Difficult to live solely on movie earnings: Ziaul Roshan
Dhallywood hero Ziaul Roshan talks about his increasing involvement in OTT content, balancing movie and web projects, and the challenges actors face in sustaining themselves solely on movie earnings in the changing landscape of the film industry
Ziaul Roshan, a rather handsome figure in Dhallywood, is among the contemporary artists increasingly involved in OTT content, aside from traditional movies. Recently, he starred in a web film called 'Apolap,' which premiered on Deepto Play.
With numerous other projects in the works, including a 10-episode web series and several upcoming movies, Roshan shares insights into his hectic schedule and his acting beyond the big screen in a conversation with TBS.
"I've been receiving feedback on social media, along with praise from friends and family. My family enjoyed the film, offering both appreciation and constructive criticism," expressed Roshan.
'Haradhoner Doshti Chele', yet another web series will also be featuring Roshan. This 10-episode web series is based on a murder case, to be released on Toffee Original, marking it as his second consecutive web content published this year alone.
But will more exposure to OTT not hamper his movie career? Roshan begs to differ.
"No. If I do 10 movies, I'll do two web content. I finished these two OTT contents about a year ago, after which I performed in several movies," Roshan answered.
"In reality, our main connection is with the audience, and I hope they appreciate my work. Not every movie may be loved, and before entering acting, I wasn't deeply passionate about the film industry. I might have made some errors along the way, and I believe I need to be more sincere. However, I remain hopeful."
The local film industry faces stagnation with a decline in movie theatres, leaving numerous filmmakers unemployed. Additionally, there is a trend towards low-budget filmmaking. In this challenging scenario, except for Shakib Khan, many actors struggle to sustain themselves solely on movie earnings, including Roshan.
"It's very difficult to live solely on movie earnings. Not all movie artists get a huge amount of money. We cannot be compared with the likes of Shakib Khan. It is not possible for actors like me to lead a standard life with the earnings from movies," Roshan said.
Since Covid-19 came under control, Roshan has been very busy with acting. Currently, he is busy shooting for five movies, namely 'Excuse Me', 'Maya: The Love' and 'Tumi Jekhane Ami Shekhane,' 'Betray' and 'London Love'.
His four other movies – 'Prempuran', 'Jamdani', 'Revenge' and 'Corporate' – are awaiting release.