Not speaking was the hardest part: Mousumi Hamid on ‘Djinner Bachcha’

Mousumi Hamid has long stood apart for her choice of roles. While many of her contemporaries have embraced glamour-led characters, she has consistently gravitated towards layered, unconventional parts. Continuing that journey, her latest web film “Djinner Bachcha” is set to stream on Chorki on February 19.

In the film, Mousumi takes on the challenging role of a mute girl, a character who communicates entirely through silence and expression. For the actress, it was both demanding and deeply rewarding. “It was a wonderful experience,” she said. “These kinds of roles enrich you as an artiste. This one certainly enriched me.”

She revealed that she had to audition for the role and was selected through that process. What followed was nearly twenty days of intense preparation. “The preparation was difficult,” she admitted. “Not speaking at all is harder than it sounds. My character cannot talk, so I practised staying silent. There’s also a certain drowsiness in her physicality that I had to bring in. I had to rely solely on expressions, conveying everything without a single word.”

For Mousumi, challenge is part of the craft. “I enjoy taking on challenges. I’ve had to do that many times in my career, and this was no different.”

She also admitted that the film demanded physical endurance as well. Several scenes were filmed in a pond, which she described as particularly tough, despite the beauty of the location.
Asked whether she was able to inhabit the character fully, Mousumi responded candidly. “In the beginning, I wasn’t getting it quite right. But gradually, it came together. The director believed I could do it. Now it’s up to the audience to decide how well I’ve done. I gave it my hundred per cent.”

Mousumi believes viewers will find something different in it. “It’s a strong story. The director worked immensely hard. Most importantly, he chose a brave and unusual story, and that deserves appreciation.”

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The impact of the role, she says, has lingered. “Even after finishing the film, I haven’t completely come out of the character.”
Reflecting on her career choices, she added, “A film like ‘Djinner Bachcha’ is enough once a year. There’s no need to do many projects. I could do four films a year, but if they don’t move the audience, what’s the point? With the kind of story Mostafizur Noor Imran has made, I’ve regained a sense of confidence after a long time.”

She concluded by expressing gratitude towards the director for trusting her with such a role. “He believed I could carry the story. For that, I’m truly thankful.”