Internationally renowned film actress Babita will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Film Award 2016. The actress, who had earlier bagged the National Film Award seven times in different categories, considers this Lifetime Achievement Award the crowning achievement of her acting career.

The actress will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina very soon.

The veteran actress talked to DhakaLive and shared her gratitude to the people who helped her on this journey. The actress said, “For the recognition of Bangladesh in the international arena, I have carried my country’s flag from the banks of the river Buriganga to the Volga, and then the Atlantic, and later the Mississippi. After that, I have travelled from one country to another, from one continent to another.”

She added, “From the beginning of my acting career, I have always liked those scripts in which the story and the characters would have a positive impact on the society and the country. To do so, I sometimes worked on projects without any wages.”

Recalling her inspirations in the acting profession and the film industry, she said, “The person who inspired me to enter the world of the big screen was Zahir Raihan. I would then like to especially mention Khan Ataur Rahman, Subhas Datta, Narayan Ghosh Mita, Kazi Jahir, Sheikh Niyamat Ali, Abdullah Al Mamun, Chashi Nazrul Islam and, most importantly, legendary actor Razzak, who was not just there for me during my acting career but also was present in my life as a family member.”

She also expressed her gratitude to Oscar-winning director from India, Satyajit Ray, who gave her the opportunity to act in his noted film ‘Ashani Sanket’ (a.k.a. ‘Distant Thunder’). With this film, the actress made her foray into the international film arena.

About her family and the ways in which its members have supported her, the veteran actress said, “After the death of my mother, my elder sister Shuchanda was the one who kept me firmly anchored. My younger sister Champa was always there for me like a shadow. My only son, Anik, is my world, without whom I cannot function.”

She added, “I am, of course, grateful to the cinema lovers. I have moved forward with their love and encouragement. It is because of them that I have become the Babita whom you are seeing now.”

The actress further said, “I would personally like to thank the honourable Prime Minister from the bottom of my heart.”

She also thanked the international and national news media for the news reports published on her that pointed out her mistakes in order to encourage her to perform better.

The actress got the National Film Award for ‘Bandi Theke Begum’, ‘Noyonmoni’, ‘Ramer Sumoti’, ‘Ke Apon Ke Por’, ‘Poka Makorer Ghar Bashoti’, ‘Hason Raja’ and ‘Basundhara’.

EA