Photos: Sheikh Mehedi Morshed

Shortly after his return to Bangladesh from a year and a half in the US, Anisur Rahman Milon's two feature films were consecutively released—"1971 Shei Shob Din" and "MR-9: Do or Die".

During his stay in the US, the actor was occupied with shooting for three American films. Milon managed to drop by The Daily Star—where in a candid adda—he shared insights into his life, career, and more.

Some of your projects were delayed due to your stay in the US. How did you manage everything upon your return?

I remained in constant contact with the directors, carefully planning the schedules to ensure a smooth transition upon my return. I have already wrapped up shooting for Eftakhar Chowdhury's "Mukti", and have more projects in progress. Meanwhile, I have worked on three films in the US—"MR-9", "Boneyard", and "Flash it".

Just days after your return, two of your featurette films hit theatres. What's the response been like?

It's been fantastic! These two films belong to different genres. "1971 Shei Shob Din" is a patriotic film, while "MR-9: Do or Die" is an action thriller and a groundbreaking collaboration with Hollywood. The response has been quite positive.

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Anisur Rahman Milon works on two films during US visit

You achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Bangladeshi artiste to join the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in Hollywood. We want to know the story behind this accomplishment.

While working on "MR-9", the director of the project, Asif Akbar, informed me that I needed to become a SAG for payment processing. Initially, it requires US citizenship, and documentation of working on a Hollywood project. So, I followed the lengthy process and finally secured the membership. The significance lies in the guild's role in safeguarding artiste rights and ensuring timely payments.

You have won hearts as a romantic actor on television, while finding acceptance as an antagonist on the silver screen. What types of roles do you personally prefer?

Honestly, I enjoy roles filled with energy and intensity. In my view, onscreen characters should be full of action! Having said that, I don't want to limit myself to any specific role. I aim to maintain my versatility as an actor.

In September last year, your wife, Polee Ahmed, lost her battle with cancer. Now, you are both mother and father to your ten-year-old son…

The void left by her cannot be filled, and it was a tremendous ordeal for both me and my son. Taking care of my son on my own in the US has made it challenging to manage my work commitments. However, he is my top priority, and I will plan everything accordingly.

How do you envision your future in the industry?

My son is on vacation, making this the perfect time for me to return to the industry. I will schedule my future visits and shoot accordingly. I have plans to visit Bangladesh twice a year. At the moment, I have two projects lined up, including Arafat Jewel's film, and Pritam Sarkar's "Jochhona Korechhe Ari". I am particularly excited about my directorial project, "Red Box". Eminent screenplay writer Masum Reza is currently working on the script and we will start the production process.