Radiant on big and small screen

BEING discovered in the experimental showNotun Mukher Shondhaneyback in 1984, Diti today is a household name in Bangladesh. She had given her name in the contest just to see whether she got selected or not, and was never really interested in joining the film industry. Before venturing into the world of movies, Diti had already made a mark in the small screen with her two serialsLaili-MajnuandLimitation.

This National Award winning actress was more inclined towards singing rather than acting. Going down memory lane, Diti fondly recalls her first radio performance. "What was unique about the occasion was that my first baby tooth had fallen and the wheezing sound of the wind through my teeth was more prominent than my childish voice." Though she sang well, everyone was having a laugh at her expense. As a child artiste, she had also won a National Award for singing.

Graduating from Lalamatia Womens College, the graceful model turned actress was once upon a time a tough tomboy in Sonargaon. She had an incurable habit of swimming in the pond in her brother's English half pants and playing gollachhut with her playmates. She would forget the time and distance and continue until her grandmother would come looking for her with a stick in hand. "I have been beaten black and blue many times by my grandmother for my obstinate ways. Though she is no longer with us today, I miss her the most," says Diti.

At the outset of Diti's movie career, she made sure she signed movies with only meaningful roles. Notun Mukher Shondhaney was a show where the organisers were looking for bright young girls for movies. Her first movie was set against the 1971-Liberation War. She was cast against Afzal Hossain and the movie was devoid of any fighting or dancing scene. "One thing I never wanted to do was to work in indecent movies. My family has been against my movie career through and through and till date they don't approve of it." However, in her long spanning movie career, she admits to doing roles that have been meaningful as well as purely commercial.

It is her own talent, strong will and the support and love of her fans, which has kept Diti going. However, in 1997 for various personal reasons, she had opted out of acting all together. She went into severe depression. While her doctor advised her to start something new, she realised that acting was where her heart lay. Years later she made a slow comeback, but not so much into movies as she did in television serials. "Today I have my hands full with serials and I also do two or three movies a year, selecting the characters very carefully."

As a seasoned actress, Diti has a word of advice for the younger generation. "Those who join the movie industry should be very careful about the image they project. They are public figures and they should refrain from doing anything that will give the industry a bad name," concludes Diti.