Photos: Courtesy of Sumi

Shahnaz Sumi's passion for art started at the age of three, when she began learning the basics of dance. She was a participant in the talent hunt Shera Nachiye, in 2016. Making her television debut in Salahuddin Lavlu's mega serial aired in 2016, she continued working with prominent directors like Abul Hayat and Meher Afroz Shaon.

Her first full-fledged feature film, the Giasuddin Selim directorial "Paap Punyo", hits theatres today. The honours' second year student will share the screen with Chanchal Chowdhury, Afsana Mimi, Siam Ahmed, and Fazlur Rahman Babu among other noted artistes. We talk to her about her excitement, on this auspicious day.

A poster for ‘Paap Punyo’.

Congratulations on your first lead role. How will you spend the day?

Thank you so much! I am eager to watch the first show of "Paap Punyo" with the entire crew, and my family. I will observe my senior co-artistes to get idea about what are things to follow on silver screen release, so that I can follow it onwards.

As you were saying, dance has helped you improving your acting, would you explain?

Dance is a medium of expressing emotions, it has lot of expressions and gestures. I have been a dancer since childhood, thus I have worked a lot on expressions. It really helped me to perform as an actor as well.

You have worked in one of the chapters of Bangladesh's first anthology film, "Eti Tomari Dhaka". Now this will be your first full-fledged film, how would you describe your journey?

I was in "Akasher Posha Pakhi", directed by Tanvir Ahsan, in the anthology.Discovering myself in the silver screens for the first time gave me immense pride. To me the journey is a learning process, with no ending.

How did your passion for acting grow?

I was mentored by noted directors in the industry, including Salahuddin Lavlu, Abul Hayat and Meher Afroz Shaon.

My mother played a great role inspiring me. Since she is a cinema lover, my taste was refined by her suggestions – I often accompanied her to the theatres. The first film I watched in a cinema hall was "Monpura".

It is, perhaps, fate, that you are the lead in Giasuddin Selim's fourth film?

 Maybe it is, and truth be told, it feels surreal. While watching "Monpura", I could only dream of working with such a great director. It left me speechless when I was offered to play Shathi in "Paap Punyo". Working with Giasuddin Selim is like a scholarship for me, as I could explore my acting prowess.

I was a bit anxious during the rehearsals, but all the co-stars were extremely generous. I am a huge fan of Siam Ahmed, so acting opposite him was also like a dream come true.

Tell us about Shathi. Why should the audience go and see her in theatres?

Shathi's decisions perpetually effect the lives of her closed ones. The film is thematically based on the title, "Paap Punyo", which translates to sin and virtue. It explains how one's actions effect other lives, based on their positive or negative deeds.

The audience will relate to the film and its multiple, complex layers, and this is why they should see it.