Celebrated actress Rozina is a multiple National Film Award winner. In her lengthy acting career, she has received the adulation of millions. Besides Bangladesh, she has acted in the films of Kolkata, Nepal and Karachi.
Originally from Rajbari district, Rozina’s family name was Renu. As a child she often visited cinema halls and dreamt of seeing herself on the silver screen. The first movie she watched at Chitra Cinema Hall in Rajbari was “Saat Bhai Champa”.
Rozina started her career as a theatre artist. On her arrival in Dhaka, she played a character in the drama “Shaistaganj”. But a moment after the start of the stage show, it came to halt due to a disruption. Later, through her theatre association, she met some film artistes and was offered a minor role in the film “Janwar”. She received an honorarium of merely Taka 10 for the project.
Subsequently, Rozina enrolled for dance classes at BAFA. In the meantime, she turned her sights to serious acting in cinema. She signed up for a film “Mintu Amar Naam” directed by AJ Mintu where she was expected to be cast against Sohel Rana. In a cruel twist of fate, however, she was dropped from the movie eventually. Her name was changed to Rozina from Renu for the movie by director Mohiuddin.
Not one to give up, she stayed at Eskaton and made her way through acting in plays. A few days later, she was dropped from two other films “Sagor Bhasa” and “Aina”.
But the undeterred Rozina didn’t lose sight of the big screen. Although Rozina she had no film offers, she continued working with Fakhrul Hasan Bairagi and Chatku Ahmed in plays.
Finally her persistence paid off. In 1977, she was offered the role of heroine in the film “Rajmahal” directed by F Kabir Chowdhury where her co-star was the then heartthrob Wasim. The movie became hugely popular and brought her to the spotlight.
Soon, she became very busy with a number of films based on social themes as well as action and drama.
The actress became a regular face on the silver screen till 1993. Her assignments included “Chokher Moni”, “Sonar Cheya Dami”, “Matir Manush”, “Shohor Theke Dure”, “Abhiman”, “Anarkali”, “Bini Sutar Mala”, “Rakhe Allah Mare Ke”, “Sohag Milon”, “Sath Maa”, “Taser Ghar”, “Goli Theke Rajpath”, “Shiri Farhad”, “Bhaggalipi”, “Daku o Darbesh”, “Warish”, “Rangin Rupban”, “Hasu Amar Hasu”, “Rosher Baidani”, “Razia Sultana”, “Kosai”, “Jibon Dhara” and “Sabuj Mia”.
Rozina acted in around 350 films of Dhaka, Kolkata, Nepal and Karachi. In 1980, she first won the National Film Award for “Kasai”. In 1984, she was accorded an award for the film “Suruj Mia” and for “Jibondhara” in 1988.
Her Tollywood movie “Abichar” was dubbed in Hindi and Bengali. She was rarely seen in front of the camera after 1993. However, she made a return in the Bangladeshi film “Rakkhushi” in 2005.
Rozina has been absent from the big screen for the last few years. In the meantime, she has recently directed two serials “Mejdidi” and “Borodidi” based on the novels of Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay. Moreover, she played the title role in “Mejdidi”. In addition, she made a play “Badnam” based on the story by Rabindranath Tagore. She also made several TV plays based on the story of Kazi Nazrul Islam.
-With The Daily Star input