Shabana (actress)

Afroza Sultana Ratna (born 5 June 1950), best known by her stage name Shabana, is a Bangladeshi film actress. She earned a total of ten Bangladesh National Film Awards. Her national film award-winning roles were in Janani (1977), Sokhi Tumi Kar (1980), Dui Poisar Alta (1982), Nazma (1983), Bhat De (1984), Apeksha (1987), Ranga Bhabi (1989), Moroner Pore (1990) and Achena (1991). Across her three-decade-long career, she appeared in 299 films. She co-starred with Alamgir in 130 of them.

Starting her career as a child in 1962, she quickly conquered the film industry with successful back to back hit films in 1970's such as Nazma, Shohag, Putrobodhu, Abujh Mon , Obak Prithibi, Rojnigondha , Chondro Hariye Jai , Nonod Bhabi, Jhorer Pakhi, Ovage, Salim Javed, Pordeshi, Banjaran, Barood , Iman , Altabanu, Gayer Chele, and Unovob

She became the reigning star of Bangladesh film industry in the 1980;s with back to back national award winning films and hits for example Onnnay, Oshanti, Strir Shopno, Shamir Adesh, Ochena, Sakkhor , Prashchitto , Somor, Nishana, Nagrani, Chapa Dangar Bou, Mayer Doa, Obodan, Kohinoor, Surrender , Sultanat , Shami Stree, Bhabir Songshar, Sottho Mittha, Goriber Bou, Shroddha, Sandhan, mehman , Top Rongbaz, Ghorer Shuk, ghor vanga songshar , lokkhir songshar, & Rajlakkhi Srikantho.

Onto the 1990's, she began to move onto supporting characters to rising top starts of that time and often playing either a doting mother, a caring sister, or a women fighting for justice for poor and needy people. Such films include Bissho Netro, Bish Bochor Pore , Ma Jokhon Bicharok, Grihobodhu, Sukher Sorgoh, Banglar Bodhu , Prashchitto , Bidrohi Bodhu, Dui Rongbaz, Akheri Mokabela, and box office blockbuster films such as Sotter Mrittu Nei, Nirmom & Palabi Kothay & Swami Keno Asami . She suddenly decided to wrap up her career and depart from film industry in 1998 to settle in USA to raise her children's.

In 1981, Shabana attended the 12th Moscow International Film Festival where she met actress Natalya Belokhvostikova. Shabana starred in the film Bhat De for which she received the National Film Award as Best Actress in 1984 and attended the Cannes Film Festival. Shabana served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and helped with vaccination campaigns against polio in Bangladesh in 1988 and 1989. She was photographed with fellow UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador actress, Audrey Hepburn, in 1989. In July 2017, Shabana was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by Prime Minister for her contribution as an actress to the Bangladeshi film industry.