The rise of Rizu
"If you ask me to perform an action scene, I'll do it; if you want romance, I'll do it. I'll even portray a sweeper if the role demands it. I'm willing to take on any challenge, depending on the director's vision," stated the emerging talent Rizvi Rizu. The young actor has been winning over audiences with his diverse range of characters—from playing the lovable Parkes in "Hawa" to a devoted husband in "Priyo Maloti", the fierce Kaiser in the "Waqt" episode of "Dui Shaw", and a courageous, down-to-earth refugee in "Feu". With each new role, he continues to push his limits, showing no signs of slowing down.
In an interview with The Daily Star, the actor opened up about his love for acting, the challenges he has faced, and much more.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. While working as an assistant director, Rizvi Rizu caught the attention of Mejbaur Rahman Sumon, who cast him as the lively Parkes. The character instantly resonated with audiences, marking a turning point in Rizvi's career as he discovered his passion for acting.
He fully immerses himself in his roles, despite not having a theatre background. "Letting go of Parkes was one of the hardest things I've ever done," he admitted. "I transformed everything—my appearance, body language, even my hair—to become him. My friends were scared of the person I had become, but the love I received for that character made it all worthwhile."
However, the showbiz industry is notorious for typecasting, when asked if he fears being offered supporting roles, the actor replied "I never felt like I was playing a supporting role—every character I've portrayed has felt like a main one," he said. "I have no problem playing a lead or a supporting role that adds depth to the story. As long as the character is versatile, I'm happy. Being born and raised in a village doesn't limit me to playing a village boy—I can just as easily be a tea stall owner, a chairman, or even an MP, as long as the role challenges me as an artiste."
The name Polash seems to have an uncanny connection with Rizvi Rizu, as he has portrayed characters with this name in both "Priyo Maloti" and "Feu". Interestingly, both versions of Polash share a similarity—they are grounded, kind-hearted, and devoted husbands. In "Priyo Maloti" he was allowed to showcase a softer, more nurturing character. "Polash's death scene in 'Priyo Maloti' was particularly challenging for me, because of the emotional depth and the mental strain I had to face while wearing prosthetic makeup," he reflected.
During the death scene, Rizvi had to wear the prosthetic makeup for 22-23 hours which was an insane amount of time. "All credit goes to my prosthetic artiste, Sworna Bhoumick," he shared. The makeup process began at 3am and wasn't completed until 8am. After filming, it was finally removed at around 1:30am.
The biggest challenge was eating—he could only consume liquids through a small hole in the prosthetic. To eat some solid food, the team had to trim the upper part slightly. "The extreme heat and humidity caused sweating and itching, but I didn't want to remove the prosthetic makeup, as it would have taken hours to redo and delayed the production," he explained.
In becoming one with his character, Rizvi Rizu often pushes himself to the point of injury. "In 'Feu', I had a fight scene where I had to run at full speed through a forest, and the sharp leaves pierced my feet. In 'Waqt', I severely injured my thumb while holding a saw incorrectly. My thumb was on the body of the saw, and when I turned it on, it started moving and tore my skin. I suffered for 15-20 days, and everyone was terrified," he recalled.
When asked if screen space matters, Rizvi Rizu replied, "I don't worry about it—if I'm on screen for one minute, that minute should leave a lasting impression. If people make a meme of my dialogue, I'd welcome it as a reflection of my acting skills."
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