Popular television pair Niloy Alamgir and Jannatul Sumaiya Heme, known for their comic and romantic roles, are set to appear in a different kind of story with the drama Poraner Poran.
The drama follows a bride who is abducted by a group of robbers after her wedding. The story centres on one of the robbers and the newlywed woman. Riyad Ashraf is directing the project.
Unlike most of their productions, which are filmed in Dhaka, Pubail and nearby areas, Poraner Poran was shot in Char Kukri-Mukri in Bhola. The team worked there continuously for five days under the scorching sun, without a makeup room or proper resting facilities.
“We shot on a newly emerged char near the sea, almost at the farthest end of Bangladesh. It was very far from Bhola town, and the journey itself was risky. But the story required a quiet and isolated location. I believe viewers will get a different kind of entertainment from the drama,” Niloy told Prothom Alo.
Heme described the experience as one of the most difficult shoots of her career.
“I have worked with Niloy bhai in many places outside Dhaka, including Barishal. But this time, I felt as if we had somehow returned alive. We worked amid fear and uncertainty on an island in the Bay of Bengal. There was hardly any sleep or proper food, and we spent five straight days under the sun. My skin tone has changed because of the shoot,” she said.
The actors became concerned after learning that they would have to travel to the location by trawler, speedboat or launch. Niloy knows how to swim, but Heme does not.
Heme said she wore a life jacket as soon as she boarded the speedboat and repeatedly asked others to protect her if anything went wrong. Her mother also accompanied her during the outdoor shoot.
“I kept thinking that if something happened, my mother would at least look for me. With those thoughts, we had to cross the sea every day to reach the shooting location. Thankfully, we returned safely after completing the work,” she said.
Both actors required very little makeup because of the demands of their characters. Niloy plays a member of the robber gang, and the five days spent under the sun helped him naturally adapt to the role.
He said he had never endured such difficult conditions for a character before.
“To be honest, everyone suffered much more than they normally do during a shoot. It was an unusually difficult experience,” Niloy said.
Niloy and Heme have now completed 10 years as an on-screen pair. Heme said the milestone also became a source of fun during the latest shoot.
“The assistant director of our first drama is now directing a drama featuring us. We were talking about that and joking with Niloy bhai. I was so young then. It feels like yesterday, but 10 years have passed,” she said.
Heme recalled that she used to go to shooting directly from college wearing her college uniform. She credited Niloy for supporting her throughout their journey.
Their first drama together was Jole Veja Rong, while Bondhur Bou brought them their first major recognition.
They later appeared in popular productions such as Gorib, Songsar Amar Vallage Na, Breakup Kono Byapar Na, Bhuture Prem, Hobu Ghorjamai and Bipode Pore Biye.
Their drama Shoshurbari-te Eid is currently among the most-viewed Bangla dramas on YouTube. Five of the platform’s 10 most-viewed Bangla dramas feature Niloy and Heme as the lead pair.
