Beyond the Award: Mehazabien Chowdhury’s winning journey

For Mehazabien Chowdhury, Orpa was more than just another character; she was a dive into the darker corners of human nature and society. Her haunting portrayal in Vicky Zahed’s “Neel Shukh” earned her the Best Actress (Popular) award at the Blender’s Choice–The Daily Star OTT & Digital Content Awards 2025, her second win in the category after “Redrum” in 2022.

Beyond the trophy, this year brought another first for the actress: a dance performance at the awards ceremony. In an interview with The Daily Star, Mehazabien opened up about the emotional depths of Orpa, the thrill of taking the stage, and her enduring on-screen chemistry with Afran Nisho.

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For Mehazabien, an award is not just a personal achievement, but a recognition of the collective effort behind a production. She believes winning inspires everyone involved, from the artistes to the crew working behind the scenes.

“People often say that whenever I play a popular character, the audience loves me so much. But I believe that kind of response depends on the quality of the work,” she said.

While the Popular category reflects audience appreciation, she pointed out that a project’s reach does not necessarily determine its quality. “Unfortunately, many excellent projects never reach a wide audience,” she added.

This year also saw Mehazabien take the stage at the ceremony for the first time. Although she had discussed performing in previous years, shooting schedules and limited rehearsal time had repeatedly stood in the way.

“This time, however, I had the time, and I thought, I have performed at so many places, so why not here?” she said.

Reflecting on the response to her dance performance, Mehazabien noted that social media comments do not always represent genuine audience reactions. “When someone says something to me personally or recalls a particular moment from a performance, I feel that they have watched it with genuine interest. I may not be a professional dancer, but I gave it my best,” she said.

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Her look for the evening was planned with the performance in mind. Wearing a black outfit by Maison Amali on the red carpet and performance attire by Celebrity’s Choice, she kept her styling within a black-and-silver palette so the same makeup would complement both appearances.

Away from the spotlight, Mehazabien’s husband, filmmaker Adnan Al Rajeev, remained part of her celebration. During her acceptance speech, she acknowledged his support, revealing that sending him a photograph while holding an award had become a ritual.

“I remember winning a very important award many years ago, one that I had wanted for a long time. As soon as I received it, I took a picture holding the award and sent it to him,” she recalled. “Whenever I win an award, I always send him a picture of myself holding it.”

The evening also renewed interest in Mehazabien’s much-loved on-screen pairing with Afran Nisho. Their matching black outfits caught fans’ attention, although she said the coincidence was entirely unplanned. The two have not worked together since “Punorjonmo 4” in 2023, but the actress hopes they will collaborate again.

Yet, it was Orpa who remained at the heart of Mehazabien’s latest achievement. The actress described the role as one of the most complex of her career, recalling that she and Vicky Zahed had discussed the project for years before it finally materialised.

Still, she had reservations about how audiences would respond to “Neel Shukh”, especially its dark ending. She wondered whether viewers would accept a woman committing acts of violence for someone she loved as readily as they often accepted similar behaviour from male characters.

Ultimately, the team decided to embrace the challenge. “I thought, if I do not take on challenging roles in this life, what is the point?” she said.

One scene that stayed with her features Orpa asking her aunt to place a matrimonial advertisement in the newspaper. She describes herself as a 27-year-old unmarried woman with few demands but insists that the advertisement mention her limp.

For Mehazabien, the dialogue captures the weight of society’s expectations surrounding marriage and the additional barriers faced by women with disabilities.

“While delivering those lines, I kept wondering how someone in that situation could find the strength to carry on in real life,” she recalled.

The ending left an equally lasting impression. As Orpa rests Maruf’s head on her shoulder and sings “Phule Phule Dhole Dhole”, blood begins to pour from his mouth. The tenderness of the moment, set against its disturbing reality, made it particularly emotional for the actress.

For Mehazabien, taking on Orpa meant venturing beyond familiar territory. Her second Popular category win may have brought the recognition, but the character’s emotional complexity is what made the journey memorable.