In the vibrant tapestry of Bangladesh’s artistic and activist landscape, Morshed Mishu stands out as a multifaceted individual, seamlessly blending the worlds of cartooning, artistry, and social activism. His journey is marked by a commitment to using unity and creativity as powerful tools for social change, sparking conversations, and fostering a spirit of resilience in the face of societal challenges. A cartoonist, an actor, and a social activist, the man of many talents shared his incredible journey with Team TINDS during an exclusive interview.
TINDS: Tell us a little about your childhood. Where were you born, and where did you grow up?
Morshed: I was born and brought up in Ibrahimpur. I have lived my entire life there, and my family has been there since I was born.
TINDS: What three words would you choose to describe yourself?
Morshed: Artist, Patriot, and Challenge-seeker.
TINDS: How did you initially get interested in drawing?
Morshed: We are a family of three brothers and a sister, and each of us brothers is fulfilling the dreams of another. I always wanted to join the military, and my eldest brother wanted to get involved in doing business, whereas the other had the potential to become an artist. It is interesting how the tables have turned; my eldest brother is now an officer of the Bangladesh Navy, my other brother is doing business, and I am a fellow artist. In one way or another, all of our dreams have been fulfilled through somebody else.
TINDS: How did you start working for Unmad?
Morshed: It was because of Unmad that I dared to start considering drawing as an actual profession. It was around mid-2011 when my friend Nahian and I started visiting the office. My boss saw my work and offered to draw for Unmad. I kept submitting drawings for almost a year, but it was eventually never printed. Then, later, in June 2012, my professional journey as a cartoonist with Unmad started with an exhibition where two of my works were exhibited.
TINDS: You’ve been featured in Forbes 30 under 30 for The Global Happiness Challenge. What was your idea behind the art that you’ve created?
Morshed: War is a continuous process, and if you look at it, it is still going on, maybe not the particular one I worked on, maybe within two entirely new nations. I felt terrible seeing the pictures that were all over the internet. I wanted to do something about it, in fact, much more than I did, but it was impossible. I did what I did best; I tried to portray how the visuals would change in the pictures if no war happened. Everybody wanted things to be like in the illustrated images. War is in no way a pleasing situation, and people could relate to my images’ positivity and wanted that to be in existence.
TINDS: You are an actor as well. Tell us a little about how you got into the industry.
Morshed: As I mentioned earlier, I wanted to be in the military, and I felt like a loser when I could not fulfill my ultimate dream. I tried doing many things after that; I started doing photography and looked into that, and I even tried to write for a while. Gradually, I figured out that the creative field requires dedication, patience, and a lot of practice, no matter what you do. Everything is connected, much of which depends upon one’s practice and observation. I have not transitioned from being a cartoonist to an actor. All of them are different forms of art to me. I am often interested in new things, and I need to avoid getting bored with my cartoons. Trying new things helps me get rid of the monotonousness. I am eager to know what I am capable of, and I can only figure that out if I try new things. Audiences were very supportive and appreciated me on screen; it didn’t matter if I was playing the lead role or not; what mattered was that every character could become a vital one with their performance.
TINDS: Pursuing a career in the creative industry is as hard as it is. How supportive were your parents about your decision?
Morshed: My parents initially did not even know that I dropped out of the university. It wasn’t until almost two years later that they learned that from a newspaper article, if I am not wrong. No parents want their children to pursue a risky career. Nevertheless, no profession is entirely risk-free, to be honest. The occupations that are glorified in our society, only the ones in the profession know how hard it is to make it finally. It was not until getting into the university that I was not that bad of a student after all. I was always interested in science and even got a scholarship. As I had to spend no money, I was not asked too many questions about my decision to drop out of the university by my family. Also, by the time they got to know me, I had already figured my way around the creative field, doing what I do best, drawing.
TINDS: What would you be if not an artist?
Morshed: Maybe a politician. Often, people in our country tend to think of politics in a rather negative way, but initially, it is not politics that is to be blamed; instead, a few certain politicians. Everyone should be very politically aware, no matter where they are.
TINDS: Tell us a little about your very recent initiative, ‘Khaale hobe.’
Morshed: I intend to clean and creatively transform 200-500 dirty places within Dhaka City within the next two to five years. Cleaning a place would probably end up gathering garbage again, but transforming a place into a piece of art would encourage people to take care of it and keep it that way. ‘Khaale hobe’ was just another idea I had planned for the canal of Mohammadia Housing Limited in Mohammadpur. The ward commissioner, Mr. Asif Ahmed Sarker, helped a great deal and was very enthusiastic about the project. I used social media as a medium to gather volunteers and funding to get it done. I figured that somebody only needed to start, and there were many who were interested in helping; the first move made all the difference.
TINDS: What would your advice be to young people?
Morshed: I never give advice to young people because they understand a lot better than we used to when we were kids. Children these days are brilliant, and they are very keen on learning new skills. Most importantly, they often have a clear vision about what they want to do in life and have the courage to approach it. Kids are our future and should be appropriately appreciated to get the best version out of themselves.
Find HimFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/morshedmishu29 |
