Working in Khufiya has enriched me as a person and actor: Badhon
Badhon is all set to make her Bollywood debut in ‘Khufiya’, directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, premiering on Netflix on 5 October
During the initial stages, acting for Azmeri Haque Badhon was only a means of making a living, especially during a very difficult period of her life. Then came 'Rehana Maryam Noor', directed by Abdullah Mohammad Saad, released in 2021. The movie introduced her to the magic of transforming a character from a script to a screen.
She fell in love with acting.
After garnering much acclaim for her acting prowess as Muskan Zuberi in Srijit Mukherji's first Hoichoi original series, 'Robindronath Ekhane Kawkhono Khete Aashenni' in 2021, Rehana Maryam Noor and Guti in 2023, Badhon is once again ready to captivate audiences with her Bollywood debut in the Netflix original movie 'Khufiya' coming out on 5 October
Directed by Vishal Bharadwaj, this is also the first time the actress is also delving into the world of crime thrillers, alongside some of Bollywood's most beloved stars.
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Making her Bollywood debut is a major stepping stone in Badhon's acting career. In 'Khufiya', she will be sharing the screen with well-known faces like Tabu, Ali Fazal and Wamiqa Gabbi. In the film, Badhon plays the character 'Octopus' – a supporting character.
"Even though I had very little screen time, I consider myself very lucky to have shared the screen with such talented faces of Bollywood," Badhon said in delight.
Badhon said her character 'Octopus' required her to perform most of the scenes with Tabu, who plays the pivotal role of 'Krishna Mehra' in the film. The actress said she was required to overpower Krishna's character in many challenging scenes, which was a challenge in itself.
"I'm thankful to my director, but even more so to Tabu. She excels at creating a comfortable environment for her co-actors, understanding that a scene's success depends on the collective effort of every character, not just one," Badhon said.
"This experience has enriched me as a person and as an actor," she said.
"It was very challenging for me to play this character, as I've never played anything like it before, as I had to stay in character and mind my accent. But I'm grateful to Vishal, who made it so easy for me to deliver my role and my dialogues," she said.
Badhon felt the nature of her character in 'Khufiya' was very different and a lot more challenging, compared to all the characters she previously played, and that was exactly why she went in for the auditions.
From struggle to stardom
In line with her parents' wishes, Badhon studied dentistry at Bangladesh Dental College in Dhaka, ultimately earning a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree.
"I spent all my life trying to be an ideal woman," said Badhon. In 2005, during her second year of studies, she got married. The marriage fell through in less than a year.
She wanted to be free, but she needed money to support herself on her own. Desperation led her to the 2006 Lux Channel I Superstar beauty pageant, where she came in as the 2nd runner-up.
In 2010, she gave love a second chance and remarried. But this too didn't work out. In 2014, her second marriage broke off. However, now she has a child, Mishael Amani Sayera, whose custody she fought for until 2018 and won.
"When I was getting the guardianship of Sayera, I realised that I have no place in society as an independent person who could look after her child all by herself because certain unwritten laws state that a single mother cannot be left with the charge of a child," Badhon shared with a sigh.
Years passed between sporadic performances here and there.
At a rather mature age of 37, just as she was realising that she wanted to develop herself in the field of acting, Saad came along with the script of 'Rehana Maryam Noor' and she jumped at the opportunity.
"I believe that my hard work and learning from my failure helped me progress into what I am today," she asserted.
As much as she looks forward to the release of 'Khufiya', Badhon is also looking for work that is constructive and brings out the best in her.
"I will only selectively choose work that brings out my views and opinions on the societal issues of today. For that, I'm still waiting," she concluded.
