Mosharraf Karim doesn't know how popular he is

With his powerful performances, Mosharraf Karim has been ruling the TV scene for the better part of a decade. His vast popularity has spread across from the most urban areas to rural villages. Besides acting in plays, he has done some TVCs and films. In a recent talk with The Daily Star at Uttara's shooting house Nilanjana, the supremely talented actor spoke about his profession and more. Excerpts:

You are one of the busiest actors of our times. Do you enjoy the hectic life?

Mosharraf Karim: I don't. Working all day every day is no life. You need leisure. The mind and body need rest sometimes.

But you are still doing a lot of work. Why?

Mosharraf Karim: To keep requests. I get so many work offers, and there is only so many you can turn down. And the people that come to me with these offers are people of the same fraternity, and I have to sometimes bow to the cajoling.

You started your career in theatre. Did you plan for you career to take this trajectory?

Mosharraf Karim: I never did anything with a long-term target. I just kept on doing my work, and it is what I am doing now. My passion for acting drove me to get involved in theatre, and it is where I learned the craft. Then I started working in TV, and it has become my profession now. I never had a target. I just had love for the art.

So, you are not the kind of person who makes big future plans...

Mosharraf Karim: Exactly. I don't have any big plans with my career. I just want to continue doing good work. There is no compromise there. I don't work in plays that I don't like.

Do you have any regrets in your career?

Mosharraf Karim: Not at all. I am grateful for all the roles I have played, and I don't have any remorse for any that I could not do. Life is too short for regrets.

Is there anything you miss a lot from your earlier life?

Mosharraf Karim: Oh yes. I miss the hangouts and long adda during my theatre days. I don't get to do that anymore, and it is something I miss sorely. If I go back a little further, I miss chilling out with my friends on the riverbank in Barisal, where I grew up. If only there was a way to go back to those days …

Do you have a clear idea how popular you are?

Mosharraf: I don't, honestly. But when I go outside Dhaka for shooting, I get an idea, and it is always so gratifying. Big crowds gather up whenever we are filming, to get a glimpse of me. I can feel the love. I also get an idea from some of the crazy antics of my fans. But to be frank, I like living a simple, low-key life.

Tell us about your recent work in films.

Mosharraf Karim: “Halda”, directed by Tauquir Ahmed is the last film I worked in. It was shot on the banks of river Halda in Chittagong. I play a failed lover in the film. I am also in talks about new projects for the big screen, but nothing is final yet.

What are you working for this upcoming Eid?

Mosharraf Karim: I have shot for an Eid play. I will visit Cox's Bazar soon to shoot for another single-episode drama, a series named “Jhamala Unlimited” and then another Eid play there.