumane treatment by the Bangladeshi airport authority. It leads to Kamal's death and his family fight to get justice.

Director Rahman added: "A lot of people were able to relate to this story and it was very well received. I am very pleased to have received the best film award and hope to carry on making quality movies for the Bangladeshi community."