# Fazlur Rahman Babu

Fazlur Rahman Babu (born 22 August 1960) is a Bangladeshi actor and singer. He won the 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).
Babu has also been featured in an Indian film.

## Early life

Babu was born on 22 August 1960 at Faridpur district in the then East Pakistan. He completed his school and college life in Faridpur. His father was a service holder, thereby he had to roam from one place to another around the country. Babu was interested in acting from his childhood. In Faridpur, he joined Boishakhi Natya Gosthi pursuing to build up a career in the media arena.

## Career
### Acting and banking

Babu started his acting career in 1978 when he joined the theatre group Baishakhi Natya Ghosthi in Faridpur. That same year, Babu acted for the first time in a national drama festival. Meanwhile, he joined the Agrani Bank and, in 1983, transferred his banking job to Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, where he also joined Mamunur Rashid's Aranyak Natyadal theatre group and debuted his acting with a role in Saat Purusher Rin. Some of his performances in this theatre group include Nankar Pala, Pathar and Moyur Shinghashan.
Babu started his television acting career in the soap opera Mrittu Khuda (1991), produced by Kazi Abu Zafar Siddique, on Bangladesh Television (BTV). However, it was his role of Poran Majhi television drama Itikatha (1991), written by Rashid, that secured him further roles in dramas such as Shundari and Danab. Babu also acted with Bengali film Daruchini Dip, directed by Tauquir Ahmed, while Humayun Ahmed was story, dialogue and scriptwriter.
Babu has become popular for his humorous characters, but his early career in stage dramas like Danab and Jay Jayanti was in serious roles.
Babu continued to work for television and theatre simultaneously until 2000, when he stopped theatre work as television took nearly twenty-five days per month. Babu made his theatrical film debut with Abdullah al Mamun's Bihanga between 2000 and 2001.

### Singing

Babu emerged as a singer when he performed two songs in the film Monpura. After that, he became known to everyone as a playback singer. He published his first solo music album, Indubala, in 2009, which became popular in the whole country. He also sang four songs on the mixed album Monchor in 2008.

## Criticism

Babu took a stand for the government during the repression of the dictatorship Awami League government on the students in the quota reform movement that took place in 2024. During the movement, a group of pro-autocracy Awami artists, including Babu, were active against the movement in a WhatsApp group called 'Alo Ashbei' led by actor Ferdous. After the non-cooperation movement, on September 3, 2024, some screenshots related to that WhatsApp group were spread on social media.

## Works
### Film

| Year | Film | Role | Director | Notes |
| 2004 | Shankhonad | Fazlu | Abu Sayeed | |
| 2006 | Na Bolona | Monir | Didarul Alam Badal | |
| 2007 | Aha! | Solaiman | Enamul Karim Nirjhar | |
| 2007 | Daruchini Dip | Monir | Tauquir Ahmed | Written by novelist Humayun Ahmed |
| 2007 | Swopnodanay | Siraj | Golam Rabbany Biplob | Bangladesh's submission to the 80th Academy Awards for the Best Foreign Language Film |
| 2009 | Monpura | Father | Giasuddin Semil | Bangladesh National Film Awards winner |
| 2016 | The Unnamed | Kifayet Uddin Pramanik | Tauquir Ahmed | Bangladesh National Film Awards winner |
| 2017 | Haldaa | Monu Miya | Tauquir Ahmed | |
| 2017 | Meyeti Ekhon Kothay Jabe | | Nader Chowdhury | Bangladesh National Film Awards 2016 |
| 2017 | Nuru Mia O Tar Beauty Driver | Nuru Mia | Mizanur Rahman Labu | |
| 2018 | Swapnajaal | Aynal Gazi | Giasuddin Selim | Romantic |
| 2019 | Fagun Haway | Chandor | Tauquir Ahmed | Winner: Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor |
| 2019 | Sitara | Jibon Bepari | Ashish Roy | Indian Bengali Film |
| 2019 | Mayaboti | | Arun Chowdhury | |
| 2020 | Bishwoshundori | | Chayanika Chowdhury | |
| 2021 | Mission Extreme | Dibba Babu | Sunny Sanwar & Faisal Ahmed | |
| 2021 | Raat Jaga Phool | | Mir Sabbir | |
| 2022 | Dui Diner Duniya | Jamshed | Anam Biswas | A Chorki web film |
| 2023 | Mohanagar 2 | | Ashfaque Nipun | Hoichoi web series |
| 2023 | Mujib: The Making of a Nation | Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad | Shyam Benegal | |
| 2024 | Omar | | Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Raz | |
| 2024 | Toofan | | Raihan Rafi | |
| 2025 | Jole Jwole Tara | Tara’s Father | Arun Chowdhuri | |
| TBA | Jam † | | Noyeem Imtiaz Neyamul | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Director | Notes |
| 1991 | Mrittu Khuda | Abu Zafar Siddiqui | Novel (Mrityukshuda) by Kazi Nazrul Islam |
| 1994 | Itikotha | Rashid | |
| | Badol Diner Prothom Kodom Ful | Humayun Ahmed | |
| | Jay Jayanti | | |
| | Velki | Ali Akram Tojor | |
| | Spnuj Daoai | Sumon Anwar | |
| | Bine Sutor Mala | Sumon Anwar | |
| | Buri Chad Geche Bujhi Bene Jole Vese | Manik Manobik | |
| 2006 | Kacher Manush | Afsana Mimi & Amlan Biswas | |
| 2004-2005 | 69 | Mostofa Sarwar Farooki | |
| | Pani | Noyeem Imtiaz Neyamul | |
| | Ogni Roth | Rajibul Islam Rajib | |
| | Gorvodharini | Naresh Vuiya | |
| | Bao Kurani | Bikram Khan | |
| | Ferari Pakhi | Richi Solaiman, Anisur Rahman Milon | |
| | Azrael | Salauddin Lavlu | |
| | Ajob Chhele | Golam Sohorab Dudul | |
| | Rahman Gayen | Sagar Jahan | |
| | Rater Otithi | | |
| | Bag | Sayed Masum Reza | |
| | Chidhel Chor | Shamim Zaman | |
| | Poshu Daktar | Salauddin Lavlu | |
| | Chor Tithi Ar Ami | Mijanur Rahman Babu | |
| | Bhat Ghum | Akram Khan | |
| | Amader Hatkhola | Sagar Jahan | |
| | Dui Batpar | Mizanur Rahman Labu | |
| | Bela Obelar Golpo | Ali Ahmed | |
| | Photok | Moniruzzaman Lipon | |
| | Rajlokkhi Opera | Anowar Hossain | |
| | Blind Road | Borhan Khan | |
| | Mehman | Al-Hazen | |
| 2021 | Mashrafe Junior | Sazzad Sumon | |

## Discography
### Solo

* Indubala

### Duet

* Mon Chor

### Film scores

* Shonkonaad (2004)
* Daruchini Dip (2007)
* Monpura (2009)
* Ghetu Putro Komola (2012)
* Pakhal (2013)
* Oggatonama (2016)
* Meyeti Ekhon Kothay Jabe (2016)
* Gohin Balucor (2017)
* Sitara (2019)
* Fagun Haway (2019)
* Bishwoshundori (2020)
* Nonajoler Kabbo (2020)