In-conversation with Maldivian Superstar Mohamed Rasheed

 

I think firstly our audience needs to know about Maldivian superstar Mohamed Rasheed (Dhara), So please give us a brief about yourself and some specials moments of your life?

My name is Mohamed Rasheed I am from Maldives I am an actor, producer, director and cinematographer.  My career started in 1981 with International TV channel “TV Maldives”. Along with TV, I did modelling as well as worked as a cameraman and from there I started acting too. Acting became part of my life. Initially I wasn’t interested much in acting, but well when I was working in TV or films used to be produced to be telecast on special occasions such as Independence or Republic days, then TV models used to produce Dhivehi movies. So in 1981 the first opportunity came for me when the whole staff decided to do a movie and that's how I got an opportunity to do a leading role and that was my first film in 1981 March 29th and that's how I started my acting career. In those days the Dhivehi local movies was quite new to the community of Maldives and so there were mixed reactions, both negative and positive. However the negative thoughts gave me a boost to continue my acting and after that I never looked back, grabbing every opportunity that came my way. Besides that I was doing my duty as a cameraman in TV channel. In my life, in my especially my profession I have a some memorable moments, the most significant being the first Award that I got as a cinematographer was in 1984 along with a documentary I did for the Norwegian TV channel. From thereon I was working as a cameraman in different programs, video songs and drama. I have been behind the camera for more than 60 documentary films and a couple of feature films.

The year 2005 became a highlight as I got my first National Award for my contribution to Maldivian film industry. From the first day to this day, my interest has only escalated and today I am working in this field actively and I am giving my 100% for the industry- front of the camera and as well as behind the camera. In 2019 I won lifetime achievement award so that is also one of the memorable times for me but it doesn't mean a stop to my career. Rather it motivates me to go ahead and do more things for the industry and that’s why I am still continuing my work in the industry.

 

 

You have been a core member of Maldives film industry from so many years. Tell us something about Maldives film industry and how it’s different from Hindi film industry?

Let’s go back to 1979 when the TV Maldives was formed. At that time there was no private sector in the entertainment industry, hence the only source was TV Maldives. The private sector eventually entered, not on the big screen but with TV films. So the private sector's started and only TV models those days had in the professional equipment So it was really difficult and a really hard time but the locals and the private sectors had very high interest in films, so they started working on VHS format that's how the modern film sector started. Year by year it started developing and still I would say, being a model from the sector, that it is still a developing sector. We have a talented actress, technical people, but we have a very few educated in this field and that is one of the biggest concern for us. Since 1981 I am in this industry so I can feel it but everybody was not getting an opportunity to go abroad to join an FM school or something like that but still we are still working very hard to get my Institute to try to conduct workshops and short courses for the newcomers and also the people working presently in the industry. We have a lot of ups and downs in the industry because we don’t have high quality equipment to make a very high profile movies but our local Producers and directors they are doing very hard work to improve and to develop year by year.

 

Is digitisation of entertainment world is making any difference in your country?

When everything has become in a digital format it has changed a lot. We didn't even believe how easy now but we will realise that when we were working on analogue format it was really very tough and a difficult time compared to nowadays. when we used to do the TV movie films, we used to show in theatre by using  projector and large in that onto a screen and the quality you have to be concerned very much especially at the beginning when the private sector  was used in the VHS format it was really very very hard. we have to concentrate more on the quality and it was like it takes a lot of time and hard work to complete a project but nowadays the technology is very advanced so it has changed lot and a lot of new talent is coming up and lot of young generation has started doing the different type of videos and films and dramas and all these things and everything is because of the technology.

 

Your country is more influenced by Hindi film industry or Hollywood?

Since the start of remembering things we used to hear Hindi songs from the local radio and be grown up by listening these songs and even those days our parents used to say that in the cinemas they are showing  Hindi movies. so we Maldivians have a very high influence on Hindi movies specially Bollywood films. In Maldives actually everybody loves to watch Hindi movies and specially nowadays that TV drama serials and because we are very close to that so Hindi since long time back the Hindi movies a very popular in Maldives everybody loves to watch Hindi movies but as and when the time starts changing the new generation comes, more educated people comes and then it started by watching a Bollywood movies, I mean Hollywood movies so now actually I would like to say that there are a lot of young generations who are very much into Hollywood movies but there are some people who loves still the Hindi movies and Hindi songs, specially nowadays the drama serials are very popular in Maldives so everybody used to watch specially the high rate in women, they used to watch Hindi movies and drama series very much rather than the Hollywood movies and dramas.

 

 

You have experience so many ups and downs in life any advice for newcomers?

I would like to say for the new generation who is coming up on this field that Technology has been advanced and so because of that I feel that the creativity is Loosing. so the newcomers who are to start upon this field I will say that don't lose your creativity and don't 100% depend on technology. try to create yourself because in earlier days the movies that we have seen, it is not a digital but there is a lot of creativity And The Peoples, lot of peoples are there, creative peoples but now the creative peoples have been Limited and day by day it decreasing and the second thing I would like to say that be punctual and be dedicated to your work.