Eventful innings

Tania Ahmed began her career as a TVC model and gradually earned recognition as an able actress. Tania recently spoke to The Daily Star (TDS) about her work and plans. Excerpts from the interview:
Tell us about your ongoing projects.
Tania: I'm currently doing several serials. I'm working on Ripon Nobi's new serial, titled “Apon Por”. I'm also working in Himel Ashraf's “Mayajaal”, and Masud Sezan's “Putul Khela”, which is being aired on ATN Bangla. Ntv is also airing a mega-serial named “Terminal”, directed by Shokal Ahmed. The channel is also airing mega-serial “Rupkotha” by Aranya Anwar. Channel i is airing Azizul Hakim's “Shokal Shondhya Raat” and I'm also working on an untitled serial being directed by Hasan Tareq.
Are you doing any single-episode play as well?
Tania: I've done several one-hour plays but I can't recall the names at the moment. But I have plans to do more one-hour plays in the future.
What are your characters like in the ongoing serials?
Tania: Each serial has a unique theme. In “Terminal”, I play the role of a woman who runs a women's hostel. I play a producer in “Rupkotha”, while playing a negative character in “Mayajaal”. All of the characters are interesting. I'm doing these roles only because I liked each one of them.
Do you have to juggle your acting assignments with giving time to your family?
Tania: I could work every day if I wanted. But I choose not to. Whatever time I have outside of acting, I give to my family. I dedicate a lot of time to my children. My husband SI Tutul also does the same.
Tell us something about your directorial experience.
Tania: I've directed several TV plays. Earlier, I also used to direct music videos. Recently, I finished directing a new serial called “The A-Team”. The 30 to 35-episode serial was shot in England. Editing for “The A Team” is currently on.
What is the story of “The A-Team”? Who are the actors?
Tania: It is based on a true story. Once I went abroad with a huge team of musicians and actors. I won't mention the name of the country, but once we got there, we faced extreme crisis. The story of “The A-Team” is based on those experiences. The cast includes Mosharraf Karim, Bijori Barkatullah, SI Tutul, Saju Muntasir and myself.
What are your plans on direction?
Tania: The task of a director is tough. A director is like the father or the mother of the production, while the actors are like children. As an actor, I can make mistakes. But as a director, there is no room for error. The extra responsibilities mean that a director has to give more time to the work. So my plan is to do some good work by taking plenty of time for the projects. I don't want to take shortcuts in direction. The dedication I give to acting, I also want to give to direction. Who doesn't enjoy the joy of creating something good? So I will be patient in my directing endeavors.
Your popularity grew immensely after playing the role of Manzela in “Ronger Manush”. Why do you think is that?
Tania: It is true that “Ronger Manush” will be remembered as one of the most popular serials of the country. It was through “Ronger Manush” that viewers received a good dose of entertainment after a long time. Many even claimed that “Ronger Manush” was able to bring the crowd who were addicted to Hindi serials back to local productions. I played the role of Manzela in the serial, directed by Salahuddin Lavlu. In the beginning, I was very tensed, as I had to play a character that was younger than my real age. One day Dr. Selim Al Deen called me and advised me to shut out the age factor from my mind, and install the idea that I was as old as my character. Eventually, Manzela became a crowd-puller role. I don't know if any other role has brought me similar fame.