Oishee ‘Soldiers’ on towards new dimension

Jannatul Ferdous Oishee has already made a name for herself in the entertainment industry through modelling and acting. She began her journey in showbiz through a beauty pageant and went on to make her film debut with “Mission Extreme”. Her most recent release was “Noor”.

She is now working with Shakib Khan for the first time in “Soldier”, which is set to resume shooting soon after a break. In a recent conversation with The Daily Star, Oishee spoke about the film, working with Shakib and what she hopes it will bring to her career.

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“We have completed a significant portion of ‘Soldier’, but some shooting is still left. We will be starting again soon, so I’m preparing myself accordingly. I need to gain some weight for the character and make other adjustments as required.

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“Since we are returning to the shoot after a break, I’m preparing myself seriously. I want to be able to complete the work properly.”

The film’s cinematography is handled by Khosru, who has worked on several acclaimed films. Oishee is particularly happy to be working with him again.

“The interesting thing is that I got Khosru bhai as the cinematographer of ‘Soldier’. It’s a pleasure for me. I’m working with him after seven years. He is a wonderful and very supportive person, and his work is always outstanding.”

“Soldier” marks Oishee’s first collaboration with Shakib Khan. She said they did not really know each other before the film.

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“I didn’t really know him before this. When I went to the set, I saw Shakib bhai already in front of the camera. He had his moustache on and was in his look for his role in ‘Soldier’. I went there and directly entered the shoot, without even having a single conversation with him.”

They spoke properly after completing their first scene together.

“After our first scene, we talked. He was very supportive and gave me advice. We discussed how the work could be made better. I learnt a lot from him. As a co-star and as an actor, he is very helpful.”

Oishee has shot for 10 days with Shakib Khan so far.

“He is a very professional actor. His love for cinema is immense. When he is on set, he is completely focused on the film. Working with him has been a very good experience.”

Oishee has high hopes for ‘Soldier’, particularly because of its cast and scale.

“My expectations are quite high. First of all, Shakib bhai is a superstar. That itself is a big thing. He is the biggest star in Bangladeshi cinema and has a huge audience and fan base. The director is also making the film very well, and there are several other prominent actors involved. So, overall, my expectations are very high.”

For Oishee, the film is also an opportunity to showcase her acting.

“There is scope to perform in this film, and the character is good too. Let’s see how the audience receives me. But I believe something good will come out of it. I feel ‘Soldier’ will add a new dimension to my career.”

Oishee says her interest in acting dates back to her childhood.

“I used to watch a lot of films. There were many actresses I liked, and I would watch their films and think that, when I grew up, I would act too.”

Her participation in a beauty pageant eventually brought her closer to that dream.

“After taking part in the beauty pageant, my dreams became bigger. The competition gave me recognition and helped me become known.”

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Today, she is particularly interested in challenging roles.

“I’m always drawn to challenging characters — roles where I can give my heart and soul to the performance and make audiences think about my work. I don’t want to play the same kind of character. I want to see myself in different roles and explore different sides of myself.”

She credits her family for standing firmly behind her throughout her journey.

“I received complete support from my family. I’ve come this far because of their support. They gave me 100 percent support in pursuing my career, and I’m grateful to them.”

Looking ahead, Oishee has a simple ambition: “I want to see myself in good roles and work in good films.”

Away from work, she prefers spending time with her family and herself.

“I mostly stay at home. I watch films and read books. At the moment, I’m reading Humayun Ahmed’s ‘Megh Bolechhe Jabo Jabo’.”