Mamo’s 17-year odyssey
What defines a true artiste? Be it dedication, inner beauty and cravings for the knowledge of art, Zakia Bari Mamo has it all. The actress completed 17 years in the industry, recently.
Mamo's Ora 7 Jon hit theatres on March 3, where she donned the role of a brave freedom fighter Aparna Sen, which, according to her, brought a different dimension to her career. "The role itself pulled me towards the film. Doctor Aparna is fearless, brave and rebellious–her nature is to serve humanity–which she does till the end."
Mamo further opened up, feeling instigated to keep this role under her belt, "We don't often get to see such characters on-screen, representing our Liberation War," shared the actress, who grew up listening to the memoirs of her freedom fighter grandfather.
She took home the National Film Award for her debut performance on the silver screen, ("Daruchini Dwip") right after winning the crown of Lux Superstar in 2006.
"Acting gives me peace of mind, it is a form of meditation for me," she says.
The Chuye Dile Mon actress shared that newer mediums like OTT are putting some much-needed spotlight on women and their stories. "Women-centric plots are being appreciated, and emerging filmmakers are telling some interesting and important stories, which were long overdue -- which is why I could enjoy exploring my roles in projects like Contract, Mohanagar, and Refugee."
In her personal life, Mamo possesses a strong persona and loves exploring the beauty of life. She and director Shihab Shaheen had tied the knot, which unfortunately did not work out. The two parted ways during the pandemic in 2021. "The pandemic has taught us some of the hardest lessons of our lives, I am sure all of us can relate to this. Thus, I have taught myself one thing, the bigger the obstacles in front of me, the stronger I am."
How is the actress, despite her obstacles, doing? She says, "We are all alone at the end of the day, sharing a life with someone is definitely a great thing, but we tend to limit ourselves to certain things, which create complications." The actress further says that life is beautiful when it is indulged in loving and spending time with family, friends, enjoying nature, and most importantly, valuing oneself. "Love should be free from all bindings."
"The Mamo you knew in the past years was driven by emotion; she was dependent on others. I am now more resilient, calm, and self-dependent," asserts Mamo.
As she continues her journey of breaking her own limitations on and off-screen, Zakia Bari Mamo finds the earnest joy diving into the world of acting. "Acting is a form of art that helps bring out all the human psyches by playing them in different stories. We all go through pain, joy, and confusion in our lives, and as an actor I have learnt that being true to yourself is the best thing you can do for yourself."
Mamo will be seen in Chorki web-series "Mercules", soon.