Afzal Hossain: Actor extraordinaire

Afzal Hossain, one of television and film's prominent actors, broke off from the mould of his conventional romantic roles when he donned a grey character in the web series "Ladies and Gentlemen". From then onwards, he developed a certain knack for portraying dark and mysterious personas on screen.

In a candid conversation with The Daily Star, the veteran actor shared his journey on OTT platforms.

From "Ladies and Gentleman" to "Karagar", tell us about your journey on OTT platforms.

When television started losing its charm years back, I also began to lose interest in the industry.

But, then, the wake of OTT platforms brought fresh opportunities for actors, and I was allowed to reinvent myself and experiment with my roles, just like I always wanted.

Not every content is made with the sole purpose of being commercially successful --and that's how it should be. Otherwise, the space for creativity vanishes.

This has been the philosophy of OTT contents until now and I hope it remains this way for the good of the industry.

Why do you think television has lost its charm?

The television industry failed because of undue pressure from producers and other stakeholders. But OTT platforms made a difference in this regard by giving directors full creative freedom.

Did you discover anything new about yourself lately?

Every actor's dream is to play characters that are different and unique. When I used to work in television, I couldn't experiment with my roles. Now, I get to explore different roles in every project. I am working with young filmmakers on OTT platforms and it is through them that I'm now known to the young generation who have shown great appreciation for my work. I would say this is something new.

You were once a romantic hero early in your career. Did you face any challenges during the transition, now that you're playing more negative roles? 

Every role is challenging to play. But critics and audiences don't take romantic actors very seriously. They think that it's an easy role to play. There was a time when Humayun Faridi used to get various experimental and negative roles. I did not get those roles because directors would not think I was capable. I wanted to break off from this romantic actor's image.

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What was your most challenging role on OTT?

The character Khairul Alam in "Ladies and Gentlemen", was the most challenging one for me because it was a grey character. When you portray a black and white character, you know that you have to portray the character as it is. But when the character lingers between good and bad, you have to adjust from scene to scene.

What are your recent ventures?

Recently, I completed a web series "Bodh", directed by Amitabh Reza Chowdhury. In it, the audience will find me in a role of a retired judge. I had to cut my hair for this role. After that, I will take a short break from the screen, and do theatres only.