Alisha Pradhan

Early life Alisha Pradhan was born to Monir and Hosna Pradhan, both businesspeople. She is the second of three children, born between older sister Faiza and younger brother Ryan. She grew up in Dhaka, Bangladesh. From age 8, she studied classical dance at Bulbul Academy for Fine Arts. Later she learned Western and Latin dance and hip hop.

In 2008, at age 14, Pradhan began her show business career by modeling in a television commercial for Cova chocolate bars.

While still in school, she appeared in more than 30 dramas and serials on the small screen, including NTV's Dakhinayaner Din, Fazlur Rahman's Swapnochura, Ferdous Hasan Rana's Dahan, and Mostofa Sarwar Farooki's First Date. In 2011, she performed an item number for a film by director Raffael Ahsan, then titled 69 Patla Khan Lane.

She completed her A-levels in mid-2012.

Career Pradhan made a guest appearance in the film Eito Bhalobasha, which was released in early 2013. Meanwhile, she became a presenter for broadcasts of the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) cricket season. Alisha Pradhan receiving the Debut Best Actress Award at the FOBANA Convention in the USA (2016), for her debut movie "Antaranga" Director Chashi Nazrul Islam saw her work as a presenter for the BPL and invited her to co-star with Emon in his film Bhul Jodi Hoy. Shooting took place in May 2013. In it she played a double role, Tamanna, a conventional Bangladeshi character dependent on her family in a patriarchal society, and Banya, a more independent, rebellious character. Islam died without completing the picture. Finishing it fell to his assistant, Tarek Shikdar. It was edited by Pradhan's sister Faiza, who had studied film in India. Alisha Pradhan receiving the NRB USA Debut Best Actress Award (2016), at New York for her debut movie "Antaranga" Shooting of Pradhan's third film, Ojante Bhalobasha, directed by A J Rana, began in January 2014. In it she played the role of Kajol, "a simple middle class female". In March 2014, with several pictures in the can, but none yet released, filming began on the second Carnival Motion Pictures property, Zakir Hossain Raju's Premer Kajal. She played opposite Shipon in it. As of 2021, it is yet to be released.

Antaranga hit cinemas in November 2015, making it Pradhan's debut film in a lead role. Bhul Jodi Hoy, though filmed earlier, didn't premiere until January 2016. Antaranga was not very successful at the box office, but after its release director Shahin Sumon signed Pradhan to star in his film Probashi Don opposite Symon Sadik. The intention was to shoot most of the film abroad, starting in early 2016, but that plan became snarled in visa complications. As of November 2017, it was still in pre-production.

Ojante Bhalobasha was released in May 2016. The production house, Surjo Chalachitra, described it as a flop. Director Rana said he had hoped to at least break even, "But in hindsight, I was thinking the impossible". Pradhan announced in December 2017 that she was retiring from acting.

In July 2019, Pradhan became managing director of a new internet-based television channel, HerNet TV, focused on women's wellbeing. Her mother is the chairman of the company.

Filmography

Films Denotes films that have not yet been released Year Title Role Ref. 2013 Eito Bhalobasha 2015 Antaranga Tamanna/Banya Noy Choy Item girl 2016 Bhul Jodi Hoy Ojante Bhalobasha Kajal TBA Premer Kajol TBA