Bangladeshi actor and filmmaker Ananta Jalil has revealed he may leave the film industry to focus on his family and faith. In a recent interview, he said that his two sons are receiving Islamic education, and continuing his film career may no longer feel appropriate.
"After completing the projects I have in hand, I may leave films," Ananta said. "My sons are studying Islam, and I feel it’s not suitable for their parents to be in the film world while they follow this path."
Ananta and his wife, actress Barsha, have long expressed a desire to raise their children with strong religious values. Their elder son, now 10 and a half, has memorized eight paras of the Qur'an. The younger, aged seven and a half, has completed reading the Qur'an once and is now reviewing it. Both boys study at Manarat, an English-medium school that also offers Islamic studies.
“When Barsha became pregnant for the first time, we made a commitment to raise our son to become a Mufti,” said Ananta. “I, too, hope to study in Madinah one day.”
He described the children's daily schedule as being focused heavily on religious learning. "They go to school, return home after Zuhr prayers, study with a private tutor, and then attend madrasa in the evening. They are even busier than us," he said.
Ananta added that as his sons grow older, they may struggle with the contrast between their religious education and their parents’ presence in the entertainment industry. "I feel it’s not right anymore. I probably don’t want to continue. Once I finish the work I’ve committed to, I plan to step away."
The actor confirmed that about 70 percent of the film ‘Netri: The Leader' is complete and the release is expected soon. This project may be among his final appearances on screen.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
