Shimul Yousuf
 |
Shimul Yousuf | |
|---|---|
শিমুল ইউসুফ | |
| Born | 24 March 1957 |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
| Parent | Mehter Billah |
Shimul Yousuf (born 24 March 1957) is a Bangladeshi actress, director and singer.[1][2]
Early life
Yousuf was born in Dhaka on 24 March 1957 and is the youngest of seven siblings. Odissi dancer Minu Haque is her sister.[3] Her father Mehter Billah from Bikrampur was a singer in Kamlapur. Shimul started singing at the age of five. She performed on radio and television and went on to sing in a children show named "Kochi Kanchar Mela".[2] She trained in classical and traditional songs from Ustad Helaluddin, P C Gomez, Altaf Mahmud, and Abdul Latif .[citation needed] Shimul completed her Honours in Social Science. [citation needed] She was admitted to the Institute of Fine Arts and also went to Baroda School of Fine Arts for schooling.
Career
Yousuf first appeared in theatre in one of the Abdullah Al Mamun's plays to raise funds for the freedom fighters in 1972. [2] In 1974 she incorporated her in Dhaka Theatre after her siblings asked to be a proxy for another actress. Shimul began to take acting seriously after her 1975 drama "Muntasir Fantasy". She worked on Kasai (1976), Char Khakra (1977), Shakuntala (1978), Phani Monosa (1980), Kitton Khola (1981), Keramot Mongol (1985), Hat Hadai (1989), and Chaka (1990).[2] During the 1990s she performed in Joiboti Kannyar Mon (1995) and Bono Pangshul (1998). [citation needed]
Binodini
One of her works in theatre is the drama Binodini, based on a 19th-century actress Binodini Dasi. It is a one-person show where Yousuf portrayed the character of Binodini and also delivered the speeches of the remaining characters. The play was written by script writer Saymon Zakaria and directed by Shimul's husband, Nasiruddin Yousuff. The play mainly perpetuated the life of Binodini Dasi as she struggled to prolong her career in theatre. Shimul said that "[the drama] shows the reality, the conflicts and contradiction an actress faces today, has not changed much since Binodini's time. Obviously I am affected by such realities."
Awards
Yousuf received the following awards:
- Diboshri Podok
- Lokonatto Podok
- Aronno Dipu podok
- Rishi Podok, Rudra Podok
- Md. Shahidullah award
- Jahangir award
- Prothom Alo Jorip award
References
- ^ "শিমূল ইউসুফ পেলেন সম্মাননা". Prothom Alo. March 9, 2015.
- ^ a b c d Fahim Abrar (April 5, 2014). "THROUGH THE EYES OF SHIMUL YOUSUF". The Daily Star.
- ^ Tamanna Khan (April 29, 2011). "A Reticent Freedom Fighter". The Daily Star. Retrieved April 11, 2016.