National Film Award-winning actor Symon Sadik has spoken about his experience working on ‘ANNiE’, the new web series from acclaimed filmmaker Abdullah Mohammad Saad, describing it as an opportunity to rediscover himself as a performer.
The series, which marks Saad’s return to directing after a five-year hiatus, had its world premiere on Tuesday in the Women in Series section of the Seriencamp Festival. Symon plays a key role in the production, and his appearance and performance in the recently released trailer have already attracted attention from viewers.
Speaking via Facebook Messenger from the United States, Symon recalled that his journey into ‘ANNiE’ began with a phone call from casting director Yasir. During a meeting at a restaurant in the capital’s Gulshan, he expressed his desire to explore new dimensions as an actor.
According to Symon, Yasir then encouraged him to meet Saad. During their discussion, the filmmaker handed him the script and later engaged in detailed conversations about the character, which ultimately led to his casting.
Symon said he had received numerous offers to work in web series in the past but had been waiting for a project that could offer something genuinely different.
“If I move from cinema to another medium, there has to be something new there. I wanted to do something that could leave a strong impact. Saad bhai’s work attracted me from that perspective.”
The actor described the preparation process as unusual. Although he was initially given a script, he said the director spent considerable time observing him before deciding to rethink aspects of the character. Some dialogue and sections of the script were later revised.
“Saad bhai observed my acting style and the way I worked. Later, he made new decisions to shape the character more effectively. The whole experience was very rewarding for me.”
Symon noted that most members of the ‘ANNiE’ team were new to him, including co-stars Azmeri Haque Badhon Tushi, Sarika Sabrin and Yash Rohan. Despite that, he never felt like an outsider on set.
“We all treated the project as our own. It was a very sincere environment. We enjoyed the work as much as we enjoyed spending time together.”
The role also required a specific physical transformation. Symon revealed that he had already been growing his hair and beard for another project, which happened to suit the character in ‘ANNiE’. Achieving the final look took several months of preparation.
He credited the director for the response audiences have had to his appearance in the series.
“People are saying they are seeing a new Symon. I believe the entire credit goes to the director. He knew exactly how he wanted the character to look.”
Although he is currently in the US, Symon said he misses Bangladesh, his colleagues and the experience of acting.
“There is something special about home. I especially miss my village. I miss acting very much as well. Sometimes I feel like sitting down with my colleagues and chatting face to face again.”
During the conversation, Symon also hinted at future plans behind the camera, revealing that he has already completed filming portions of a project he is directing. However, he declined to provide further details at this stage.
Concluding the discussion, the actor expressed gratitude to everyone involved in ‘ANNiE’, particularly casting director Yasir, filmmaker Abdullah Mohammad Saad, and the teams responsible for makeup, costume design and assistant direction.
Symon said he believes the collective effort of the entire team is what made ‘ANNiE’a distinctive production.
