First time in theatres: what was it like?

Going to a cinema hall to watch one’s first film is always a memorable experience etched in the mind. In childhood, most people watch their first film with family members, and celebrities are no exception. Watching films during Eid has long been a cherished tradition. Four prominent stars of the country shared their first cinema-going experiences—where they watched their first films and which films they saw—with The Daily Star.

Dhallywood superstar Shakib Khan said, “As a child, I first went to a cinema hall with my mother and watched a film starring Shabana Madam. I do not remember the name of the film, but I still recall the excitement of that first experience. It was in a cinema hall in the Narayanganj area. Even now, I can relive those moments just by closing my eyes. As for the first film I acted in, I watched my debut film ‘Ananta Bhalobasha’, directed by Sohanur Rahman Sohan, in parts at Madhumita and Abhisar cinema halls.”

Actor Arifin Shuvoo said, “The first film I watched in a cinema hall was ‘Keyamat Theke Keyamat’, directed by Sohanur Rahman Sohan and starring Salman Shah and Moushumi. I watched it with my family at the ‘Purabi’ cinema hall in Mymensingh.”

Sariful Razz said, “I watched ‘Shotter Mrityu Nei’, starring Salman Shah and directed by Chhotku Ahmed, with my family in 1996. I saw it at a cinema hall in Sylhet. I cannot remember the name of the hall, but the memory of watching that film is still deeply ingrained in my mind. I have watched many films since then, but I have never forgotten that experience.”

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Actress Tasnia Farin said, “I watched the film ‘Srabon Megher Din’, directed by writer and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed, with my family at a cinema hall. It was released in 1999. I watched it in Cox’s Bazar. As I was very young at the time, I cannot recall the name of the hall, but I remember enjoying it very much.”