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Kabori

Bangladeshi actress (1950-2021)

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Sarah Begum Kabori (also Kabori Sarwar, born Mina Pal; 19 July 1950, 17 April 2021) was a Bangladeshi film actress and politician. Her notable films include Sutorang, Sareng Bou, Abhirbhab, Shat Bhai Champa, Sujon Sokhi, and Lalon Fokir. She received the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actress for her role in the film Sareng Bou (1978) and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013.

Kabori got involved in politics later in her life. She became an elected member of parliament from the Narayanganj-4 constituency as an Awami League politician in 2008 and served until 2014. She was also an active social worker and women's rights activist. Several film festivals were sponsored by her.

01Early life

Kabori was born in Boalkhali, Chittagong, East Bengal, Pakistan. She studied until 8th grade. Her father, Krisna Das Paul, was a Bhajan singer, and her mother used to recite verses from religious books. Kabori was born into a cultural family. Her siblings knew how to dance and sing. And her brother could play the tabla.

Subhash Dutta and Kabori in the film set "Sutorang" (1964)
Subhash Dutta and Kabori in the film set "Sutorang" (1964)

02Film career

Kabori debuted in the film industry at the age of 13. Her first film, Sutorang, directed by Subhash Dutta, was released in 1964. She earned the role through the music director, Satya Saha. In the film, Subhash Dutta changed the actress 'Mina's' name to 'Kabori,' which means 'bun of hair.' With her new name and appearance, Kabori quickly became a symbol of romance for the local audience through her debut in cinema. Kabori starred with Razzak in more than 20 films together since Dutta's Abirbhab in 1968; the films include Nil Akasher Niche (1969), Deep Nebhe Nai (1970), and Ka Kha Ga Gha Umo (1970).

Kabori acted in several films with Farooque in the 1970s, notably Sujon Sokhi and Sareng Bou. She also starred with Bulbul Ahmed in Chashi Nazrul Islam's Devdas (1982). She acted in the 1973 film Titash Ekti Nadir Naam by Ritwik Ghatak, an Indian filmmaker. She also acted in an Urdu film, Bahana, by Zahir Raihan with co-actor Rahman. She also worked with other actors, including Alamgir, Sohel Rana, Uzzal, Wasim, Khan Ataur Rahman, Golam Mustafa, Anwar Hossain, and A.T.M. Shamsuzzaman.

In 2006, Kabori directed the film Ayna.

Kabori authored a book titled "Sritituku Thaak".

03Political career

In 2008, Kabori was elected to the National Parliament in Bangladesh from Narayanganj-4 for the 9th Bangladesh Parliament. During the 1971 Liberation War, she participated by donating blood to help the freedom fighters. She had fled to India during the war and worked on a film, "Joy Bangladesh", in Mumbai.

04Personal life

Kabori first married Chitta Chowdhury. After the divorce from Chowdhury, she married Shafiuddin Sarwar in 1978. Sarwar is an uncle of politician Shamim Osman. The couple was divorced in 2008. She has five sons.

05Death and legacy

After testing positive for COVID-19, Kabori was first admitted to Kurmitola General Hospital and later was shifted to the ICU in Sheikh Russel National Gastroliver Institute and Hospital, where she died on 17 April 2021. She had been working on a film titled Ei Tumi Shei Tumi since 2019.

The 1969 Ka Kha Ga Gha Umo film was shot in Chuadanga. The crew stayed at a house called Setab Manzil. The road around the house started going by the name Kabori Road after Kabori, which became official in February 2017.

06Filmography

Year Film Role Notes Ref.
1964SutorangJorina Debut film
1965Bahana
1967Heeraramon
Momir Elo
Sat Bhai Champa
BashoriRadha
1968Abirbhab Shahana
Arun Borun Kiranmala
Soeey Nadya Jage Pani
Chorabali
1969Nil Akasher Niche
MoinamotiMoina
1970Deep Nebhe Nai
Binimoy
Dorpo Churno
Je Agune PuriKajol
Ka Kha Ga Gha Umo
Nayika
Sontan
Aka Baka
Kanch Kata Heera
1971Jai Bangladesh Hindi film
Jolchhobi
1972Apon Por
1973Lalon Fokir
Titash Ekti Nadir NaamRajar Jhi Indo-Bangladesh joint production
Rangbaz
Amar Jonmobhumi
1974Sadharon Meye
Masud RanaSavita
1975Sujon SokhiSokhi
1977MotiMoholFiroza
Love In Simla
1978Sareng BouNobitun
Aguner Alo
1982DevdasParvoti
1988Dui JibonTahmina
2006 Ayna Advocate Afroja Also as director, screenplay and story writer
2008 Megher Koley Rod Doctor Selina Hossain

07Awards

YearAwardCategoryFilmRef
1973Bachsas AwardsBest ActressLalon Fokir
1975Bachsas AwardsBest ActressSujon Sokhi
1978Bangladesh National Film AwardsBest ActressSareng Bou
Bachsas AwardsBest ActressSareng Bou
1988Bachsas AwardsBest ActressDui Jibon
2008Bachsas AwardsHonorary Award
2009Bachsas AwardsLifetime Achievement
2013National Film AwardsLifetime Achievement
2019Nayakraj Razzak Award
Watch videos about KaboriExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article Kabori, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

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