Prioritised the audience’s choice this time: Tawsif Mahbub

As Eid approaches, actor Tawsif Mahbub is pitching up for one of his busiest festive seasons yet. This time, the popular television star returns with the new season of the widely loved series “Bachelor Point”, while also venturing into darker territory with his web debut in “Chokro 2”. Alongside these major releases, he will also appear in several Eid dramas on the small screen. The lineup, he says, reflects a conscious decision to prioritise the audience’s taste this year rather than his own.

One of the biggest highlights of his Eid slate is the return of “Bachelor Point”, directed by Kajal Arefin Ome. Over the years, the series has grown into one of Bangladesh’s most popular television shows, building a massive fan base that continues to grow with each season.

“‘Bachelor Point’ is a crazy world -- It’s extremely energetic, and what you see on screen is very similar to what happens off-screen,” Tawsif said with a laugh. “I genuinely enjoy the shoot. Every month we usually have five to ten days of shooting, and I actually look forward to the next schedule.”

For nearly eight years, he has portrayed the character of Nehal—one of the most recognisable faces of the series. Sustaining a character’s popularity for so long, he says, is rare.

“Sometimes it almost feels like being part of a film franchise, because the character stays in people’s memories,” he said.

He credits director Kajal Arefin Ome for keeping the show fresh despite its long run. Many popular series eventually lose momentum, but “Bachelor Point” has managed to keep audiences hooked.

The upcoming Eid episodes promise something new yet again, with the much-awaited return of Arefin (played by Shamim Hasan Sarkar). This time, the team also filmed in an eye-catching location—Palace Luxury Resort, one of the country’s most expensive resorts.

“It’s going to look very visually attractive on screen,” Tawsif said. “Sometimes when viewers see something Nehal eats or wears, they become curious about it. So, when people watch these episodes, many might even feel like visiting the place themselves.”

While “Bachelor Point” continues to bring its signature humour and energy, Tawsif is also stepping into a completely different space with “Chokro 2”, directed by Vicky Zahed and set to release on the OTT platform iScreen. The project marks his first true experience working on an OTT series.

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“The original ‘Chokro’ was produced for television, which meant certain elements had to be toned down. This time, however, the creative team had far more freedom. In the first one, we had many limitations—budget constraints, time pressure, and the need to shoot multiple scenes in a single day,” he explained. “With ‘Chokro 2’, those limitations weren’t there, and I would consider this my debut in OTT space.”

The series explores psychological tension and darker imagery, making it one of the most challenging projects he has worked on.

“The violence here is not the usual kind you see in action films,” he said. “It’s more psychological and darker.”

Some scenes proved so intense that even crew members struggled to watch them being filmed. Tawsif recalled moments when members of the unit walked away during certain shots because the visuals were too disturbing. “Filming the project took nearly 20 days, including several late-night shoots, and the team travelled widely for the production. Locations ranged from Dhaka neighbourhoods such as Old Dhaka, Dhanmondi, Uttara and Diabari to destinations outside the capital, including Manikganj and Cox’s Bazar. The experience was both demanding and creatively rewarding.”

Alongside these major projects, Tawsif will also appear in several small-screen productions this Eid. The actor says a number of promising dramas are lined up for release.

“Quite a few good small screen projects are coming this Eid,” he said, referring to titles like “Lilith”, “Golapi”, directed by Rubel Hasan and co-starring Tanjin Tisha, “Jokhom”, directed by Imraul Rafat with Tanjim Saiyara Totini, “Prematal”, directed by Hasib Hossain Rakhi alongside Naznin Niha, and “Beshi Bole Bulbuli” directed by Rubel Hasan, also featuring Tanjim Saiyara Totini, among others. “These are good productions with strong stories, and many talented directors are involved.”

Among them, he is particularly excited about “Lilith”, directed by Ashikur Rahman. The drama also features a strong ensemble cast including Tanzika Amin, Tarique Anam Khan and Farhana Mithu.

“I’m very excited about this project. While working on it, I had a feeling of what many call the golden era of television dramas—slow, calm, and deeply engaging. I hope audiences will feel that same warmth when it releases,” he said.

The project also marks a special collaboration for him. Although he once worked with Tanzika during a childhood serial, the two had never properly collaborated on a project like this before. With experienced performers like Tarique Anam and Mithu joining the cast, he believes the drama has a strong artistic foundation.

Working on multiple productions also reminds him how storytelling patterns often overlap. After spending years in the industry, he says it is natural to recognise familiar elements across scripts.

“When you work for many years, you start noticing familiar patterns—whether in a sequence, dialogue, character, or even an entire story,” he said, noting that such similarities exist not only in local television but in films around the world.

What ultimately makes a project stand out, he believes, is not always the novelty of the story but the way it is told. “Some directors have a way of telling simple stories beautifully and differently,” he said.

Despite his excitement about the projects, Tawsif admitted that many of the dramas he chose this year are not the kind of work he would normally gravitate towards. Over time, he realised that his personal taste does not always align with what the mass audience enjoys.

“I’ve noticed that my own taste can be a little niche,” he explained. “Because of that, sometimes I move away from the mass audience. But television drama is completely a mass medium. It’s a drawing room medium. You can’t just think about your own preferences—you have to think about everyone’s.”

That understanding shaped his decisions this Eid. Instead of choosing projects based purely on personal preference, he prioritised stories he believes audiences would enjoy during the festive season.

“Most of the dramas this time are romantic or comedic in tone, which audiences love to watch during Eid,” he said. “In a way, these projects are experimental for me because they’re not exactly my personal style. But I’m quite confident viewers will accept them well. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have taken them.”

With such a wide range of projects lined up—from festive romances and comedies to psychological thrillers—Tawsif Mahbub’s Eid slate reflects both his versatility and his willingness to experiment.

“At the end of the day, our work is for the audience,” he said. “If they enjoy watching it, that’s the biggest success for us.”