I am almost immune to personal attacks: Rakin Absar

In the saturated and dynamic landscape of content creation, Rakin Absar is popular for his quirky style, raw humour and even speculations surrounding his sexuality. The content creator juggles various roles in the digital media industry as a comedian, host, marketer, and programme producer.

Rakin's journey began in 2012 when he dived into content creation as a means to cope with depression and mental health issues. "I was bored and also dealing with depression. So, I started making funny clips just to cope with the situation," he said. Initially, he was a part of the comic group Bhai Brothers Ltd, but he left it after a while. Currently, he runs his comedy venture, "Mr Absar", with his friends Tajwar Ul Islam, Fahim Islam Shetab and Thiri Than. "Mr Absar" began after Rakin graduated in 2016 from Independent University, Bangladesh, while also working as a programme producer on Dekho TV with Thiri. This comedy portal has become a hub for Rakin's distinctive style, characterised by video creation, comedy sketches, lifestyle content, and travel vlogs.

The team behind comedy venture "Mr Absar", consisting of Rakin Absar, Tajwar Ul Islam, Fahim Islam Shetab and Thiri Than.

Recently, Rakin has taken a step into the world of podcasts with his creation titled "Inbox". In an exclusive interview with The Daily Star, he revealed that the inspiration for this venture came from "Bad Friends" and musician Jon Kabir's "I Started a Podcast". When asked what distinguishes "Inbox" from any other existing podcast shows, Rakin shared, "I am more focused on bringing the off-screen persona of my guests to the audience, rather than focusing on their professional life and works."

"Moreover, I aim to explore and discuss the topics rarely discussed in society, turning each episode into a series of unfiltered conversations. I have invited two guests in each episode of my first season to make the session more interactive and offer the audience different perspectives on the discussed topics."

Notably, Rakin has chosen to self-fund the inaugural season of his podcast, a decision influenced by musician Jon Kabir. "Actually, Jon Bhai suggested this to me," he revealed. "I wanted to set the tone of the show without external constraints, ensuring it aligns with my distinctive approach. With my first season, I want to set an example for the podcast portfolio."

Recently, the entertainer has participated in "Let's Talk with Sheikh Hasina", organised by CRI, bringing the country's young minds face-to-face with the country's highest policymaker, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The event featured over 300 young individuals, including achievers, athletes, social activists, young professionals, and content creators. In the interactive session, Rakin addressed the prevalent issues concerning digital security and cyberbullying and questioned the path towards a "Digital Bangladesh" in the face of persistent challenges. "We were given a set of topics to discuss, and I asked the PM, while we are still facing issues, such as cyber-attacks and data breaching, how does the government plan to tackle this challenge if the party [Awami League] is re-elected?"

Photo: Chitraloy/Rakin Absar's Facebook handle.

As a content creator and public figure, Rakin often faces uncomfortable questions regarding his sexuality. When asked how he dealt with such questions, he responded, "I am probably one of the first content creators in our country who started playing different roles in their videos. People who have fragile masculinity can't stand the idea of a male playing the role of a female. However, my characters don't represent my gender or sexuality; they are merely for entertainment purposes."

When it comes to dealing with negative comments online, Rakin navigates the emotion in a positive and resilient way. "I have been in this industry for so long that I have become resistant to such negativity. Rather, I enjoy polarising comments," he shared.

Rakin also emphasised the importance of sensitivity and respect in media interviews, citing examples of fellow creators and their shows, such as Rafsan Shabab's "What a Show", RJ Kebria's "The RJ Kebria Show", and Sadi Shahnewaz's "A Peek Inside with Sadi". By highlighting these examples, he advocates for a shift from conventional media norms, encouraging a more compassionate approach to handling interviews and guests.

Challenging societal norms with his not-so-conventional approach–be it content creation or presenting his public persona, Rakin Absar is always up for making a statement.