The New Nation - Internet Edition

Entertainment Desk

Today is the 12th death anniversary of popular film actor Salman Shah. He died on September 6 in 1996.

Shahriar Chowdhury Imon, who used Salman Shah as a film name, was a superstar. The name, Salman Shah, evoked an era in the Bangladeshi filmdom. In the early 1990s when the country's film industry remained stagnant and when vulgarism and weak-script movies ruled the industry, Salman Shah entered the film industry in a spirit vibrant with promise. The ailing film industry witnessed a real romantic hero and welcomed a new era in the romantic film genre with his appearance.

To mark the Salman Shah Smriti Parishad organises a memorial meeting, film screening and Salman Shah Award giving ceremony at Zahir Raihan Colour Lab Auditorium of BFDC in the city today. Managing Director of BFDC ANM Badrul Amin will be present as chief guest at the meeting. It was back in 1993, that film buffs for the first time observed the superstar of modern Bengali films, Salman Shah, with the blockbuster Keyamat Thekey Keyamat. Directed by Sohanur Rahman Sohan, the film was the remake of the Indian blockbuster Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. In his debut movie, Salman earned a niche through his mesmerising performance and quality acting skills and soon he turned into a heartthrob of the young film connoisseurs. The pair Salman Shah and Moushumi were treated as the most popular team after Razzak-Kabori, right after the release of the film. Salman Shah, which is actually a pseudonym of Shahriar Chowdhury Imon, started his acting career in TV drama. However, he came to the limelight through his first film. Apart from Keyamat Thekey Keyamat, in his short span of film career he also acted in another hit 18 movies. His on-screen chemistry with his first heroine Moushumi and then Shabnur were the most wanted silver screen couples of that time.

But, unfortunately, the country's film industry observed the most shocking day on September 6, 1996 with the untimely demise of its talented actor Salman Shah, who was in fact at the pinnacle of his career at the time. Since his death nine years have been passed, but the industry, his fans and friends still yearn for the superstar. Salman was found hanged at his home, according to media Salman's wife, Samira was responsible for his death but 11 years on, no one has been officially charged for his murder.