An Artiste Should Have Social Responsibilities: Rokeya Prachi

National Film Award winning actress Rokeya Prachi is equally bright on both small and big screen. But nowadays, she spends more time behind the lens as a director. She has a number of directorial projects in her hand including a film. Arts & Entertainment recently caught up with her for an interview. Excerpt:

What are your current projects?

Rokeya Prachi: I am currently busy with television plays. My drama serial “Shelai Poribar” on the lives of garment workers is now aired on channel i. Also I have a number of single episode plays in my hand. Moreover, I have plans to make a film and it's in the pre-production.

Nowadays we don't see you in television plays. What's the reason?

Rokeya Prachi: I spend little time in front of camera since I don't get roles which go with my personality and age. Instead I chose to be behind the lens though I host shows on Channel i, Ekushey TV and Gazi TV. I think an actor should not do anything only for money.

What kind of roles do you prefer?

Rokeya Prachi: I want roles which make me think; which are different from usual. I feel an urge to break stereotypes and experiment with different characters. If the directors are willing to give me challenging roles I would love to do that. I want roles which will require me to break my image. In terms of my work, I prefer quality to quantity.

How does it feel to be behind the lens as a director?

Rokeya Prachi: Though now I am more into directing, I still like acting the most. Direction is challenging since you have to arrange everything and coordinate between all of the units of a production. It requires hard work and determination.

What, in your opinion, is the most essential attribute of an artiste?

Rokeya Prachi: An artiste should have social responsibilities. And out of this responsibility, I made the drama serial on garment workers. Apparel industry is the perfect example of gender equality, as men and women work hand in hand in garments. There's no discrimination, and male workers respect and protect their female counterparts in garments. I wanted to bring forth the positives in this sector against the odds.