Almost died while filming a 'hanging' scene: Misha Sawdagar

Misha Sawdagar is often considered to be one of the iconic villains of Dhallywood. He proved his acting prowess with his brilliant performances over three decades. The actor has worked in over 800 films during his eventful career and won three National Film Awards. Twice in his career, he was also president of the Bangladesh Film Artistes Association.

In this upcoming Eid, three of his films—"Kill Him", "Leader Amie Bangladesh" and "Prem Pritir Bandhan"—will be released in theaters.

In a candid conversation with The Daily Star, the talented actor reflected on his journey in showbiz and much more.

How has this three-decade journey been so far?

In my opinion, the path of art is never easy. I have acted in so many films in my career. There were times when I was shooting all day and night. Back then, I couldn't even spend time with my family and friends. It took a toll on my body, but I didn't stop. I continued acting because I am an artiste. The way I have shared the screen with the senior actors, I have also shared it with the contemporary artistes too. I am on good terms with all the artistes in the industry. That's why I never said no to them, when they approached me for a film.

Do you have any bad memories over your career?

There are a lot of memories in my career. Once, I had a near-fatal accident while acting. Some even thought that I was dead, but the Almighty saved me. I continued shooting even when my ligament was torn, because I didn't want to hamper the schedule of the film. As I have back pain, I feel hurt whenever I am in action films, but I still love doing them.

There was a hanging scene in the film, "Protigga", I had never played such a role before. I almost died while doing the execution scene. At one point, I strangled myself in that scene, but the Almighty saved me. Everyone thought I died that day. Even then, I didn't stop acting because I loved it.

While shooting for the film, "Amar Praner Shami", my hands and legs were hurt. I was in tears due to the pain, but I still didn't leave the shooting set. That's how I have been acting for years and years, without taking any breaks.

When did you find time for your family?

My heart aches whenever I think about the fact that I didn't get to spend a lot of quality time with my elder son. I don't know how he grew up so fast. He is currently studying at an American university. I was so busy with shooting that I used to return home and he would be asleep. Our time schedules never matched. Sometimes I was abroad, shooting films. My wife was so helpful during those times. She manages my whole family. 

How important has your wife been to your success?

She has made an enormous contribution to my life. We had a love marriage. Now, we have two sons. The elder one, named Hasan Mohammad Walid, is now in America finishing his studies, and the younger one is a student. We are very happy together.