On the set of ‘ Zohra Begumer Icchapotro’: Cast reflects between takes

Rain poured steadily over Uttara’s Sector 4 as the familiar shooting house, Apon Ghor, slowly came alive with lights, dialogue, and the quiet rhythm of a production set preparing for another scene.

For years, countless television dramas and telefilms have been filmed inside the house. But on this particular day, the atmosphere carried a different emotional weight. The unit was shooting the Eid telefilm “Zohra Begumer Icchapotro”, bringing together some of Bangladesh’s most celebrated performers under one roof.

Before arriving at the house, heavy rain had already swept across the city. Water streamed down balconies and windows while crew members hurried through narrow corridors. Upstairs on the second floor, however, silence settled the moment the cameras were ready.

In front of the camera sat Ferdousi Mazumder, calm and composed amid the surrounding chaos. Opposite her sat Mamunur Rashid. Near the monitor stood director Arif Khan, carefully observing every detail, while beside him sat writer Tauquir Ahmed.

After a brief rehearsal, the room fell quiet. “Shall we begin?” asked Arif Khan.
“I’m ready,” Ferdousi Mazumder replied softly.

As soon as “Action” echoed through the room, she began delivering a lengthy stretch of dialogue with remarkable control. Years seemed to disappear from her face as she slipped fully into character. Near the end of the take, however, she suddenly lost track of a line. Someone from the unit quickly brought her water.

“Sorry,” she said quietly.

“No problem,” replied the director immediately.

From beside the monitor, Tauquir Ahmed smiled and added, “It was beautiful.”
Moments later, the scene began again. This time, Ferdousi Mazumder slowly rose from her chair while continuing the dialogue. As soon as her lines ended, Mamunur Rashid entered seamlessly into the emotional rhythm of the scene. When the director finally called cut, applause broke out across the room.

“Did I say it properly?” Ferdousi Mazumder asked with a smile.
“Your performance was extraordinary,” Mamunur Rashid replied. “It’s amazing that you still work with such energy.”

Even after decades in acting, a quiet humility remained evident in Ferdousi Mazumder. When assistant directors rushed forward to escort her to the makeup room, she gently resisted.

“I can walk by myself,” she said.

Later, conversation downstairs drifted toward theatre, memory, and the long history of Bangladeshi television drama. Speaking about his longtime co-actor, Mamunur Rashid said, “She has worked everywhere — theatre, television, radio. Ferdousi Mazumder is a legend of acting.”

Recalling the Pakistan era, he spoke about writing the television drama “Aronye Ekoda”, in which she had performed, before mentioning her unforgettable portrayal of Hurmoti in “Shongshoptok”.

“I have heard the sound of her footsteps on stage,” he said quietly. “That presence still exists.”

In the telefilm, Ferdousi Mazumder plays Johora Begum, a once-renowned stage actress haunted by nostalgia and memory.

“I feel fulfilled playing Zohra,” she said. “It is a beautiful character with immense scope for acting.”

Outside, thunder rolled across the sky while rain lashed against the windows. Inside, the crew transformed rooms into carefully lit nighttime settings. Before another emotionally demanding scene, Ferdousi Mazumder stood quietly rehearsing her dialogue beneath her breath.

The sequence required Zohra Begum to relive fragments of her theatrical past while performing alone inside her home. Midway through the monologue, Ferdousi Mazumder briefly forgot a portion of the dialogue, prompting crew members to bring her a chair to rest.

After sitting silently for several moments, she picked up the script once more, adjusted her glasses, and finally said, “Let’s go again.”
This time, the scene unfolded perfectly in a single take, drawing another round of applause from the crew.

During lunch downstairs, artistes and crew members gathered around dining tables while rain continued to fall outside. At one point, Mamunur Rashid asked Tauquir Ahmed when he had written the telefilm.

“In America,” Tauquir Ahmed replied.

“The story is wonderful,” Mamunur Rashid responded.

As evening settled over Uttara, Afzal Hossain arrived on set and joined the shoot. Another emotionally layered sequence brought together Ferdousi Mazumder, Afzal Hossain, and Tauquir Ahmed before the camera, with Arif Khan carefully shaping every movement and emotional beat.The shooting continued late into the evening.

Before leaving the set during a break, Mamunur Rashid turned toward Ferdousi Mazumder.

“Take care of yourself,” she told him warmly.

“You too,” he replied.

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Nearby, Afzal Hossain and Ferdousi Mazumder continued chatting between takes while posing for photographs together. At one point, Afzal Hossain looked toward her and said with admiration, “Your acting is extraordinary. You are truly a living legend.”