Safa Kabir in search of ‘True Love’

A rising star in Bangladesh with remarkable success as an actor, Safa Kabir is now an icon for many. With no previous experience in acting or modeling, the 5.4 feet Safa who was best known as “selfie queen” has striven to be one of the popular models and heartthrobs of contemporary times. Born on August 29, 1994, Safa is currently a BBA student at American International University in Dhaka and lives with her mother at Nakhalpara. Her father lives in Germany.

Colors: How did you spend your childhood?

Safa Kabir: When I was a child, I used to play with dolls. I made and designed dresses of my dolls that inspired me to be a fashion designer. Then, I used that to design my dresses, my mom’s and my cousins’ dresses. So during Eid, it so happened that everyone expected that I would design all of their dresses.

Colors: What was your career aspiration since childhood?

Safa Kabir: I was a quiet and calm baby at my childhood. I didn’t think much. As it happens, I wanted to be a doctor. While going through it, I felt that I should concentrate in business studies group in SSC. Though I love biology, I felt that I could not take much burden of being a doctor. I had no interest in being a doctor because three-four members of my family were already doctors. I feared of dead bodies and that made me realize that being a doctor is not my thing. Then I grew up and made up my mind to be in this commerce sector. When I entered AIUB, I choose to study marketing and is currently determined to be involved in the business sector.

Colors: How did you enter in media industry?

Safa Kabir: When studying HSC, my aunty asked me to get registered to Lux Channel I Superstar. I replied why would I registrar as I would not attend there. I did not want it at that time, though I loved being on the front face of a camera. However, for Lux superstar, one needs to stay outside home for three months, which I had never experienced before. As requested, I went and got the “Yes” card. But then, I did not want to continue. It was my aunty and mother who were very adamant. Yet I was offered for the Lux Promo and I accepted. But never did I think of going to TV or drama.

Colors: Tell us about your footing in modeling.

Safa Kabir: I never thought that I would be acting before I even started doing it. One day, I was called from “@18- All Time Dourer Upor” for audition. I was selected. After the Telefilm was released, everyone started referring to me as “Bariwalar Meye”. Even people began calling my mother as “Bariwalar Meyer Ma”.

After this, I got many offers for acting in drama. But I did not want to do acting initially. First of all, I did not understand acting and I also did not want to work in TV. But only for my mother, I have come so far as she likes to see me in TV much. My family members have watched my scene of “@18”around 100 times.

Later, Airtel signed contact with me for photo shoots and TVCs. I found me in newspapers and magazines everywhere. And then began the arrival of many more offers. I refused to do acting in drama till 2013. Later, my mentors advised me to accept a few offers. Then I joined at a serial called “University”. It felt tiring. Later I worked with an Eid drama in a single character “Eka Meye”. That’s the starting of my career. Passion and love for acting still remained far.  But appreciations from all made me fall in love with acting in drama. As audiences like my performance, I feel it is some sort of responsibility to acting for them. But as my dedication was increasing gradually, I began feeling the pressure from completing my university degree.

Colors: How do you continue acting and studying simultaneously?

Safa Kabir: It’s become really tough to cope with the schedule always. As there has no specific working hours in acting.

Colors: How do you treat makeup before camera?

Safa Kabir: Makeup is not mandatory to me for screen. If a normal look suits me, it is the best. I use makeup to just because of mismatching of the lightning.  For instance, my nose may look small in bright light where I need makeup so that it looks normal and thin. If I look better without makeup, I have no problem at all.

Colors: Share some interesting experiences in acting.

Safa Kabir: Recently I along with Tausif went to a remote village in Tangail where there has no electricity except between 6pm and 11pm. As usual the young people there welcomed me warmly. But I was astonished when an adult woman said that she saw me in a show with kids. How she, who lived in a village where there was hardly four-five TV sets, recognized me, still surprises me.

Colors: What’s your future plan in acting?

Safa Kabir: As I have engaged myself in acting, I’ll continue with it. I’m working more due to demands from various quarters. As an artist, I like to see myself in a wide range of characters. After Airtel TVCs, people saw me in one single way like “Selfi Queen Safa”. I took the biggest Lumia Selfi in Bangladesh also. Though initially I enjoyed it for few days, but later on I began casting different characters as well.

Recently I have casted two characters in “Deyal” and “Akskhor”. I do not want to hear audiences’ complain that I do not suit for a specific character. I’ve also recently completed a TVC shoot at Cox’s Bazar under Adnan Al Rajib, who is one of my mentors and guardians in life. After my Telefilm with him, I’m very much satisfied with my roles and performances in the first TVC with him, to be released soon.

Colors: Tell us about your dream.

Safa Kabir: I actually dream in every moment as it changes every now and then. It depends on my work. But wherever I work, I love and respect my work. I want to be a good actor in which I’m giving my full effort. So after my graduation, I will give more time here. I want to do something more in my sector. I want to fulfill my wishes.

Colors: What’s about your thoughts regarding life partner?

Safa Kabir: I’m yet to think of it much. But I do never think that my jamai has to be tall and handsome. What I expect he should be a good human being and loyal and honest. I always say it that some will hold my hand and never let me go.

Colors: Have few words for your fans.

Safa Kabir: Fans and audiences get our compact and final work. But in order to produce that work, we know how much hassle we have to tolerate. Some may think it’s very easy. But have they tried it under the sun for 7-8 hours? So, thanks to my fans for continuously supporting me. I will work for your love. But sometimes, it seems that many interpret our works wrongly and negatively, and make negative comments. But I take it normal as it teaches me to work better.