A gallon of cold milk poured over her head in the morning. A completely different emotional scene to perform that night.
For newcomer Zaineen Chowdhury Karim, filming The Difficult Bride was less like doing a job and more like stepping into an unfamiliar world where every day brought a new lesson.
With no professional acting experience, Zaineen found herself taking on the lead role in Rubaiyat Hossain’s The Difficult Bride, the first Bangladeshi feature to be selected for the Orizzonti Competition at the Venice International Film Festival.
Zaineen’s journey to the screen began far from a film set. She studied English literature at Smith College in the United States, with a minor in film studies. One of her favourite teachers introduced her to Hossain, and after returning to Dhaka, she first connected with the filmmaker through email in 2023.
“At first, we talked about the paper and various other things. I was extremely excited. I had never been involved in anything like this before,” Zaineen said.
She gradually became involved with the project, reading script drafts, attending production meetings and reading the script aloud for the art and costume departments. Her growing connection with the story eventually encouraged her to audition.
Hossain had told her she could try if she wanted. Zaineen was hesitant because she had no professional acting experience, but the story drew her in.
“I thought it was a very special film conceptually. So I decided to give it a try,” she said.
After an in-person audition, months of video auditions followed. Zaineen recorded different scenes and sent them to the filmmakers as the team searched for an amateur actor who could bring the character to life. After several months, she was selected.
Her only previous acting experience had been a small role in a university play, in which she was cast alongside her late friend Diana- an established theatre director and practitioner.
Once filming began, Zaineen focused more on learning from the experience than thinking about press coverage or film festivals.
“I had to go to the shoot every day. But I never felt that I was simply doing a job,” she said.
The shoot taught her that films are rarely made chronologically. One morning, a gallon of cold milk was poured over her head for a strange, symbolic scene.
That night, she had to perform a completely different sequence, shifting between contrasting emotions.
“I never imagined I would have such an experience. That day, I understood how important it is for an actor to maintain the continuity of a character,” she said.
Zaineen remains reluctant to reveal too much about her character. She says the film follows a girl whose life takes a frightening turn after her marriage is arranged. Primarily a psychological drama, The Difficult Bride explores beauty rituals, social expectations and supernatural forces.
Before filming, Hossain introduced Zaineen to numerous films to help her prepare for the role. Working alongside experienced actors initially intimidated the newcomer, but she soon found support from the cast.
The film features Rikita Nondine Shimu, Azmeri Haque Badhan, Sunerah Binte Kamal, Saberi Alam, Dameer Khan, Shatabdi Wadud and Mohammad Bari, among others.
“I was completely new, while all of them were experienced. But they actually helped me a lot,” Zaineen said.
Breaks between shoots also helped her become more comfortable with the team. Yoga, music and dancing became part of their downtime, while conversations with her co-stars and simple moments such as eating fuchka together gradually helped her overcome her initial nervousness.
Now, Zaineen is looking beyond acting. She had previously explored the possibility of working in human rights law and is studying media communications, but filmmaking has increasingly drawn her attention.
From September, she plans to enrol in a three-year filmmaking programme leading to a Master of Fine Arts degree, where she will study different aspects of filmmaking.
“I never want to confine myself to a particular box. I want to work wherever opportunities come and wherever I can express my creativity,” she said.
The Difficult Bride will have its world premiere at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, which runs from September 2 to 12.
Its selection for the Orizzonti Competition marks the first time a Bangladeshi feature has entered an official competition section at Venice.
For Zaineen, that makes her screen debut part of a significant moment in Bangladeshi cinema.
But Venice may only be the beginning. Having stepped in front of the camera, she is already preparing for her next chapter — this time, behind it.
