More than five decades after first stepping in front of the camera, Abul Hayat still speaks about acting with the same curiosity and affection that marked the beginning of his journey.
An engineer by profession but an actor by passion, he has built one of the most celebrated careers in Bangladeshi entertainment. Yet, when he looks back, he talks less about fame and more about the people, stories and experiences that shaped him.
In an exclusive interview with TIMES of Bangladesh, the veteran actor revisited the defining moments of his career, shared memories of legendary filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak, reflected on the changing face of television and cinema, and revealed the dream role and film he still hopes to bring to life.
Hayat began his acting career in 1969, making his stage and television debut through Nagarik Natya Sampradaya’s production of Oedipus. Since then, his performances in Bohubrihi, Ayomoy, Aj Robibar and Shankhanil Karagar have earned him a permanent place in the history of Bangladeshi television drama.
One of his most cherished memories remains working with legendary filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak on Titas Ekti Nadir Naam. Hayat first met Ghatak in 1972 through actor Hasan Imam after the director arrived in newly independent Bangladesh to prepare the film.
He remembers Ghatak as a brilliant but unconventional filmmaker.
“Even without a written plan, he was an extraordinarily gifted director. Everything was organised in his mind. Even after losing the screenplay, he sat on the set and rewrote it,” Hayat recalled, referring to an incident that saw the director argue fiercely with an assistant after the script went missing.
Filming around Aricha Ghat and Baligaon was equally memorable. Cast members travelled before dawn, crossed the river by ferry and often returned home close to midnight. Hayat also laughed while recalling that he spent the first two days on set without filming a single scene before finally giving his first shot on the third day.
Looking back at his career, Hayat said several characters remain especially close to his heart. They include Kashem in Ayomoy, the Mejho bhai in Aj Robibar, Khokon Saheb in Bohubrihi, and Humayun Ahmed’s celebrated detective Misir Ali.
On stage, he singles out Sitanath Chakraborty in Baki Itihas and Makhan in Dewan Gazir Kissa among his finest performances.
One dream, however, remains unfinished.
Hayat said portraying Shakespeare’s King Lear is still on his wish list.
Although he has directed numerous television dramas, he has never made a feature film.
The ambition, however, remains very much alive. If given the opportunity, he said he would choose a simple family story rooted in everyday life rather than an extravagant fantasy.
Asked about today’s entertainment industry, Hayat welcomed the growth of television, cinema and OTT platforms. But he believes technology alone cannot create memorable work.
According to him, audiences always return to powerful storytelling. He also expressed disappointment that senior actors are now rarely offered layered roles and are often limited to playing straightforward father figures. He pointed to Indian actor Soumitra Chatterjee as an example of an artist who continued to receive diverse and challenging roles until the end of his career.
These days, Hayat appears on screen less frequently and spends more time writing, with another book already in the works. Looking back on a career spanning generations and countless memorable performances, he says the greatest reward has never been awards or accolades, but the love of audiences.
“I never asked for much, yet I received so much,” he says, a sentiment that perfectly reflects both his life and his remarkable journey as an actor.
