Javed: Bangabandhu entitled me as ‘Banglar Dilip Kumar’

The film based on the life of the living legend of Bangladeshi cinema and dance director Ilias Javed was released almost four years ago. He was not seen in any recent films due to his illness. Javed has not fully recovered from his illness yet. The actor reminisced about the old days with this correspondent at his residence in the capital’s Uttara last Monday. 

When actor Javed went to India with his dance teacher Sadhu Maharaj to sharpen his dancing skills, he told his nephews that if there was any chance to meet Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he should be taken along. Since Javed’s nephews were involved in Awami politics, they had regular contact with Bangabandhu since then.

He said, “I asked my nephews many times to take me to meet Bangabandhu, as they were associated with politics.”

“At that time I got a chance to meet with Bangabandhu. After the meeting, when I went to Bangabandhu to seek prayers for my dancing training in India, Bangabandhu entitled me as ‘Banglar Dilip Kumar’ (Dilip Kumar of Bengal),” he added.

He also said, “Afterwards, this issue became quite widespread in the film industry of Bangladesh. Since then, I have been called ‘Banglar Dilip Kumar’.”

Javed was popular among the heroes of the country from 1970 to 1989. He worked in nearly 200 films in his career – and did not look back after his acting debut in 1964’s Urdu film, ‘Nayi Zindagi.’ 

 According to Javed— Dilip Kumar, Ranjan, and Premnath were his idols. He acted in numerous popular film includes ‘Malka Banu’, ‘Onek din age’, ‘Shahajada’, ‘Sultana Daku’, ‘Kajal Rekha’, ‘Saheb Bibi Golam’, ‘Ruper Rani’, Chandan Dwiper Rajkonya’ among many others. 

He was a skilled dancer and took part in dancing numbers with the popular heroines like Shabana, Bobita, Anju Ghosh, Rozina, Sujata, and Suchorita.

Javed was also the dance director of popular tracks like ‘Malka Banur Deshe Re’, ‘Moner Ei Chotto Ghore Agun Legeche Haire’, ‘Chakbhum Chakbhum Chandni Raate’, ‘Ore O Banshiwala’, ‘Nacho Nacho Go Anjana’ and many other renowned film tracks.