The price of fame: Jaya lifts the lid on Dhallywood's unspoken demands
In a revelation that’s set to shake both sides of the border, Jaya Ahsan has opened up about why she turned her back on Dhaka’s film industry — and the answer is as fiery as her on-screen presence.
The multi-award-winning actor, who has reigned over Kolkata’s art-house and mainstream cinema for over a decade, says she left Bangladesh not because of glamour or greed — but because she refused to play by the industry’s unspoken, toxic rules.
“The directors for whom I was always available didn’t use me properly,” Jaya said in a candid podcast interview. “One problem in Bangladesh is that directors either have girlfriends or wives. This is not possible for me. I didn’t go into all that — I won’t go into all that. So maybe I had to be cornered.”
With that one line, Jaya tore the veil off an open secret — that talent alone is often not enough for survival in Dhallywood’s patriarchal power web.
From Dhaka Darling to Kolkata Queen
Bred in Dhaka, Jaya Ahsan became a household name with her soulful performances on television before conquering cinema. But while her Bangladeshi peers stayed home chasing local stardom, Jaya crossed the border and built a new empire.
“I wasn’t getting the kind of work I could do in Bangladesh,” she said. “I went to Kolkata out of hardship — and passion. Acting is all I know, all I can do.”
The gamble paid off. From Bishorjan to Binisutoy and Ardhangini, she became one of Kolkata’s most sought-after leading ladies, carving a niche that few Bangladeshi actors ever dared to dream of.
‘They wrote stories for me’
In her explosive remarks, Jaya drew a sharp contrast between the two industries.
“In Kolkata, even though I was an outsider, they gave me importance. They wrote stories for me. They created characters for me,” she said — a subtle but scathing indictment of her home industry’s failure to nurture its brightest star.
She also took aim at what she called Dhallywood’s “fear of female-centric films.”
“Many directors in Bangladesh are still afraid to work around women. And even if they do, they’ll take their girlfriend, wife, or a megastar — not a pure artist,” she said bluntly.
Still a star, still unapologetic
Her remarks have set off a storm online, with fans and filmmakers alike divided. Some hail her honesty as “courageous,” while others accuse her of “washing dirty laundry in public.”
But Jaya remains unfazed. With her latest film — the Bangladesh-Iran joint production Fereshte — she’s once again proving that substance, not scandal, is what keeps her relevant.
Directed by Iranian filmmaker Murtaza Atash, Fereshte features a powerhouse cast including Shahiduzzaman Selim, Shahed Ali, Rikita Nandini Shimu, and Suman Faruk.
And as Jaya continues to conquer cinemas beyond borders, one thing is clear — she may have left Dhaka’s film scene behind, but she’s never lost her fight.
“I had to act,” she said. “That’s who I am. That’s what I’ll always be.”