A glance at the unflickering fame of Shohel Mondol

Back in 2015, a track from the film 'Rong Dhong' was released, titled, 'Boyosh 16 te prem' out of the blue, and became a hit among fans. However, those excited to watch the film were left disappointed for nine long years. The film vanished as suddenly as its song had appeared.

But in an odd twist of fate, the film 'Rong Dhong' finally made its way out of the dungeons on 8 November of this year. 

Directed by Ahsan Sarwar, the film was shot in 2015 but has been released after nine years. The reason behind this isn't any rifts behind the scenes, it was simply because it was put on the back burner, alongside a four-year delay from the censor board. 

This odd timeline has provided Shohel the rare opportunity to look back on his time under the spotlight. In an interview with The Business Standard, Shohel Mondol reflects on the early days of his career, his views on cultural reforms, and upcoming projects. 

"Many things have changed over these nine years. Back then, I had just started acting in movies, so I did not go into it with many expectations. But I am grateful to the director that the film did not get lost."

Shohel Mondol

A strategic release

The release of the film was not extravagant, but it was quite a strategic decision. The film had been pushed aside for five years and then was submitted to the censor board in 2019. 

With work completed and finances already tied in, it only made sense to release it. After all, Shohel Mondol, one of the most sought-after stars was in the film. After getting the greenlight last year, nothing could get in the way of its release. 

The movie tells the story of deception and young passion as new faces in the film industry get swindled. 

Even though the film finally saw the light of day after so many years, the film's promotions were minimal in comparison. Even so, the actor is more than pleased with the film's release. 

"After all these years, the film did not get lost and has been released now. I am grateful to the director for this," remarked Shohel. 

The film was strategically released in five modern venues across the country, such as Star Cineplex in Dhaka, Bashundhara City and Mirpur, Blockbuster in Jamuna Future Park, Lion Cinemas, and Rajshahi's Green Riverview Hall.

In turn, despite minimal promotions, the film still performed well. And many contribute this success to the weight of Shohel Mondol's name.

A peek at the past

When the film first started shooting, Shohel was only in the beginning stage of his acting career, and the change in time was not lost on the actor. 

"Many things have changed over these nine years. When this film was shot, I had just started acting in movies, so I did not go into it with a lot of expectations," shared Shohel. "Since I was new to the industry, I was learning the ropes of the profession."

Shohel Mondol has spent years perfecting his skills behind the scenes, starting with stage plays and steadily rising to prominence in visual media. 

However, back then, the actor was quite the stranger when it came to TV dramas, mostly taking up films. Over the years, it seems like the actor has changed his career trajectory. 

"I hardly worked on TV before. I started doing TV dramas last year and have started taking up more projects like this," shared Shohel. 

"TV dramas are the most consistent projects, so there aren't any alternatives to it. So, I have decided to take TV dramas seriously," He added.  

In February 2023, Shohel Mondol also played a key role in the film 'Mayar Jonjal', directed by Indranil Roy Chowdhury from Kolkata. 

His talent captured the hearts of viewers, and his performance was praised in both Bangladesh and Kolkata. His work even earned him the Filmfare Award in the Best Debut Male category in 2024. 

With time, the actor's activities in the cultural arena have also evolved. While Shohel is generally not connected to politics, as a cultural worker, he had stepped up during the July uprising to voice his opinions. Shohel acknowledges the opportunity for reforms in the cultural sector. 

"We seek reforms in the cultural sector, but change doesn't happen simply because we want it. The real question is whether there is a collective desire for change," Shohel voiced. 

"We need to assess whether our sector is creating opportunities for new work and understand what obstacles exist. Reform cannot happen individually—many must recognise its necessity. Ultimately, we want swift cultural reforms," he added.

What the future holds

Shohel Mondol is set to play a key character named Mohin in an upcoming movie, 'Banalata Sen', directed by Masud Hasan Ujjal, which was inspired by Jibanananda Das's work.  

Even though the film is ready for release, the original plan of releasing the film this year was postponed. 

"The main subject of this film is Jibanananda Das. Its story focuses on one of  Jibanananda Das's famous poems, 'Banalata Sen'. While no work has been directly done on Jibanananda Das before, Ujjal Bhai's dedication to honouring him through this film is noteworthy," he shared.

Shohel Mondol is also working on a short film centred around the Language Movement titled, 'Bakita Itihash', directed by Shuvo Paul. With ongoing shooting, Shohel believes that it is progressing better than most grant-funded films, which are often completed haphazardly.  

"The shooting is almost finished, but the final part is pending due to location constraints. The director aims to authentically capture the essence of that time," shared Shohel.