Alisha Pradhan

Alisha Pradhan
আলিশা প্রধান
Alisha Pradhan in 2013
Born1993 or 1994[1]
Occupation(s)Actor, television presenter, and businesswoman
Years active2008–present

Alisha Pradhan (born 1993 or 1994) is a Bangladeshi actress, television presenter, and businesswoman. She rose to prominence as a teenager on television. She later starred in several films, most notably with Emon in director Chashi Nazrul Islam's final two pictures, Antaranga and Bhul Jodi Hoy. Pradhan retired from acting in 2017.

Biography

Early life

Alisha Pradhan was born to Monir and Hosna Pradhan, both businesspeople. She is the second of three children, born between older sister Faiza and younger brother Ryan. She grew up in Dhaka, Bangladesh.[2] From age 8, she studied classical dance at Bulbul Academy for Fine Arts. Later she learned Western and Latin dance and hip hop.[3]

In 2008, at age 14, Pradhan began her show business career by modeling in a television commercial for Cova chocolate bars.[1][2] She returned to the form two years later in an advertisement for Bangladeshi soft drink Uro Cola with actor Riaz, and did a second commercial for the beverage with Emon in 2012.[4]

While still in school, she appeared in more than 30 dramas and serials on the small screen, including NTV's Dakhinayaner Din, Fazlur Rahman's Swapnochura, Ferdous Hasan Rana's Dahan, and Mostofa Sarwar Farooki's First Date. In 2011, she performed an item number for a film by director Raffael Ahsan, then titled 69 Patla Khan Lane.[2][3] Legal objections by the owner of that address delayed the film, and it would not be released until December 2015, under the new title Noy Choy.[5]

She completed her A-levels in mid-2012.[6]

Film career

Pradhan made a guest appearance in the film Eito Bhalobasha, which was released in early 2013.[7] Meanwhile, she became a presenter for broadcasts of the 2013 Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) cricket season.[2][8]

Director Chashi Nazrul Islam saw her work as a presenter for the BPL and invited her to co-star with Emon in his film Bhul Jodi Hoy. Shooting took place in May 2013.[2] While it was in post-production, she signed a four-film contract with Carnival Motion Pictures, a new production company directed by her mother. Antaranga, the first film under their banner, was again with Emon and under Islam's direction.[9] In it she played a double role, Tamanna, a conventional Bangladeshi character dependent on her family in a patriarchal society, and Banya, a more independent, rebellious character.[6] Filming began in December 2013 at the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation.[10] Islam died without completing the picture. Finishing it fell to his assistant, Tarek Shikdar.[11] It was edited by Pradhan's sister Faiza, who had studied film in India.[12]

Shooting of Pradhan's third film, Ojante Bhalobasha, directed by A J Rana, began in January 2014.[13] In it she played the role of Kajol, "a simple middle class female".[14] In March 2014, with several pictures in the can, but none yet released, filming began on the second Carnival Motion Pictures property, Zakir Hossain Raju's Premer Kajal. She played opposite Shipon in it.[12][15] As of 2021, it is yet to be released.[16][17]

Antaranga hit cinemas in November 2015, making it Pradhan's debut film in a lead role. Bhul Jodi Hoy, though filmed earlier, didn't premiere until January 2016.[18] Antaranga was not very successful at the box office, but after its release director Shahin Sumon signed Pradhan to star in his film Probashi Don opposite Symon Sadik.[19] The intention was to shoot most of the film abroad, starting in early 2016, but that plan became snarled in visa complications.[20] As of November 2017, it was still in pre-production.[21]

Ojante Bhalobasha was released in May 2016. The production house, Surjo Chalachitra, described it as a flop. Director Rana said he had hoped to at least break even, "But in hindsight, I was thinking the impossible".[22] Pradhan announced in December 2017 that she was retiring from acting.[1]

Beyond acting

As of 2018, Pradhan is general secretary of Bangladesh Heritage Crafts Foundation, a nonprofit organization that aims to boost the traditional crafts of Bangladesh, such as jamdani and other textiles, shital pati woven mats, and pottery.[23][24]

In July 2019, Pradhan became managing director of a new internet-based television channel, HerNet TV, focused on women's wellbeing. Her mother is the chairman of the company.[25]

Filmography

Films

† Denotes films that have not yet been released
Year Title Role Ref.
2013 Eito Bhalobasha
2015 Antaranga Tamanna/Banya [6]
Noy Choy Item girl [3][5]
2016 Bhul Jodi Hoy [18]
Ojante Bhalobasha Kajal [14]
TBA † Premer Kajol TBA [15][16][17]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c অভিনয় ছাড়লেন ‘আশাহত’ আলিশা ['Disappointed' Alisha quits acting]. Dhaka Times 24 (in Bengali). 4 December 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e স্বপ্নপূরণের পথে আলিশা প্রধান [Alisha is on the way to fulfilling her dream]. Banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 9 May 2013.
  3. ^ a b c Hasan, Bipul (12 July 2011). আইটেম গার্ল আলিশা প্রধান [Item girl Alisha Pradhan]. Banglanews24.com (in Bengali).
  4. ^ "Alisha Pradhan waiting for film 'Antorongo'". The New Nation. 3 November 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Noy Choy hits theaters". Dhaka Tribune. 18 December 2015.
  6. ^ a b c "In Conversation with the Hero-Heroine of 'Antaranga'". The Independent. Dhaka. 5 November 2015.
  7. ^ নিরব-ইমনের প্রথম ছবি মুক্তি পাচ্ছে [The first picture of Nirab-Emon is being released]. Banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 24 December 2012.
  8. ^ বিপিএল মাতাতে খেলার মাঠে আলিশা! [Alisha on the BPL field]. Amader Barisal (in Bengali). 25 December 2012.
  9. ^ আলিশার চার ছবি [Four pictures of Alisha]. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 1 December 2013.
  10. ^ Chaity, Afrose Jahan (3 December 2013). "Alisha ready to set silver screen on fire". Dhaka Tribune.
  11. ^ "Chashi Nazrul's final film to be released during Eid-ul-Azha". The Independent. Dhaka. 24 August 2015.
  12. ^ a b অন্তরঙ্গ নায়িকা আলিশা [Antaranga heroine Alisha]. Kaler Kantho (in Bengali). 5 November 2015.
  13. ^ "New pair hits silver screen". Dhaka Tribune. 10 December 2013.
  14. ^ a b "Alisha Pradhan's third movie to be released tomorrow". The New Nation. 12 May 2016. Archived from the original on 12 May 2016.
  15. ^ a b সপ্নকননা আলিশার নতুন ছবি 'প্রেমের কাজল' [Dreamgirl Alisha Pradhan inked another Movie 'Premer Kajol']. Samkal (in Bengali). 16 March 2014. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
  16. ^ a b Shahed, Imrul (19 November 2020). মহরত বা আংশিক শুটিংয়ে শেষ হয়েছে যেসব ছবি [Pictures that have ended in an announcement or partial shooting]. Amader Shomoy (in Bengali).
  17. ^ a b Majid, Alauddin (25 January 2021). ঘোষণাতেই ছবি শেষ... [The picture ends with the announcement...]. Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali).
  18. ^ a b "Alisha-starrer 'Bhul Jodi Hoy' hits cinemas today". The Independent. Dhaka. 8 January 2016.
  19. ^ "Alisha pradhan's new movie 'Probashi Don'". Dhaka On Air. 23 December 2015. Archived from the original on 25 December 2015. Retrieved 27 December 2015.
  20. ^ ভিসার অপেক্ষায় শাহিন সুমনের প্রবাসী ডন [Shaheen Sumon's Probashi Don is waiting for a visa]. Jago News 24 (in Bengali). 7 January 2016.
  21. ^ ছবির শুরু আছে শেষ নেই [There is no end to the beginning of the picture]. Bhorer Kagoj (in Bengali). 19 November 2017.
  22. ^ "Dhallywood facing heavy losses". New Age. 18 January 2017.
  23. ^ "BHCF to arrange two-day exhibition in capital". The Independent. Dhaka. 2 October 2018.
  24. ^ Huda, Tasfia (11 October 2018). "'We should let the world explore our traditional fashion'". Dhaka Tribune.
  25. ^ "HerNet TV launched to focus on women's perspective". Dhaka Tribune. 24 July 2019.