Remembering Rahman, the first ‘romantic hero’ of Bangladeshi cinema

Abdur Rahman was one of the most prominent faces on the silver screen during the 1960s and 1970s. He is known as the first 'romantic hero' of Bangladeshi cinema.  In his acting career, he was featured in multiple Urdu and Pashto films as well. Today marks the 16th death anniversary of the iconic actor.

Rahman played the antagonist in his debut film "Edesh Tomar Amar", directed by Ehtesham in 1960. Following along the success of his debut, Ehtesham cast Rahman to play the lead in "Rajdhanir Buke", where he shared the screen with Chitra Sinha.

The actor's success continued with the Mostafiz directorial production "Harano Din", where he was paired with Shabnam. The film was a phenomenal hit, establishing him as the heartthrob of Bangladesh.

The Rahman-Shabnam duo worked on many blockbusters throughout the years.

Some of Rahman's notable films are Mostafiz's "Talash", and Khan Ataur Rahman's "Jowar Bhata". He played Chunilal in Chashi Nazrul Islam's "Devdas", where he was appreciated by the audience and critics.

Rahman ventured into film direction with "Darshan".  The film was a commercial success, establishing him as one of the most promising directors in the industry.

In 1963, his "Preet Na Jaane Rit" was a sensation among cinemagoers as well. However, the actor lost a leg on the set of this film. It took him a while to bounce back, but he did manage to come back to the silver screen. His last release was "Amar Shongshar", a film directed by Robin Ghosh.

In his career, he was worked with some of the most prominent female actors, including Kabori, Anwara, and Shabnam, among many others. His most famous Urdu films include "Milan", "Bahana", "Indhan", "Darshan", "Gori", "Jahan Baje Shehnai", "Dosti", "Chahat" and "Lagan".

Rahman passed away on July 18, 2005.