Fazlur Rahman Babu

Fazlur Rahman Babu (born 22 August 1960) is a Bangladeshi actor and singer. He has won the Best Supporting Actor at Bangladeshi National Film Awards a record five times for his roles in Shonkhonaad, Meyeti Ekhon Kothay Jabe (2017), Fagun Haway (2019), Bishwoshundori (2020) and Nonajoler Kabbo (2021). He also won Best Performance in a Comic Role for Gohin Baluchor (2017).

Early life Babu was born on 22 August 1960 at Faridpur district in the then East Pakistan. He completed his school and college life in Faridpur. His father was a service holder, thereby he had to roam from one place to another around the country. Babu was interested in acting from his childhood. In Faridpur, he joined Boishakhi Natya Gosthi pursuing to build up a career in the media arena.

Career

Acting and banking Babu started his acting career in 1978 when he joined the theatre group Baishakhi Natya Ghosthi in Faridpur. That same year, Babu acted for the first time in a national drama festival. Meanwhile, he joined the Agrani Bank and, in 1983, transferred his banking job to Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, where he also joined Mamunur Rashid's Aranyak Natyadal theatre group and debuted his acting with a role in Saat Purusher Rin. Some of his performances in this theatre group include Nankar Pala, Pathar and Moyur Shinghashan.

Babu started his television acting career in the soap opera Mrittu Khuda (1991), produced by Kazi Abu Zafar Siddique, on Bangladesh Television (BTV). However, it was his role of Poran Majhi television drama Itikatha (1991), written by Rashid, that secured him further roles in dramas such as Shundari and Danab. Babu also acted with Bengali film Daruchini Dip, directed by Tauquir Ahmed, while Humayun Ahmed was story, dialogue and scriptwriter.

Babu has become popular for his humorous characters, but his early career in stage dramas like Danab and Jay Jayanti was in serious roles.

Babu continued to work for television and theatre simultaneously until 2000, when he stopped theatre work as television took nearly twenty-five days per month. Babu made his theatrical film debut with Abdullah al Mamun's Bihanga between 2000 and 2001.

Babu has also been featured in an Indian film.

Singing Babu emerged as a singer when he performed two songs in the film Monpura. After that, he became known to everyone as a playback singer. He published his first solo music album, Indubala, in 2009, which became popular in the whole country. He also sang four songs on the mixed album Monchor in 2008.

Criticism Babu took a stand for the government during the repression of the dictatorship Awami League government on the students in the quota reform movement that took place in 2024. During the movement, a group of pro-autocracy Awami artists, including Babu, were active against the movement in a WhatsApp group called 'Alo Ashbei' led by actor Ferdous. After the non-cooperation movement, on September 3, 2024, some screenshots related to that WhatsApp group were spread on social media.

Works

Films

Television

Discography Solo

Duet Mon Chor

Film scores Shonkonaad (2004) Daruchini Dip (2007) Monpura (2009) Ghetu Putro Komola (2012) Pakhal (2013) Oggatonama (2016) Meyeti Ekhon Kothay Jabe (2016) Gohin Balucor (2017) Poramon 2(2018) Sitara (2019) Fagun Haway (2019) Bishwoshundori (2020) Nonajoler Kabbo (2020)