TBT DESK

The 1991 film ‘Chandni’ introduced Shabnaz to the big screen and helped usher in a new generation of stars in Bangladeshi cinema. Paired with Naim, she quickly won audiences’ hearts, becoming one of the most popular actresses of the 1990s. On Thursday, the actress celebrates her birthday.

Directed by Ehtesham, ‘Chandni’ marked the film debuts of both Naim and Shabnaz. Shabnaz played the title character, and their arrival signalled a shift towards younger faces in Dhallywood. Salman Shah, Moushumi and Shabnur would later emerge as prominent figures in this new wave.

Following the film’s success, Naim and Shabnaz became one of the industry’s favourite on-screen pairs. They appeared together in films including ‘Jid’, ‘Love’, ‘Sonia’, ‘Anutapta’, ‘Chokhe Chokhe’, ‘Bisher Banshi’, ‘Takar Ahankar’, ‘Sakkhat’ and ‘Ghore Ghore Juddho’. They married in 1994 and have maintained their bond beyond the screen.

Their final appearance as a pair came in ‘Ghore Ghore Juddho’, directed by the late Azizur Rahman and released in 2001. Shabnaz later appeared in Rahman’s ‘Doctor Bari’ in 2007.

Shabnaz’s family name is Sabrina Tania, and she is the eldest of three sisters. Her younger sister Mou also works in acting. Shabnaz’s father knew director Azizur Rahman, who helped introduce her to Ehtesham and paved the way for her film debut.

At the time, the industry featured established stars such as Shabana, Kabori, Bobita, Rozina, Sunetra, Diti, Suchorita and Champa. Shabnaz nevertheless established herself as a representative of the emerging generation.

She also shared the screen with Salman Shah in three films: ‘Mayer Odhikar’, directed by Shibli Sadik; Hafiz Uddin’s ‘Anjuman’; and Tamiz Uddin Rizvi’s ‘Asha Bhalobasha’. Among these, ‘Mayer Odhikar’ attracted the most attention and proved especially popular with audiences.

Shabnaz plans to celebrate her birthday with family members, although she has no special arrangements planned.

Expressing gratitude for her life and the affection she continues to receive, she said, “I am immensely grateful to Almighty Allah for giving me such a beautiful life. I have always been surrounded by people’s love, and I am thankful for their affection. I ask everyone to pray that I can spend the rest of my life in good health and happiness with my husband and children.”

Beyond acting, Shabnaz has also been involved in humanitarian work. She became associated with the Red Crescent during childhood and donated blood for the first time on 1 December 1996 at the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society’s Red Crescent Blood Centre. She has since donated blood many times to help others.

The year 1996 was also a milestone in her acting career. ‘Nirmom’, directed by actor Alomgir, was released on 8 November that year and earned Shabnaz the National Film Award. It remains the only National Film Award she has won.

Alongside her work in cinema, Shabnaz has also acted in television dramas. Her first drama was ‘Akash Kusum’, followed by several other productions.