On Her 53rd Birthday, Moushumi Reflects on Career Lessons, Industry Politics, and Caring for Her Mother in the US

Dhallywood actress Moushumi celebrated her 53rd birthday on November 3. Born in 1973, the national award-winning artist has long maintained a straightforward attitude toward aging, often quipping that she is likely the only leading actress in Bangladesh whose exact age is widely known.

Moushumi made her silver-screen debut in 1993 opposite the late Salman Shah in the blockbuster Keyamat Theke Keyamat. The pair followed up with several successful titles before she formed an equally popular pairing with actor Omar Sani, whom she later married. Beyond an extensive acting career that produced dozens of commercial hits, Moushumi has directed films, produced, sung, and earned multiple National Film Awards.

Reflecting on her career path, Moushumi noted that making mistakes is a natural part of personal growth, adding that learning from those experiences helped shape her endurance. Speaking about working in the film industry, she observed that female artists often had to look out for their own security. Navigating the internal politics of the sector required close coordination among colleagues. She noted that veteran peers such as Shabana and Babita, as well as herself, earned respect through individual competence rather than institutional support.

Moushumi moved to the United States in mid-2023. While she recently obtained permanent residency, an immediate return to Bangladesh is not on the horizon. Her daily routine in New York revolves around supporting her daughter, Faija Abiha, who is studying cosmetology, and providing round-the-clock care for her elderly mother, who experiences memory loss and limited mobility. Moushumi described this period of personal caretaking as a source of peace, balancing out the years when demanding shooting schedules kept her away from family.

Her family currently spans three countries. While Faija lives with her in the US, her son, Fardin Ehsan Swadhin, works for a real estate firm in Dubai, and her husband, Omar Sani, oversees family business interests in Dhaka. Though she appeared in a US-filmed project titled Contact Marriage, Moushumi has not announced plans for a full-time return to the screen, focusing instead on her welfare foundation and a long-term goal of building an old-age home.