Dolly Zahoor spent five decades acting

Bangladeshi legend, actor Dolly Zahur is sometimes a loving mother, sometimes a rebellious housewife, and sometimes the ever-familiar 'Neelu Bhabhi' of a middle-class family. For more than five decades, talented actress Dolly Zahoor has won the hearts of the audience with her acting style. Today is the birthday of this legendary actress. Today she entered the book of life at the age of 73. 

Dolly Zahur started acting while studying at Dhaka University, around 1974-75. Her talent was revealed by acting in a play of the Department of Sociology. Then, she joined the 'Natyachak' theater under the guidance of theater personality M. Hamid. Her first play there was 'Let There Be Light'. Later, she joined the 'Kathak Natyagosthi' with her friend and life partner Zahurul Islam. From this group, she acted in a play based on Manik Bandyopadhyay's famous story 'Pragaitihasik'.

Her busyness on stage did not stop. She won praise abroad by acting in Mamunur Rashid's 'Bangla Theater' play 'Manush'. During that tour, Dolly suddenly took to the stage in the absence of Nazma, the actress of the 'Aranyak' play 'Iblish'. After returning home, she became firmly involved with the group by acting in the role of 'Princess Balaka' in Aranyak's famous play 'Mayur Sinhasan'.

After the stage, Dolly Zahur stepped onto the small screen. She made her royal debut on the small screen with the first serial drama 'Aisab Dinratri' (1985) written by fiction writer Humayun Ahmed. She gained immense popularity across the country overnight by playing the role of 'Nilu Bhabi' in this drama directed by Mostafizur Rahman. 

Later, she made the audience cry by playing the title role in Humayun Ahmed's solo drama 'Janani'.

Dolly Zahur is an indispensable name in films as well as TV dramas. Her first film was 'Akhadar'. After that, she enriched Dhaka cinema by acting in more than 160 films. She won the National Film Award for the first time in the Best Actress category for her excellent performance as 'Rabeya' in the film 'Shankhonil Karagar' (1992), based on Humayun Ahmed's novel. Besides, her performance in Humayun Ahmed's Liberation War-based film 'Aguner Parashmani' was also impeccable.

Later, in 2006, she won the National Film Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as 'Rokeya' in the brutal reality story of Kalu Para in the film 'Ghani' directed by Kazi Morshed. In recognition of her long acting career, the Bangladesh government awarded her the prestigious National Film Award in the 'Lifetime Achievement' category in 2021.

On the small screen, he not only played an important role in Humayun Ahmed's drama, but also in a special telefilm titled 'Shesher Ratri', scripted and directed by Anjan Aich, on the occasion of the 74th death anniversary of world poet Rabindranath Tagore in 2015.