Tawsif Mahbub stepped into showbiz with modeling; soon after which he landed an on-screen gig in a Nescafe TVC. After working for four years in commercials, this young maverick finally got his big break upon being casted in @18 All Time Dourer Upor directed by Adnan Al Rajeev and from there, his acting career took off. He starred in more dramas such as Abak Agentuk, Jababar, Nisshongo Sherpa, Facebook and I-Stories and several others. In no time, Tawsif Mahbub won the hearts of the viewers.
There’s a stark difference in the media industry today compared to how it used to be and as a part of this fraternity. In fact, the genres of TV drama that Tawsif appeared are nothing like the ones we used to watch back in the day. Just like their quirky titles, the stories too are modern and eccentric; the kind that most people in our generation can relate to.
“As a child I used to watch BTV dramas with my family. We never missed the weekly specials until the Hindi serials took over. That was the end of my days of watching television,” says Tawsif. A big fan of Bengali dramas, Tawsif’s all time favourite drama is “Kothao Keu Nei” by Humayun Ahmed.
Having been involved with the industry for quite some time, Tawsif can comprehend as to how much things have changed. “From the stories to acting methods, to set designs, lighting, and also the post-productions, every method is different. However, it can be much better,” he expresses.
Tawsif believes that in order for the industry to become ship-shape, it’s essential to bring honest people on board. Besides that, he points out that audiences like to see a TV screen that’s neat. “No one likes to watch a channel that has two to three logos scattered all over the screen and two large scrolls of news distracting you as you watch you favourite shows,” he points out.
Although we’ve developed in many ways, for Tawsif the changes aren’t significant enough. “People protested when Humayun Ahmed’s fictional character like Baker Bhai was going to be killed. That’s what you call a revolution in the entertainment industry. We need to recreate that same magic.”
One thing, however has changed is the way we are entertained. With YouTube coming in the forefront of entertainment, Tawsif concludes by saying, “Although it’s giving TV channels a run for their money, it’s doing a great job archiving the good dramas.”
Photograph by Atiq Rahman