I prepare for a role as though it is my last one: Mostafa Monwar

Mostafa Monwar has made a mark with his versatile roles in a short span of time. Be it Sajjad in "Live from Dhaka", Dayal in "Mr Jhony" or Kabir in the "Unoloukik" episode, Moribar Holo Taar Shaad, his filmography has been quite impressive. In 2014, he published his book, "Melodrama". The recent recognition for his film, "Payer Tolay Mati Nai" at the Busan International Film Festival, is another achievement for him. In a candid conversation, he spoke about his journey, and more.

You are known to be an avid reader. Could you tell us how reading influenced your life's trajectory?

I grew up in a strict household at Indira Road, where reading for fun was prohibited because my parents believed it would hamper my academic pursuits. During visits to different people's houses, I used to pick up books on fairytales or folklore, I did not have any preference in reading. I got books on religion from the mosque library as well.  My reading restrictions eased out after my admission in Cumilla Cadet College. During that time, Sheba Prokashoni opened up a new world to me. I was introduced to stories from around the world, and to dynamic characters like Masud Rana. I enjoy reading about concepts of ideology. The points of view in non-fiction books vary, and exploring them helps me to understand the psyche of each character I play. Sometimes, along with the director's guidelines on a role, I add nuances of humane concepts to the background stories of my characters. Currently, I am collecting and reading different award-winning books, as I want to stay connected to world literature.

Live From Dhaka. Photos: Collected from Facebook

Unoloukik.

You have been involved with Prachyanat, as well as the NSU Drama Club. How did these platforms shape you as an actor?

I got into Prachyanat because I really wanted to be a part of the cultural scene. However, due to my classes at NSU, I could not continue with them. When I joined the NSU Drama Club, my peers automatically assumed that I know a lot about acting because of my earlier theatre work.  Actually, I knew very little then. However, their expectations pushed me to take acting seriously, and do my homework. Books by Constantin Stanislavski like "An Actor Prepares" also helped me. Animesh Aich and I would often take late night walks together to observe different people and draw them – this exercise gave me a lot of perspective. Moreover, Dr Ishrafeel Shaheen, who took our classes, always challenged us with multi-layered characters.

What would you say was the turning point in your acting career?

For me, theatre was more spontaneous. On screen, however, I did not invest into the craft much until "Live From Dhaka" came along.  In that film, the role of Sajjad was so challenging that I knew working hard was the only way. Ever since then, I prepare for a role as though it is my last one. I do not want to leave any room for regrets. Despite getting interesting characters, I do not think I did justice to them until 2015. However, there are times when the screen space given to a character is too narrow, and their possibilities and dynamics remain unexplored.

Now, I have the luxury to choose my own characters, but fortunately, my livelihood does not depend on it. I have a tendency of overdoing things I am passionate about. So at this point, I work less, and choose characters that feel significant to me.

Ekattor.

Animesh Aich's telefim "Holud" was your first project as a screenwriter, for which you won the Meril Prothom Alo Puroshkar. How was the telefilm planned out?

Actually, Animesh believed in my writing skills more than me. He asked me to conduct a screenwriting workshop for his group, which I resisted. My writing experience was limited to ad campaigns and shorts for Lux Superstar projects. I had not explored writing fiction at that point. The title, "Holud", which Animesh came up with, immediately caught my attention. In one night, our imaginations ran wild, and I just let all my bizarre thoughts flow.  I am now planning to write for films, and that struggle is ongoing.

Mr Jhony.

Apple Tree.

What are your upcoming projects?

 I have shot for Mohammad Rabby's film, "Tree of Knowledge", which I hope will go into festivals too. I am also working on "Manusher Bagan", directed by Nurul Alam Atique.  Rubaiyat Hossain's "Made in Bangladesh" is yet to release in this country, while filming for Gias Uddin Selim's "Gunin" will begin in October.

The author is an art researcher and writer in the making. Email: priyanka.chowdhury@gmail.com.