Actress Suchanda Recounts Childhood, Career, and Marriage to Zahir Raihan

Renowned film actress and director Suchanda recently sat down for an extensive interview with writer and journalist Anisul Hoque as part of the "Crown Cement Experiences of Light" program. She shared intimate details of her life, from her childhood and upbringing to her entry into cinema and her love story and marriage to the legendary filmmaker Zahir Raihan. Suchanda was born in Satkhira but has faint memories of her early days there, as her family soon moved to Jessore. Her father, A S M Nizamuddin Ataiub, was a government employee, and her mother, Doctor Begum Jahanara, was a homeopathic physician. The family eventually settled in Jessore, where Suchanda began her education. She fondly remembers attending Momin Girls School, now Government Girls High School, where she matriculated. She then pursued further studies at MM College in Jessore before her father's job transfer led the family to Barisal and later to Dhaka. Suchanda revealed that she never initially considered a career in film, given her conservative upbringing. However, her mother's cultured background and her own mandatory participation in school cultural events, where she gained recognition for her performances, particularly as Shakuntala, paved the way. The opportunity arose when her father's close friend, director-producer Kazi Khalek, noticed her and suggested she consider acting. Initially hesitant, her father agreed to let her appear in a short documentary, marking her first foray into the world of cinema.