During a recent conversation about his work, actor Rizvi Rizu revealed that he is currently filming ‘Pressure Cooker’, directed by Raihan Rafi. “A few days ago, I shot all night in a beautiful open location in Dhaka,” he said. When asked for more details, he smiled and put a finger to his lips. “I can’t tell you anything else,” he added.
Rizvi Rizu has been a prominent figure in Bangladesh’s film and OTT industry for some time. He gained wider attention with the movie ‘Hawa’, in which he played the character Parkes. He explained, “I was originally meant to play Urkes. I auditioned and rehearsed for two months, but later the role changed. At first, I wanted to leave, but for various reasons, I stayed, and I think it turned out well.”
His filmography includes ‘Fatima’ directed by Dhrubs Hasan, ‘Priyo Maloti’ by Shankha Dasgupta, ‘Feu’ by Sukorno Shahed Dhiman and ‘Dui Shaw’ directed by Nuhash Humayun. When asked whether remuneration is higher for artistic projects, Rizvi said that it is not.
He explained his choice to work in a variety of art genres, “I want to do all types of work. Commercial films come my way, but I can’t always take them. Sometimes dates clash or the pay does not match the work.”
Rizvi is also a singer, mostly performing folk songs and Lalon music. He began singing among close friends and later appeared on stage. In the 2013 telefilm ‘@18: All TIme Dourer Upor’, directed by Adnan Al Rajib, he performed a version of ‘O Bandhu Lal Golapi’. He also acted and sang in the music video of a song titled ‘Lulu Pagol’.
“These projects were initiated by my well-wisher Arafat Mohsin Nidhi. They were works of our youth and I participated without much thought,” Rizvi said.
Born in Dhaka and raised in Kumarkhali, Kushtia, Rizvi returned to the capital to pursue his career after completing part of his studies. Alongside acting, he has worked in sound studios and production houses. He currently holds a job in a private organisation. “If I could act full-time, I would not need this job,” he said. “But even as a character actor, I can survive. I now have the opportunity to move forward and aim for leading roles, and I want to pursue that.”
Rizvi has also featured in advertisements visible to many metro rail commuters in Dhaka and works as a voice artist. He views his career as a long journey, choosing to progress steadily like a metro train rather than rushing.
Despite challenges, Rizvi Rizu remains committed to his craft and determined to reach his destination.
