Ilias Javed, a veteran Bangladeshi actor and dance director, appeared in nearly 200 films over his long career. He was best known for hits like ‘Nishan’, ‘Payel’, and ‘Maleka Banu’, leaving a lasting mark on Bangladeshi cinema.
Image Source: IMDb
Legendary actor Ilias Javed, a star of Bangladeshi cinema’s golden era, has died at his home in Uttara, Dhaka today at around 12:00 pm. He had been battling health issues for years, including strokes and urinary tract complications.
Ilias Javed was born Raja Mohammad Ilias in 1944 in Peshawar, then part of British India. He later moved with his family to Punjab. His father Raja Muhammad Afzan hoped his son would take up a regular job or business. But young Ilias had other plans.
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Passionate about dance and the arts, he eventually found his way into the world of cinema.
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At just 14, he moved to Dhaka, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), in 1963. Dhaka’s film industry was thriving in both Urdu and Bengali at the time, but acting opportunities were limited.
His first work as a choreographer came in 1964 with the Urdu film ‘Malan’, directed by Kaiser Pasha. He later directed dances in ‘Poonam Ki Raat’ (1967) and many other films, ultimately choreographing for over a hundred movies between the 1970s and 1980s.
It was director Mustafiz who gave him the screen name “Javed.” He made his acting debut in the Urdu film ‘Nayi Zindagi’ (1964) and truly gained fame with the 1966 release ‘Payel’, where he starred opposite Shabana. The film was later dubbed in Bengali as ‘Nupur’.
Ilias Javed went on to become one of Bangladeshi cinema’s most beloved leading men. Over a long career, he appeared in nearly 200 films. Some of his most popular films include: ‘Maleka Banu’, ‘Nishan’, ‘Papi Shatru’, ‘Rokto Shopoth’, ‘Saheb Bibi Golam’, ‘Kajol Rekha’, ‘Onek Din Agey’, ‘Ajio Bhulini’, ‘Kothor’, ‘Ma Baba Shontan’, ‘Rakhal Raja’, ‘Rosher Baidani’, ‘Jibon Shongi’, ‘Abdullah’.
Among these, his pairing with actress Anju Ghosh became particularly popular, while his film ‘Nishan’ made him a cinematic icon.
In 1984, Ilias Javed married actress Dolly Chowdhury. The couple’s love story began on the sets of ‘Chandan Dweeper Rajkanya’ eventually blossoming into marriage on January 12 of that year. Though they shared many years together, the couple remained childless.
Javed faced some massive health challenges in his later years. He suffered two strokes. He also underwent surgery for urinary tract complications in April 2020.
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