{{short description|Bangladeshi actress}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{infobox person | name = Shomi Kaiser | native_name = শমী কায়সার | native_name_lang = bn | image = Shami Kaiser.jpg | caption = Kaiser in 2016 | birth_date = 15 January 1970 | mother = Panna Kaiser | relatives = {{unbulleted list | Amitav Kaiser (brother) | Zahir Raihan (uncle)}} | occupation = {{hlist | Actress | model | producer}} | spouse = {{ubl | | {{marriage|Mohammad A. Arafat|24 July 2008|2015|end=div}} | {{marriage|Reza Amin|7 October 2020}} }} }}
'''Shomi Kaiser''' is a Bangladeshi actress and political activist.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/arts-entertainment/daughters-quest-discover-her-father-1384840 |title=A daughter's quest to discover her father |date=2017-04-02 |newspaper=The Daily Star |access-date=2018-11-21}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news/shomi-kaiser-after-the-curtain-falls-down-2 |title=Shomi Kaiser After the Curtain Falls Down |date=2013-12-14 |newspaper=The Daily Star |access-date=2018-11-21}}</ref> She is currently the managing director of Dhansiri Communications Ltd, an advertising and event management company.<ref name="third" />
== Early life and family == Kaiser was born to Shahidullah Kaiser and Panna Kaiser (née Saifunnahar Chowdhury) on 15 January 1970.<ref>{{cite news |script-title=bn:জন্মদিন : শমী কায়সার :: দৈনিক ইত্তেফাক |trans-title=Birthday: Shami Kaiser |url=http://www.ittefaq.com.bd/index.php?ref=MjBfMDFfMTBfMTNfNF80NF8xXzEwMDQ3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180830073836/http://archive.ittefaq.com.bd/index.php?ref=MjBfMDFfMTBfMTNfNF80NF8xXzEwMDQ3 |archive-date=2018-08-30 |language=bn |newspaper=The Daily Ittefaq |date=2013-01-10 |accessdate=20 November 2018}}</ref><ref name=panna>{{cite news |title=Shomi and Panna Kaiser on "Eki Brintey" tonight |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/news-detail-114609 |newspaper=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |date=19 November 2009}}</ref> She belongs to a Bengali family originally from the village of Majupur in Sonagazi, Feni District. Her grandfather, Mawlana Mohammad Habibullah, was a professor at the Calcutta Alia Madrasa and later the Dacca Alia Madrasa.<ref>{{cite news|title=এই দিনে - জহির রায়হান|url=https://www.deshrupantor.com/editorial-news/2022/01/30/342161|access-date=2022-05-20|work=Desh Rupantor|archive-date=2022-07-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220707020856/https://www.deshrupantor.com/editorial-news/2022/01/30/342161|language=bn}}</ref> Her father was a writer-novelist. Shomi Kaiser was two years old when her father was taken from home by Al Badr militia and Pakistani Army on 14 December 1971. His body was never found. Her mother, Panna Kaiser, was a writer and former M.P.<ref name=shahidullah/>
Shomi Kaiser has a younger brother, Amitav Kaiser.<ref name=shahidullah>{{cite news |title=Shahidullah Kaiser was taken to Mueen, Ashraf |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/shahidullah-kaiser-was-taken-to-mueen-ashraf/ |newspaper=The Daily Star (Bangladesh) |date=20 August 2013}}</ref> Their maternal uncle is former president of Bangladesh A. Q. M. Badruddoza Chowdhury, whose wife, Maya, is the sister of Panna Kaiser.<ref name=newsbangla>{{cite news |url=http://www.news-bangla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7426&Itemid=56 |title=All in the family |author=Anwar Parvez Halim |date=28 May 2011 |publisher=Bengali News from Washington D.C.}}</ref>
== Career == Shomi Kaiser received her first break In 1989, when director Atiqul Haque Chowdhury was looking for a young actress who could speak Noakhali dialect for his play ''Keba Apon Keba Por''.<ref name=early>{{cite news |author=Harun ur Rashid |date=7 February 2005 |title=Shomi Kaiser: In search of excellence |url=http://archive.thedailystar.net/2005/02/07/d502071401111.htm |newspaper=The Daily Star}}</ref> Next she worked on the three episode play ''Joto Durey Jai'', based on a novel by Imdadul Haque Milon, directed by Abdullah al Mamun.<ref name=early/> She worked for ''Dhaka Theatre'' for 12 years.<ref name=curtain/> She appeared in ''Haat Hodai'' (with Shahiduzzaman Selim). She appeared in such films as ''Hason Raja'' (2002) and ''Lalon'' (2004). She was featured in ''Ekti Nadir Naam'' (2002), based on the biography of filmmaker Ritwik Ghatak.<ref name=early/> She later emerged as a producer. She has owned Dhansiri Productions since 1997,<ref name=curtain>{{cite news |author=Sadia Khalid |date=14 December 2013 |title=Shomi Kaiser after the curtain falls down |url=http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/shomi-kaiser-after-the-curtain-falls-down-2/ |newspaper=The Daily Star (Bangladesh)}}</ref> which produced ''Mukti'' and ''Antorey Nirantor''.<ref name=early/> In November 2013, her firm, Dhanshiri Communication Limited, got a license for a private radio channel named Radio Active.<ref name=radio>{{cite news |last=Karim |first=Mohosinul |date=27 November 2013 |title=13 TV, 14 FM radio stations to get licence |url=http://archive.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2013/nov/27/13-tv-14-fm-radio-stations-get-licence |newspaper=Dhaka Tribune}}</ref>
In 2017, Kaiser was elected as one of the directors of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI). In 2018, she was elected as the president of e-Commerce Association (e-CAB).<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.bssnews.net/?p=13503 |title=BSS-26 Shomi Kaiser, Tomal made e-CAB's President, Secretary |work=Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha |date=2018-01-02 |access-date=2018-11-21}}</ref> At the aftermath of 2024 non-cooperation movement, she resigned from the position on 13 August 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-08-14 |script-title=bn:ই–ক্যাবের সভাপতি পদ থেকে পদত্যাগ করলেন শমী কায়সার |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/technology/dso7l83070 |access-date=2024-08-13 |work=Prothom Alo |language=bn}}</ref>
She was nominated in the election as a representative of the ''Sammilita Ganotantrik Parishad'' panel.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dhakatribune.com/showtime/2017/05/15/shomi-kaiser-elected-fbcci-director/ |title=Shomi Kaiser elected as FBCCI director |date=15 May 2017 |accessdate=18 May 2017 |newspaper=Dhaka Tribune}}</ref>
In November 2018, Kaiser applied for nomination for the Feni-3 constituency on behalf of Bangladesh Awami League party.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/arts-entertainment/news/stars-fight-election-wars-1659622 |title=Stars to fight election wars |date=2018-11-13 |newspaper=The Daily Star |access-date=21 November 2018}}</ref>
== Personal life == Kaiser has been married three times. Her first husband was Indian-Bengali film director Riingo Banerjee, whom she married in 1999 and divorced two years later.<ref name=wedding>{{cite web |url=http://www.news-bangla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1158 |script-title=bn:প্রয়াত বুদ্ধিজীবী শহীদুল্লাহ কায়সারের কন্যা |language=bn |trans-title=Shami Kaiser remarried |date=6 October 2006 |website=Bangla News from Washington DC |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181016032730/http://www.news-bangla.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1158 |archive-date=16 October 2018}}</ref><ref name=dailystart201010 /> Her second husband, Mohammad A. Arafat, is a private university faculty member, whom she married in 2008 and divorced in 2015.<ref name=wedding/><ref name=dailystart201010 /> In 2020, she married her third husband, Reza Amin, the chief executive officer of Euro-Vigil Private Limited.<ref name=third>{{cite news |url=https://unb.com.bd/category/Entertainment/third-time-lucky-for-shomi-kaiser/58730 |title=Third time lucky for Shomi Kaiser? |website=unb.com.bd |agency=United News of Bangladesh |location=Dhaka |date=10 October 2020 |accessdate=10 October 2020}}</ref><ref name=dailystart201010>{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/arts-entertainment/news/new-chapter-begins-shomi-kaiser-1975525 |title=A new chapter begins for Shomi Kaiser |date=10 October 2020 |newspaper=The Daily Star |accessdate=11 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=Shomi Kaiser ties the knot with Reza Ameen |url=https://www.newagebd.net/article/118600/shomi-kaiser-ties-the-knot-with-reza-ameen |access-date=19 July 2023 |work=New Age}}</ref>
==Criticism== Shomi Kaiser took a stand for the government during the repression of the Awami League government on the students in the quota reform movement that took place in 2024.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 2024 |title=Shock and surprise grip entertainment arena after chats discovery |url=https://www.daily-sun.com/post/765421 |access-date=2024-09-04 |work=Daily Sun}}</ref> During the movement, a group of pro-Awami artists, including Shomi Kaiser, were active against the movement in a WhatsApp group called 'Alo Ashbei'<ref>{{Cite news |title=Alo Ashbei WhatsApp group message leaked |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/tags/alo-ashbei-whatsapp-group-message-leaked |access-date=2024-09-04 |work=The Daily Star}}</ref> led by actor Ferdous. After the non-cooperation movement, on 3 September 2024, some screenshots related to that WhatsApp group were spread on social media.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-09-03 |title='Throw hot water on protesters': 'Alo Ashbei' artistes' WhatsApp group under fire |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/entertainment/tv-film/news/throw-hot-water-protesters-alo-ashbei-artistes-whatsapp-group-under-fire-3693581 |access-date=2024-09-04 |work=The Daily Star}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2024-09-04 |title=Leaked conversation of artists speaking against student movement goes viral |url=https://www.tbsnews.net/splash/leaked-conversation-artists-speaking-against-student-movement-goes-viral-933266 |access-date=2024-09-04 |work=The Business Standard}}</ref> Shomi Kaiser went into hiding after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government on 5 August 2024. She was arrested on 6 November 2024 by the police from a house in Sector-4 Uttara on murder chargers.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.tbsnews.net/bangladesh/shomi-kaiser-arrested-985706 | title=Shomi Kaiser arrested | date=6 November 2024 }}</ref>
==Works== ;Telefilms * ''Jatra Pother Golpo'' (2018)<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/arts-entertainment/tv/suborna-mustafa-and-shomi-kaiser-the-first-time-1615591 |title=Suborna Mustafa and Shomi Kaiser for the first time |date=4 August 2018 |newspaper=The Daily Star |access-date=11 November 2018}}</ref>
;Television plays * ''Londoni Koinya - The bride from London'' (2000) * ''Pratipaksha'' * ''Onumoti Prarthona'' (2015)<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/arts-entertainment/tv/shomi-mahfuz-screen-after-11-years-94531 |title=Shomi-Mahfuz on screen after 11 years |date=2015-06-10 |newspaper=The Daily Star |access-date=2018-11-21}}</ref>
;Television serials * ''Kon Kanoner Phul''<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.thedailystar.net/arts-entertainment/tv/azizul-hakim-gets-nostalgic-1588510 |title=Azizul Hakim Gets Nostalgic |date=2018-06-09 |newspaper=The Daily Star |access-date=2018-11-21}}</ref> * ''Nokkhotrer Raat''
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{commons-inline}} * {{IMDb name|1426662}}
{{Meril-Prothom Alo Critics Awards for Best TV Actress}} {{Meril-Prothom Alo Award for Best TV Actress}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kaiser, Shomi}} Category:Living people Category:Bangladeshi female models Category:Bangladeshi film actresses Category:Bengali television actresses Category:Bangladeshi television actresses Category:Best TV Actress Meril-Prothom Alo Critics Choice Award winners Category:Best TV Actress Meril-Prothom Alo Award winners Category:People from Sonagazi Upazila Category:Bangladeshi television producers Category:1970 births