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Bappy Chowdhury
বাপ্পি চৌধুরী
Chowdhury at Jago FM station, 2019
Born	Bappy Kumar Saha (1982-12-06) December 6, 1982 (age 42) Narayanganj, Greater Dhaka, Bangladesh
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Education	University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh
Occupation	Actor
Years active	2012–present
Works	Full list

Bappy Chowdhury (born Bappy Kumar Saha; 6 December, 1982) is a Bangladeshi actor who works in Bengali films. Referred to in the media as "The Sultan of Dhallywood", he has starred in over 45 films in a decade-long career, and is one of the country's most popular actors.

Chowdhury began his acting career with the box-office hit Bhalobasar Rong (2012). He went on to star in successful films including Prem Prem Paglami, Tobuo Bhalobashi (both 2013), Sweetheart (2016), Apon Manush (2017), Nayok (2018), Daag Hridoye and Paglami (both 2019). He also played Sultan in the 2017 film Sultana Bibiana, which initially underperformed but has gained public recognition over years. In 2021, Chowdhury won a Dhallywood Film and Music award in Best Actor category.

Early life and other works

Chowdhury was born on December 06, 1982 in Narayanganj, Greater Dhaka, Bangladesh. His father Noni Gopal Saha is a businessman and social worker, and mother Swapan Saha (d. 2024) was a housewife. Since his childhood, Chowdhury aspired to be an actor, inspired by Salman Shah and Nayok Raz Razzak.

Born in a Hindu family, Chowdhury describes himself as a religious individual who believes in God. He studied journalism from University of Liberal Arts Bangladesh, and joined NTV as an apprentice journalist in 2018.

Acting career

Chowdhury made his acting debut in 2012 with Bhalobasar Rong, opposite Mahiya Mahi. The film was a major financial success. For his 2013 works—Onnorokom Bhalobasha, Prem Prem Paglaami and Tobou Bhalobashi—Chowdhury earned three Freelancer Rubel nominations in Best Actor category. The 2013 commercial success Jotil Prem starred him opposite Achol. Two of his subsequent films, Lover Number One and Ajob Prem (both 2015), were remakes of Indian movies. In 2016, he starred with Bidya Sinha Saha Mim in two films: Sweetheart and Ami Tomar Hote Chai; the latter was a moderate success. The same year, he also featured in Apon Manush with Pori Moni and in One Way with Bobby.

In 2017, he reunited with Achol in Sultana Bibiana; although the film was unsuccessful, he ranks Sultan amongst the most memorable roles of his career. Chowdhury starred opposite Adhora Khan in Nayok (2018), which became a box office hit. The thriller Dongiri (2019) saw him switch from romantic to action roles; the film proved popular with the audience. His other two releases of 2019 were critical and financial successes: Daag Hridoye and Paglami. Chowdhury's role in the liberation drama Priyo Kamala (2020) was well-received by critics. He did not have any other releases in 2020–21 due to COVID-19 pandemic. He returned to screen in 2022 with Shoshurbari Zindabad 2, opposite Apu Biswas.

Chowdhury then collaborated with director Kazi Hayat on Joy Bangla (2023; co-starring Zahara Mitu). It was a highly anticipated release, based on Muntassir Mamoon's novel of the same name. However, the film failed to attract an audience, and so did his other release of 2023, Shotru.

Upcoming projects

In February 2022, New Age reported that Chowdhury is simultaneously working in eleven productions. He will be playing the leading role in Ashraf Shishir's under-production film, 570, based on the assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. His other upcoming films include Kustigir which pair him with Zahara Mitu.

In the media

Chowdhury is frequently referred to in the media as "The Sultan of Dhallywood", a nickname he has earned from his character in Sultana Bibiana (2017). Shah Alam Shazu of The Daily Star describes Chowdhury as "one of the film industry's most sought-after names created a craze around him in a relatively short period of time." Most of Chowdhury's films have been commercially successful.

Following his debut in 2012, Chowdhury went on to act in 16 films in the first three years of his career, breaking the record of actor Salman Shah, who earlier had starred in 13 films in the same timespan. While he initially became known for playing romantic roles, he later expanded to negative characters with One Way (2016) and in the action genre with Dongiri (2019). Critics have nonetheless derided his lack of versatility; the actor has expressed his wish to play more experimental roles in future.

Chowdhury has advocated the upliftment of Bangladeshi art and cinema at multiple occasions. When Dhallywood faced financial adversity during COVID-19 pandemic, he was among the highly-paid actors who lowered their fees to keep the industry afloat. In 2021, he and Shakib Khan co-jointly won a Best Actor award at the Dhallywood Film and Music ceremony. In 2023, Chowdhury was awarded in special category at the 20th Tele Cine Awards, held in Kolkata.

On the behalf of BRAC, Chowdhury visited the Rohingya refugee camps in 2018. He later described the visit as "one of the most eye-opening experiences of life".

Filmography

Awards and nominations

References

1. ^ "Happy birthday, Bappy Chowdhury". Daily Sun (Bangladesh). December 2017.
2. "11 years of Bappy Chowdhury". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). 19 October 2023.
3. ^ "I aspire to play experimental characters: Bappy Chowdhury". New Age. 12 February 2022.
4. Siddique, Habibullah (19 June 2022). "I want to obey my father till my last breath: Bappy Chowdhury". The Business Standard. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
5. "Bappy Chowdhury's mother passes away". The Daily Star. 5 March 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
6. "হিন্দু হলেও আল্লাহকে বিশ্বাস করি: বাপ্পি". Ukhiya News. 19 April 2023. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
7. ^ "ধর্মে হিন্দু হয়েও 'কোরবানি' দিলেন চিত্রনায়ক বাপ্পি". Dhaka Mail (in Bengali). Retrieved 7 September 2024.
8. "ধর্ম পরিবর্তন নিয়ে যা বললেন বাপ্পী". Somoy News (in Bengali). 7 February 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
9. "নতুন পরিচয়ে হাজির হচ্ছেন বাপ্পি | দৈনিক আজাদী". Dainik Azadi. 15 October 2018. Archived from the original on 15 October 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
10. "And the next Dhallywood queen is..." Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
11. ^ মেরিল-প্রথম আলো পুরস্কার ২০১৩ প্রথম পর্বে মনোনয়ন পেলেন যঁারা [Those who were nominated in the first round of Meril-Prothom Alo Award 2013]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). p. 24.
12. ^ মেরিল-প্রথম আলো পুরস্কার ২০১৩ দ্বিতীয় পর্বে মনোনয়ন পেলেন যঁারা [Those who were nominated in the second round of Meril-Prothom Alo Award 2013]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). p. 23.
13. ^ মেরিল-প্রথম আলো পুরস্কার ২০১৩ তৃতীয় পর্বে মনোনয়ন পেলেন যঁারা [Those who were nominated in the third round of Meril-Prothom Alo Award 2013]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). p. 24. Archived from the original on 18 May 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2014.
14. ^ Manjur, Al Mahdud (12 January 2016). "Achol leaves Dhallywood". Dhaka Tribune. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
15. ^ "Indian artists get more preference – Bappi Chowdhury". The Daily Star. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
16. ^ "A year on the silver screen". The Daily Star. 1 January 2017.
17. "Ami Tomar Hote Chai". The Daily Star. 24 December 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
18. ^ "Bappi to Star in Two Upcoming Films". The Daily Star. 27 August 2016. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
19. ^ Shahnewaz, Sadi Mohammad; Zahin, Araf (27 May 2017). "The New Sultan". The Daily Star. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
20. ^ "'I reaped the reward of six years of waiting': Himel Ashraf". The Business Standard. 20 July 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
21. ^ ""I am drawn to out of the box characters"". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). 10 June 2018.
22. ^ Nomrota Mazumder, Joana (10 November 2018). "Nayok hits the home run!". The Daily Star. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
23. ^ Islam, Jahed (29 October 2019). "Bappy-starrer Dongiri gets huge response". Daily Sun. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
24. ^ Shazu, Shah Alam (16 February 2019). "Bappy Chowdhury talks about 'Daag Hridoye'". The Daily Star. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
25. ^ Heemel, Shahrear Kabir (23 September 2019). "Bappy's Paglami creates craze". The Daily Star. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
26. ^ "যেসব হলে মুক্তি পেল 'শ্বশুরবাড়ি জিন্দাবাদ ২'". Banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 11 February 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
27. ^ Ahsan, Sohel (10 January 2023). "Audiences are not going to the cinema: Kazi Hayat". The Business Standard. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
28. ^ Shazu, Shah Alam; Amin, Rafsana (18 December 2021). "Zahara Mitu's dreams on the silver screen". The Daily Star.
29. "570: Film on Bangbandhu's assassination gets censor board clearance". The Daily Star. 16 February 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
30. ^ "Bappy hopes to play diverse characters". New Age BD. 21 September 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
31. Shazu, Shah Alam (26 June 2019). "I have refused five films for Dhaka 2040". The Daily Star. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
32. ^ "ঈদে বাপ্পির হ্যাটট্রিক". Bangla News 24 (in Bengali). 20 August 2016. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
33. "On Life & Experiences". The Daily Star (Bangladesh). 2 June 2021.
34. "Film stars to take pay cuts to help industry". The Business Standard. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 9 September 2024.
35. ^ "Shakib Khan, Bappy, Mim, and Bubly win big at Dhallywood Film & Music Awards 2021". The Daily Star. 5 December 2021. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
36. ^ "Afzal Hossain, Chanchal Chowdhury, Bappa Mazumder honoured". Prothom Alo. 6 June 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
37. jagonews24.com. "শুভ জন্মদিন শাহীন সুমন". jagonews24.com. Retrieved 10 February 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)

External links

• Bappy Chowdhury at IMDb

Media related to Bappy Chowdhury at Wikimedia Commons

• 21st-century Bangladeshi male actors
• Bangladeshi Hindus
• Bangladeshi male film actors
• Bengali Hindus
• Living people
• 1982 births
• Bengali male actors
• Male actors from Dhaka
• Male actors in Bengali cinema