The role that changed Mousumi Mou as an actress

Known for her fluent and lively anchoring, Mousumi Mou steps into one of her most striking roles yet as Jenny in “Chokro 2”, directed by Vicky Zahed. Portraying a character that balances innocence with an unsettling brutality, her performance has earned widespread praise from acclaimed personalities, firmly establishing her as a promising talent ready to take on bold, challenging roles.

Mou admits her earlier roles were often generic, making Jenny a rare opportunity to truly explore her craft. Entering a dark, psychologically intense narrative, she embraces its layered complexity with emotional conviction and authenticity.

“To begin with, the character itself was incredibly different,” shares the artiste. “When Vicky bhaiya first sat down with me, even before going into the detailed brief, he said, ‘Mou, this is a very different character — not something we usually see. It’s going to be difficult, and your role is completely grey. So first listen to the story, then decide whether you can actually pull it off.’”

When she heard the story, she was immediately intrigued. “The character is a blind girl, someone who, after a certain point, is perceived as extremely innocent, almost fragile, especially following an accident that takes away her sight. But then, as the narrative unfolds, there’s a transformation, and that shift was something entirely new for me.”

She informed that she had to turn down quite a few projects to commit to this role. “We were shooting during December and January, which is peak season for events. However, I let go of several big shows because I wanted to fully focus on this work,” she asserts.

Mentioning that the preparation process was quite intense, she revealed that a director friend of hers suggested Mou watch “Scent of a Woman” (1992), and Vicky bhaiya also strongly recommended it. He simply told me, ‘Watch Al Pacino and absorb him.’

“I would constantly observe Al Pacino’s performance — how he ate, spoke, expressed anger, vulnerability, and even silence. I tried to ‘consume’ his character in every possible way.”

At the same time, the ‘devil’ aspect of the character came from within. “I believe all of us carry a certain darkness, suppressed anger, frustration, unspoken emotions. I tried to tap into those parts of myself and channel them into that side of the character, and it’s needless to mention how cooperative my co-actors were, especially Tawsif Mahbub.”

There was also a rather interesting experience during the shoot. “We filmed the sequence where my character regains her eyesight, and after that, there’s a dinner scene where my character is celebrating the return of her vision. My on-screen sister Annie (played by Azmeri Haque Badhan) throws a party. After the take, Vicky bhaiya looked at me and said that I have to get out of the blind phase; I was so much into the character that it became quite tough to get out of it.”

There’s a thing about the director, she admits, that if the artistes couldn’t meet the director’s expectations, he won’t compromise. “What stands out is how deeply he belongs to every character, and creates his own world on the sets. Jenny was one of his personal favourites, and he told me that this role would be an Eid gift for me. I am grateful to him that he believed in me for this role.”

Sharing Vicky’s commitment to realism and expressing it as relentless, she spilled some spoilers too. “There was a scene where we had to eat liver that wasn’t properly cooked — but the shot demanded it, so there was no room to step back. Another scene involved extremely uncomfortable physical elements, yet the priority always remained the same: authenticity over comfort. That level of dedication sets the tone for everyone on set.”

Physically, it was also exhausting. Playing a blind character took a toll on her eyes — there was constant strain and discomfort. “Mentally, I had to remain fully immersed. I stepped away from everything else in my life during the shoot to stay in that space. Even off camera, I stayed connected to the character, constantly observing, refining, and pushing myself.”

On a personal level too, the character stayed with her. “Jenny’s journey is about trust, vulnerability, and survival. It made me reflect on how easily we place blind faith in people and how important it is to value oneself, to be aware, and to choose the right relationships. Friendship, in particular, can shape your life in profound ways — for better or worse.”

For Mou, some scenes remain especially memorable — often for unexpected reasons. “We were filming a scene where Jenny crosses a busy road in Dhanmondi. People genuinely thought I was blind and kept rushing to help, even a foreigner. Eventually, we had to explain that a shoot was in progress and request their support.”

She shares that directors like Srijit Mukherji and Maksud Hossain have sent her messages praising her work. “It was really an honour for me that these talented filmmakers have extended their wishes and praised my work.”

Meanwhile, Mou was featured in the Eid drama “Sakhina”, directed by Abul Hayat. “I was really surprised to get a call from Dolly Zahur maa; she really appreciated my work.”

At the moment, she’s balancing several projects. A new season of a show she has been part of is about to begin filming, alongside another family-oriented reality show that she has been hosting for multiple seasons now. “Beyond that, I’m also dedicating time to a platform I’m building for women, titled Mon Janala, something very close to my heart. We’re planning to organise monthly programmes, with an upcoming event centred around Mother’s Day.”

Before wrapping up, the conversation turned to an amusing coincidence. Many noticed Mou’s resemblance to Susmita Chatterjee, and when they finally met, it made for a delightful moment. “She’s warm and lively, and we instantly connected,” Mou shares. Since then, they’ve stayed in touch, exchanging messages and laughing over audience reactions. She added that Siam Ahmed had also pointed out the similarity. Recalling a funny incident, Mou said, “A couple who regularly watch my shows went to see “Rakkhosh” thinking I starred in it — only to realise later it wasn’t me, much to their surprise!”