Chanchal Chowdhury
Encyclopedia
Chanchal Chowdhury was born on the June 1, 1975, in Dhaka and is a Bangladeshi actor and model
. Chanchal started his career in 1996 in the theaters of Bangladesh. He joined famous theatres such as Aranyak Natyadal and performed in stage plays like Prakritojoner Kotha, Joyjoyonti, Ora Kodom Ali, Mayur Singhason, Songkranti, Rarang and Che-er Cycle.
He has recently started to work on films and dramaserials of Bangladesh. As the lead actor of the Bengali film Monpura
, it succeeded very well in the box office of Bangladesh, and is one of the first Bangladeshi commercial movies to come out. He also has filmed many dramaserials mostly in the genre of comedy. Chanchal worked in the dramaserial directed by Salauddin Lavlu, Vober Hat
which was a very popular serial that aired on Channel I
in 2007.
Chowdhury settled in Dhaka in 1993 and dived headfirst into as much culture as possible. As a third year student of DU, he joined the theatre group Aronnok. He then worked on stage for 10 years at a row. During this period he played minor roles in different television dramas as well. His first role as a hero was in the drama Grash directed by Faridur Rahman. Meanwhile Chowdhury pursued his profession in UODA as a lecturer of Fine Arts from 2001 to 2006.
It was in 2004 that Fazlur Rahman Babu
(actor) introduced Chowdhury to Gias Uddin Selim and Mostofa Sarwar Farooki. Chowdhury then started working more and more in television dramas. His initial works are Shurjer Hashi with Gias Uddin Selim, Talpatar Shepai, Nikhoj Shogbaad and a TV commercial, Maa with Farooki. At this point Chowdhury’s life took an upward surge towards success as the commercial gained him immense popularity.
Even the advertisement’s jingle was sung by Chowdhury. Though he never had any formal singing lessons, he is gifted with the talent to sing. ‘I always listened to Hemanto Mukhopadhdhay and Bhupen Hajarika and sang those songs to myself; I told Farooki bhai to give me a chance to sing the jingle because I really thought that my voice would suit the song. Ayub Bachchu and Mostofa Sarwar Farooki then listened to my singing and later let me know that my song had been selected.’ Chowdhury later won the Meril-Prothom Alo award as the best model 2006 for this commercial.
which became immensely popular at that time. Pother Klanti Bhule - a very popular song of Hemanta Mukherjee attracted some more attention onto the advertisement. Eventually, that advertise brought him the prestigious Meril-Prothom Alo award in "The Best Model - Men" category in 2005. The commercial was directed by Mustafa Sarwar Farooki, with whom, Chanchal worked with on the serial 'Talpatar Shepai'.
After the commercial, Chowdhury’s acting career started moving forward at a very good pace. He then worked with Salauddin Lavlu
, Saidul Anam Tutul, Golam Sarwar Tutul and so on. Some of the dramas that Chowdhury specially likes are Vober Hat, Bongsho Rokkhe, Talpatar Shepai, Nikhoj Shongbaad, Ami Tumi Shottojit, Boral Parer Shitlai Gaon, Akjon Durbol Manush and also many more. The busy actor is also seen frequently in Eid-special TV plays.
Chanchal plays a key role, called ‘Laley’, in Aronyak’s popular production Shangkranti. In Che-er Cycle (a Bangla Theatre production), he plays six different characters including those of Fidel Castro
and a peace-loving young boy, Shubhro — demonstrating his versatility. Chanchal considers his performance in Che-er Cycle as one of his best works on stage so far. On his contemporaries, the actor says, several artistes are doing well. Among them, A.K.M Hasan, Mosharraf Karim
, Shamim Zaman, Anisur Rahman Milon, Tisha, Chandni and Richi Solaiman have done some impressive works. Chanchal says that performing in front of the camera is relatively easy for him, thanks to his experience on stage. He adds, acting in films is more challenging than TV plays because of its duration and format.
Chowdhury loves playing characters that are little rustic as he can relate his roots to such characters. In his list of favourite roles are the characters of Fiza Master (Vober Hat
), Japan Doctor (Sakin Sarisuri
) and Shonai (Monpura
) among others. ‘I spent my childhood in a village, so I am more comfortable portraying the rural types,’ he says.
Chowdhury spent a quality childhood in his village Kamarhaat. He was hydrophilic and so restless that made his name, ‘Chanchal’ very apt. ‘Right after my school was over I used to hurry back home to keep my schoolbag and then rush out to bathe in the pond. I used to stay in the pond for two or three hours making my eyes all red and my father used come to collect me from the pond with a stick in his hand. I got beaten up several times in my childhood for that,’ reminisces Chowdhury.
Though initially Chowdhury’s family was not happy with his decision to study fine arts, they are now happy to see him so successful. ‘My parents live in Pabna. After the release of Monpura I was talking to my father over the phone and he told me that people in our village are talking about me and my film “non-stop”. My father was so proud that he almost cried as he spoke. “I can’t tell you how soothing it is to see your success,” he said to me.’
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
. Chanchal started his career in 1996 in the theaters of Bangladesh. He joined famous theatres such as Aranyak Natyadal and performed in stage plays like Prakritojoner Kotha, Joyjoyonti, Ora Kodom Ali, Mayur Singhason, Songkranti, Rarang and Che-er Cycle.
He has recently started to work on films and dramaserials of Bangladesh. As the lead actor of the Bengali film Monpura
Monpura
Monpura , is a Bengali language film set in Bangladesh. Directed by Giasuddin Selim. Monpura is a romance film based in a rural setting. As Selim's debut film, it received a huge media hype before its release. The shooting of the film started in June 2007. It was shot in different places,...
, it succeeded very well in the box office of Bangladesh, and is one of the first Bangladeshi commercial movies to come out. He also has filmed many dramaserials mostly in the genre of comedy. Chanchal worked in the dramaserial directed by Salauddin Lavlu, Vober Hat
Vober Hat
Vober Hat,Vober Hat is a Bangladesh dramaserial written by Masum Reza and directed by Salauddin Lavlu. The 106-episode TV dramaserial was aired on Channel I and it has a rural setting, depicting colourful lifestyles of a rural village...
which was a very popular serial that aired on Channel I
Channel I
Channel i is a privately owned Television network in Bangladesh. It is owned by the Impress Group, among the largest conglomerates in Bangladesh with interests in textiles, pharmaceuticals and media....
in 2007.
Early life
Chowdhury was born and brought up in the village of Kamarhaat in Pabna. He passed his SSC from Udaypur High School in 1990 and HSC from Rajbaari Government College in 1992. He came to Dhaka in 1993 to apply for admission in the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Dhaka. His parents wanted him to be an engineer but an innate urge for art and culture drove him to want something else.Chowdhury settled in Dhaka in 1993 and dived headfirst into as much culture as possible. As a third year student of DU, he joined the theatre group Aronnok. He then worked on stage for 10 years at a row. During this period he played minor roles in different television dramas as well. His first role as a hero was in the drama Grash directed by Faridur Rahman. Meanwhile Chowdhury pursued his profession in UODA as a lecturer of Fine Arts from 2001 to 2006.
It was in 2004 that Fazlur Rahman Babu
Fazlur Rahman Babu
Fazlur Rahman Babu is a Bangladeshi actor and singer. Also known simply as Babu, he has acted in more than one hundred telenovelas, in addition to appearing in films and several television advertisements....
(actor) introduced Chowdhury to Gias Uddin Selim and Mostofa Sarwar Farooki. Chowdhury then started working more and more in television dramas. His initial works are Shurjer Hashi with Gias Uddin Selim, Talpatar Shepai, Nikhoj Shogbaad and a TV commercial, Maa with Farooki. At this point Chowdhury’s life took an upward surge towards success as the commercial gained him immense popularity.
Even the advertisement’s jingle was sung by Chowdhury. Though he never had any formal singing lessons, he is gifted with the talent to sing. ‘I always listened to Hemanto Mukhopadhdhay and Bhupen Hajarika and sang those songs to myself; I told Farooki bhai to give me a chance to sing the jingle because I really thought that my voice would suit the song. Ayub Bachchu and Mostofa Sarwar Farooki then listened to my singing and later let me know that my song had been selected.’ Chowdhury later won the Meril-Prothom Alo award as the best model 2006 for this commercial.
Career
Chanchal came into the spotlight for the first time as a model in the commercial of GrameenphoneGrameenphone
Grameenphone , widely known as GP, is the leading telecommunications service provider in Bangladesh. With more than 32 million subscribers , Grameenphone is the largest cellular operator in the country...
which became immensely popular at that time. Pother Klanti Bhule - a very popular song of Hemanta Mukherjee attracted some more attention onto the advertisement. Eventually, that advertise brought him the prestigious Meril-Prothom Alo award in "The Best Model - Men" category in 2005. The commercial was directed by Mustafa Sarwar Farooki, with whom, Chanchal worked with on the serial 'Talpatar Shepai'.
After the commercial, Chowdhury’s acting career started moving forward at a very good pace. He then worked with Salauddin Lavlu
Salauddin Lavlu
Salauddin Lavlu was born on the 27th of August and is Bangladeshi actor, screenwriter and television director. His works generally consist of television films and telenovelas. His productions are usually comedies, and they generally are immensely popular with the Bangladeshi audiences...
, Saidul Anam Tutul, Golam Sarwar Tutul and so on. Some of the dramas that Chowdhury specially likes are Vober Hat, Bongsho Rokkhe, Talpatar Shepai, Nikhoj Shongbaad, Ami Tumi Shottojit, Boral Parer Shitlai Gaon, Akjon Durbol Manush and also many more. The busy actor is also seen frequently in Eid-special TV plays.
Chanchal plays a key role, called ‘Laley’, in Aronyak’s popular production Shangkranti. In Che-er Cycle (a Bangla Theatre production), he plays six different characters including those of Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
and a peace-loving young boy, Shubhro — demonstrating his versatility. Chanchal considers his performance in Che-er Cycle as one of his best works on stage so far. On his contemporaries, the actor says, several artistes are doing well. Among them, A.K.M Hasan, Mosharraf Karim
Mosharraf Karim
Mosharraf Karim was born on 22 August 1976 and he is a very talented and popular actor of Bangladesh. Mosharraf is widely known around Bangladesh due to his superb skill in acting, achieving many awards and honours. Mosharraf generally acts more frequently in Dramas and Dramaserials, than in...
, Shamim Zaman, Anisur Rahman Milon, Tisha, Chandni and Richi Solaiman have done some impressive works. Chanchal says that performing in front of the camera is relatively easy for him, thanks to his experience on stage. He adds, acting in films is more challenging than TV plays because of its duration and format.
Chowdhury loves playing characters that are little rustic as he can relate his roots to such characters. In his list of favourite roles are the characters of Fiza Master (Vober Hat
Vober Hat
Vober Hat,Vober Hat is a Bangladesh dramaserial written by Masum Reza and directed by Salauddin Lavlu. The 106-episode TV dramaserial was aired on Channel I and it has a rural setting, depicting colourful lifestyles of a rural village...
), Japan Doctor (Sakin Sarisuri
Sakin Sarisuri
Sakin Sarisuri , also known as Shakin Sharishuri, is a Bangladeshi telenovela written by Brindabon Das and directed by Salauddin Lavlu. The 106-episode telenovela started airing on Channel i on January 27, 2009, and has yet to finish.-Plot:The plot centres on a village called Sarisuri where all...
) and Shonai (Monpura
Monpura
Monpura , is a Bengali language film set in Bangladesh. Directed by Giasuddin Selim. Monpura is a romance film based in a rural setting. As Selim's debut film, it received a huge media hype before its release. The shooting of the film started in June 2007. It was shot in different places,...
) among others. ‘I spent my childhood in a village, so I am more comfortable portraying the rural types,’ he says.
Chowdhury spent a quality childhood in his village Kamarhaat. He was hydrophilic and so restless that made his name, ‘Chanchal’ very apt. ‘Right after my school was over I used to hurry back home to keep my schoolbag and then rush out to bathe in the pond. I used to stay in the pond for two or three hours making my eyes all red and my father used come to collect me from the pond with a stick in his hand. I got beaten up several times in my childhood for that,’ reminisces Chowdhury.
Though initially Chowdhury’s family was not happy with his decision to study fine arts, they are now happy to see him so successful. ‘My parents live in Pabna. After the release of Monpura I was talking to my father over the phone and he told me that people in our village are talking about me and my film “non-stop”. My father was so proud that he almost cried as he spoke. “I can’t tell you how soothing it is to see your success,” he said to me.’
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Other notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Shangkranti | Laley | Arannyak nattadol production |
| 1999 | Prakritojoner Kotha | Arannyak nattadol production | |
| 2000 | Ora Kodom Ali | Arannyak nattadol production | |
| 2003 | Mayur Singhason | Arannyak nattadol production | |
| Songkranti | Arannyak nattadol production | ||
| Che-er Cycle | Bangla Theatre production | ||
| 2004 | Joyjoyonti | Arannyak nattadolproduction | |
| Rarang | Arannyak nattadol production | ||
| 2006 | Talpatar Shepai | Bangla Drama | |
| Bangsher Bati | Bangla Drama | ||
| Goruchor | Bangla Drama, Directed by Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu was born on the 27th of August and is Bangladeshi actor, screenwriter and television director. His works generally consist of television films and telenovelas. His productions are usually comedies, and they generally are immensely popular with the Bangladeshi audiences... |
||
| Nurunnahar | Bangla Drama | ||
| 2007 | Swapner Bilat | Bangla Drama, Directed by Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu was born on the 27th of August and is Bangladeshi actor, screenwriter and television director. His works generally consist of television films and telenovelas. His productions are usually comedies, and they generally are immensely popular with the Bangladeshi audiences... |
|
| Rupkathar Golpo | Bengali Film, Chanchal won Meril Prothom Alo award for 'Best Actor' | ||
| Etimkhana | Bangla Drama, Directed by Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu was born on the 27th of August and is Bangladeshi actor, screenwriter and television director. His works generally consist of television films and telenovelas. His productions are usually comedies, and they generally are immensely popular with the Bangladeshi audiences... |
||
| Vober Hat Vober Hat Vober Hat,Vober Hat is a Bangladesh dramaserial written by Masum Reza and directed by Salauddin Lavlu. The 106-episode TV dramaserial was aired on Channel I and it has a rural setting, depicting colourful lifestyles of a rural village... |
Fiza Sir | Bangla Dramaserial, Directed by Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu was born on the 27th of August and is Bangladeshi actor, screenwriter and television director. His works generally consist of television films and telenovelas. His productions are usually comedies, and they generally are immensely popular with the Bangladeshi audiences... |
|
| 2008 | Tuntunni Villa | Bangla Dramaserial | |
| Mama Vagnea | Bangla Dramaserial | ||
| Ghor Kutum | Bangla Dramaserial, Directed by Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu was born on the 27th of August and is Bangladeshi actor, screenwriter and television director. His works generally consist of television films and telenovelas. His productions are usually comedies, and they generally are immensely popular with the Bangladeshi audiences... |
||
| Dholer Baddo | Bangla Drama, Directed by Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu was born on the 27th of August and is Bangladeshi actor, screenwriter and television director. His works generally consist of television films and telenovelas. His productions are usually comedies, and they generally are immensely popular with the Bangladeshi audiences... |
||
| College - Student | Bangla Drama | ||
| Potro Mitali | Bangla Drama, Directed by Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu was born on the 27th of August and is Bangladeshi actor, screenwriter and television director. His works generally consist of television films and telenovelas. His productions are usually comedies, and they generally are immensely popular with the Bangladeshi audiences... |
||
| 2009 | Monpura Monpura Monpura , is a Bengali language film set in Bangladesh. Directed by Giasuddin Selim. Monpura is a romance film based in a rural setting. As Selim's debut film, it received a huge media hype before its release. The shooting of the film started in June 2007. It was shot in different places,... |
Shonai | Bengali Film, Directed by Gias Uddin Selim |
| Pattri Chai | Bangla Drama, Directed by Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu was born on the 27th of August and is Bangladeshi actor, screenwriter and television director. His works generally consist of television films and telenovelas. His productions are usually comedies, and they generally are immensely popular with the Bangladeshi audiences... |
||
| Warren | Warren | Bangla Drama, Directed by Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu was born on the 27th of August and is Bangladeshi actor, screenwriter and television director. His works generally consist of television films and telenovelas. His productions are usually comedies, and they generally are immensely popular with the Bangladeshi audiences... |
|
| Alta Sundori | Bangla Dramaserial, Directed by Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu was born on the 27th of August and is Bangladeshi actor, screenwriter and television director. His works generally consist of television films and telenovelas. His productions are usually comedies, and they generally are immensely popular with the Bangladeshi audiences... |
||
| Cinderella | Bangla Drama | ||
| Gadha Nogor | Bangla Drama, Directed by Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu was born on the 27th of August and is Bangladeshi actor, screenwriter and television director. His works generally consist of television films and telenovelas. His productions are usually comedies, and they generally are immensely popular with the Bangladeshi audiences... |
||
| Sakin Sarisuri Sakin Sarisuri Sakin Sarisuri , also known as Shakin Sharishuri, is a Bangladeshi telenovela written by Brindabon Das and directed by Salauddin Lavlu. The 106-episode telenovela started airing on Channel i on January 27, 2009, and has yet to finish.-Plot:The plot centres on a village called Sarisuri where all... |
Japan Doctor | Bangla Dramaserial, Directed by Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu Salauddin Lavlu was born on the 27th of August and is Bangladeshi actor, screenwriter and television director. His works generally consist of television films and telenovelas. His productions are usually comedies, and they generally are immensely popular with the Bangladeshi audiences... |
|
| 2010 | Moner Manush | Kaluah | Indo-Bangladesi Bengali Film, Directed by Goutam Ghosh |