The Bengali-language film industry based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, has been significant since the early 1970s. It is better known by the popular term Dhallywood, which is a portmanteau of "Dhaka" and "Hollywood". The dominant style of Bangladeshi cinema is melodramatic cinema, which developed from 1947 to 1990 and characterizes most films to this day. Cinema was introduced in Bangladesh in 1898 by the Bradford Bioscope Company, credited to have arranged the first film release in Bangladesh. Between 1913 and 1914, the first production company, Picture House, was opened. A 1928 short silent film titled Sukumari was the first Bengali-produced film in the region. The first full-length film, The Last Kiss, was released in 1931.
Syed Mohammad Aslam Talukder, known by his stage name Manna (মান্না), was a Bangladeshi film actor and producer.
Suchinta Chowdhury Chanchal, is a Bangladeshi actor. He is notable for his performances in Rupkothar Golpo (2006), Monpura (2009), Television (2012), Aynabaji (2016), Debi (2018) and Hawa (2022). He has received three Bangladesh National Film Awards for Best Actor and three Meril Prothom Alo Awards for Best Actor.
Fazlur Rahman Babu is a Bangladeshi actor and singer. He won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor a record five times for his roles in Shonkhonaad (2004), Meyeti Ekhon Kothay Jabe (2017), Fagun Haway (2019), Bishwoshundori (2020) and Nonajoler Kabbo (2021). He also won Best Performance in a Comic Role for Gohin Baluchor (2017).
Shakib Khan, Bengali pronunciation:[ˈʃaːki:bxaːn] ;, also known by the initialism SK, is a Bangladeshi actor, producer, businessman, occasional singer, film organiser, and media personality who works in Bengali films, both in Bangladesh and West Bengal. He is widely regarded as one of the most popular and influential figures in Bengali cinema and is considered to be one of the most successful actors in the country's history. In his career spanning about two decades, Khan has been the propeller of the contemporary film industry Dhallywood. Currently he is the highest paid actor in Bangladesh.
Mehazabien Chowdhury is a Bangladeshi actress, model and the winner of Lux Channel I Superstar 2009. She began her acting career after winning Lux Channel I Superstar, (2009) a Bangladeshi beauty pageant. Her success in the pageant opened doors for her acting career. Mehazabien rose to prominence after featuring in a television commercial for Banglalink, a mobile phone operator, which brought her to the limelight. She made her debut in the television drama "Tumi Thako Shindhu Pare," which was broadcast on ATN Bangla. Since then, she has starred in several popular dramas such as "Boro Chele", "Chompa House", "Buker Ba Pashe", "Alo", “Lota Audio", “Chirokal Aaj”, “ Kajoler Din Ratri”. Mehazabien is widely recognized for her versatility in acting and has received numerous awards and accolades for her performances. Her notable awards include the Meril Prothom Alo Awards - 2017, 2018, 2019,2021, CJFB Performance Award-2012, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 and 2021. In 2018, she received the Babisas Award for her performance in the play Sonali Danar Chil. Bangladesh Police Women Network (BPWN) honoured Mehazabien Chowdhury for her drama, “Alo”, where she played the character of a sergeant.
Zulfiqer Russell is a Bangladeshi lyricist and journalist. He is currently the editor of the online news site, The Bangla Tribune. He won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Lyrics for the film Putro (2018). He was the winner of the Channel i Music Awards in 2008, 2010, 2013 and 2022 and also received the Mirchi Music Awards (Bangla) award for the Song of the Year in the Modern Song category for, "Shabuj Chilo". On 2020 he was awarded CJFB Performance Award 2019 as best lyricist. He had also worked with renowned Indian singers and composers including Grammy and Academy Award (Oscar) winner musician A. R. Rahman. He wrote the official theme song 'Ektai Achhe Desh' of the Golden Jubilee of Bangladesh Independence sang by fifty renowned singers of Bangladesh.
Riaz Uddin Ahamed Siddique, commonly known as Riaz, is a Bangladeshi film actor, producer, and television presenter who has appeared in more than 100 Bengali films in genres ranging from romance to action to comedies. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including three National Film Awards and seven Meril Prothom Alo Awards. He portrayed the famous literary character, Shuvro, created by Humayun Ahmed, in Daruchini Dip.
Kazi Sharmin Nahid Nupur, known by her stage name Shabnur, is a Bangladeshi film actress. She won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actress for her role in the film Dui Noyoner Alo (2005).
Dehorokkhi is a Bangladeshi action film directed by Iftakar Chowdhury. The film was produced by Fatman Films. Dehorokkhi is an action based romantic triangle film. The film features Bobby, Anisur Rahman Milon, Kazi Maruf, Shiba Shanu and Shimul Khan. The film marks 55 years of Bangladeshi film industry. Dehorokkhi was released on 50 screens. The movie created a buzz through its trailer in social networking sites. The music was distributed by G-Series.
Kazi Hayat is a Bangladeshi film director, producer, writer, and actor. In 2023 he performed in Priyotoma, which is the highest grossing Bangladesh film of all-time.
Shahid Hasan, known by professionally as Misha Sawdagor, is a Bangladeshi film actor known for playing villains. As of 2020, he has performed in more than 700 films. He won Bangladesh National Film Awards 3 times for his roles in the films Boss Number One (2011), Olpo Olpo Premer Golpo (2014) and Bir (2020).
Nusrat Imrose Tisha, known mononymously as Tisha, is a Bangladeshi actress, model and producer who has appeared mainly in Bengali television and films. She has garnered popularity with her performances both on television and the silver screen.
Mousumi Hamid is an actress and model from Bangladesh. She rose to prominence after becoming the 1st runner-up in LUX Channel I Superstar 2010. Since then, she worked in several TV shows such as Love Rectangle , Radio Cholocate and several others. Since 2013, Hamid has signed several films including Anonno Mamun's Blackmail (2015), Shafi Uddin's Full Length Love Story: Part II (2015) and Shamim Ahamed Roni's Mental (2015).
Rajneeti (transl. Politics) is a 2017 Bangladeshi political thriller film. The film directed by Bulbul Biswas and produced by Ashfaq Ahmed under the banner of Arrow Motion Arts. The film story and screenplay written by Bulbul Biswas himself and dialogue by Delowar Hossain Dil. It feature Shakib Khan, Apu Biswas, Anisur Rahman Milon, Sadek Bachchu, Amit Hasan in lead roles. The film soundtrack is composed by Habib Wahid, Fuad al Muqtadir and Pritam Hasan. It was released on June 26, 2017 on the occasion on Eid al-Fitr in Bangladesh.
Siam Ahmed is a Bangladeshi television and film actor. He made his debut Bangladeshi telefilm Bhalobasha 101 and he is best known for his debut role in the film Poramon 2 (2018) directed by Raihan Rafi. He is also well known for his various roles in Bengali TV dramas. He won Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actor twice for his roles in Bishwoshundori (2020) and Mridha Bonam Mridha (2021).
Alta Banu is a 2018 Bangladeshi romantic drama film directed by Arun Chowdhury and starring Zakia Bari Momo, Anisur Rahman Milon and Farzana Rikta. The screenplay, by Brindaban Das, is based on a story of the same name by Faridur Reza Sagar.
Operation Sundarbans or Operation Sundarban is a Bangladeshi wildlife action thriller movie. The film is co-written and directed by Dipankar Sengupta Dipon. The film is produced by RAB Welfare Cooperative Society Ltd. Nazim-ud-Doula and Dipon have written the screenplay. The plot is loosely based on real operations of RAB during surrender of robbers of Sundarbans as well as the struggle of Sundarbans' natives. It stars Riaz, Ziaul Roshan, Siam Ahmed, Taskeen Rahman, Shatabdi Wadud, Nusraat Faria and Darshana Banik, while Manoj Pramanik, debutant Samina Bashar, Dipu Imam, Ehsanur Rahman also joins the cast. The film begun its shooting on 20 December 2019 at Satkhira. This film got 3 national film awards in 2022 in Comedy, Male Singer category and Khokon Mollah in the Best Make-up Man category.
Kazi Abu Bakar Siddiky, known as Kazi Riton is a Bangladeshi producer, actor, writer and director. He is the owner of film and television production company Black & White. He was the International Affairs Secretary of Television Program Producers Association of Bangladesh (2019-2021). Currently, he is serving as an Executive Member of Television & Digital Program Producers Association of Bangladesh.
Mridha Bonam Mridha is a 2021 Bangladeshi courtroom film. Directed by Roni Bhowmik, the film stars Siam Ahmed, Nova and Tariq Anam Khan in lead roles.
