Popular Bangladeshi actress Dilara Hanif Purnima has revealed her desire to break away from the romantic and sweet-natured roles that have defined her career for nearly three decades. The actress now hopes to portray a powerful villain on screen for the first time.
Purnima made her film debut with E Jibon Tomar Amar in the late 1990s and went on to establish herself as one of Dhallywood’s leading actresses through a string of commercially successful films. However, despite a 28-year acting career, she has never appeared in a negative role.
Speaking on a special Channel i programme marking her recent birthday, Purnima said she wants to take on a strong antagonist’s role that would present her in a completely new light.
She said she hopes to portray a character so convincing that audiences would genuinely hate the role she plays.
The actress also acknowledged that filmmakers and audiences have always associated her with romantic and soft-spoken characters. As a result, she believes no one has seriously considered casting her in a villainous role.
Purnima said she has never had the opportunity to play a negative character because people assume such roles would not suit her appearance. She added that audiences are accustomed to seeing her in polished, romantic roles, but she now wants to do something entirely different.
The actress has remained selective about acting projects in recent years. She was last seen in director Chatku Ahmed’s Ahare Jibon, released during Eid-ul-Fitr in 2024. Earlier, she made her OTT debut with Kajal Arefin Ome’s 2023 web series Hotel Relax, but has not appeared in any new productions since.
