A Social Media Sweetheart

How was your New Year’s Eve?

We spent the day at my parent’s place as my in-laws were out of town. Due to the pandemic, the celebration was limited to a barbeque arrangement. However, we decided to go out later in the night, only to find most of the places were closed down by then (laugh). Luckily, we came across a coffee shop that was still open, so our late-night adventure ended with coffee around 3 am.

What is your New Year’s resolution?

My resolution for the new year is to go with the flow! 2020 has shown us how unpredictable life can be, therefore, we need to have the mindset to adapt to the changes and learn to thrive amidst any calamity.

Do you have any regrets regarding how the past year unfolded?

Both Shawon and I dreamt of having a magnificent wedding ceremony which did not materialise due to the pandemic. Being unable to enjoy our own wedding will be one of the biggest regrets of the past year. Beyond that, we are happily married and enjoying each other’s support both in professional and personal lives. Throughout the pandemic, I had to get used to working from home like everyone else. The pandemic allowed me to strive beyond my abilities and produce digital content, drama, and OVC with the resources available in my home. Therefore, as an artist, the experience was edifying.

How do you define acting? How long have you been acting?

For me, acting is about expressing the actor’s assessment of the character. Studying the role to understand the circumstances the character faces is at the core of the profession. In a stint of 8 years, I have learned a lot as an actor. Portraying life being in someone else’s shoes is rewarding.

Now, something about your beauty regime, do you have one?

I don’t have any (laugh). Beauty lies in simply flaunting who you are. Rather than being bound to a specific beauty regime or diet plan, I focus on indulging in delicacies and enjoy life to the fullest within my lifetime. I am blessed with a very good metabolism system which allows me to consume greater amounts of protein. Cardio is the only exercise that is part of my daily routine.

What is your favourite pastime?

I love spending my free time on streaming services. I just finished watching Queen’s Gambit and was left mesmerised by the captivating storytelling and screenplay. It is the perfect sports thriller having an adequate combination of anguish and elation. The protagonist of the story experiences ups and downs, the burden on her shoulders, and painful wounds from the past that cannot heal. I am also a FRIENDS superfan and watch at least one episode daily. The show helps me to lighten up when stressed and I have watched the entire series more than seven-eight times.

Over the years you have received so much love and appreciation from your fans. How does it feel to be loved so widely?

Yes! I have been blessed to receive so much love and devotion from my fans. I often receive video collages of dramas I acted in from the fans. While hosting a radio show a few years back, I used to receive an incredible amount of handwritten letters and gifts. The love and appreciation people have shown me encouraged me to be the person I am today.

How would you evaluate the impacts of social media in Bangladesh?

Social media has been instrumental in empowering the general population and getting their message across without censorship. However, every innovation has some detrimental implications, and it is also applicable in the case of something as useful as social media. Social media has allowed more interaction with public figures, but it often leads some people to invade personal spaces. Having said that, it is for social media the actors are rising quickly to fame. One must admit that blessing also.

Social media allows us to reach out to a lot of people creating a lot of opportunity for personal branding. What is the best approach to content making for personal branding?

Being yourself is essential to successfully create content for personal branding. You have to be insightful about the content you are making. Whatever may be the topic of the content, you have to be good at it and present it accordingly. Following a trend without understanding it completely is not going to benefit one. Instead, you have to work on your skill and improve the quality of your content according to your personality.

You are very active on Likee, what made you choose the platform?

I opened a Likee account during the time when the nationwide lockdowns were in effect. It is a very engaging platform that allowed me to spend some quality time while being locked inside my home. My experience with the platform encouraged further involvement with Likee. As it is more focused on entertainment, the number of young followers have been growing exponentially on the platform.

You engage with your followers in Likee, through content. How much effort goes into making a video for your fans?

Contents in Likee are usually focused on specific trends. Currently, the platform is focused on creating content that is 10-15 seconds in length. It allows people to scroll through a lot of content on the go. Contemporary content creators must understand the time constraints of our busy life. People do not have the time to spend hours on screen, they are more inclined to content that caters to their busy life. However, it is challenging to accommodate a creative idea into 15-second content. Unlike a drama or movie, you do not get the time to develop a character and build into it. I have seen creators in Likee spend our days or even weeks to create a single video. Personally, I focus on expressing my own style on the platform. I am a very random and fun-loving person and thankfully, my followers on Likee appreciate that.

Social media platforms and their impact on society have always been an issue of public discussion. As someone active on Likee and other social media platforms popular in Bangladesh, what is your opinion on it?

Social media platforms simply provide an opportunity for users to express themselves and connect with each other. How people utilise that opportunity determines whether it is good or bad for themselves and the broader society. I use my social media accounts including Likee to connect with my fans and well-wishers in a fun and entertaining way. My experience in Likee so far has been positive. Moreover, Likee – the platform itself is trying to promote interesting and positive content on the platform, through for example the “LikeeMoncho” and the “Victory Day” campaigns.

Last question, what is the secret to becoming a fun-loving person like you?

I don’t think anyone should follow a specific individual. One should aspire to become the best version of oneself. However, I think personal freedom is the key to happiness. Therefore, one should pursue their own definition of personal freedom. I firmly believe, being the best version of yourself is more attractive than replicating another individual.