Culture

Sara Zaker, a true Libran in heart and spirit was born on the 21st of October in 1954 in Abbottabad – northeastern Pakistan. Sara Zaker is the daughter of Late Major Salauddin Mohammad Amin & retired schoolteacher Alia Amin. Sara Zaker married to famous stage actor, director, writer Aly Zaker. Aly Zaker is also a freedom fighter and a well-known business entrepreneur. They have two children, Iresh Zaker and Sriya Sharbojaya.

Sara Zaker has been active on the stage as an actress since 1973, precisely the year that stage theatre was introduced in Bangladesh as a regular medium of performing art. She belongs to Nagorik Natya Sampradaya, the foremost theatre group of Bangladesh. She was also trained at the British Theater Institute in 1981.

Some of the classics in which she acted in Bangladesh are –

  • Baaki Itihash (1973)
  • Bidogdha Ramonikul (1973) – Adaptation of Molière’s Les Femmes Savantes
  • Ei Nishiddo Pollite (1973) – Adaptation of Edward Albee’s Everything in the Garden, Cross Purpose (1973) – Adaptation of Albert Camus’s Le Malentendu
  • Bohi Peer (1974), Dewan Gaazir Kissa (1977)
  • Shot Manusher Khoje (1976)- Adaptation of Bertolt Brecht’s The Good Person of Szechwan
  • Shahjahan (1978), Copeniker Captain (1980) – Adaptation of Carl Zuckmayer’s The Captain of Kopenick
  • Nuruldiner Shara Jibon (1981), Macbeth – Adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth
  • Kobor Diye Dao – Adaptation of Irwin Shaw’s Bury the Dead
  • Irsha – Adaptation of Anton Chekov’s The Sea Gull
  • Kathal bagan – Adaptation of Anton Chekov’s The Cherry Orchard
  • Naam Gotrohin – Manto’r Meyera (2014)

 

She also directed Vladimiro Ariel Dorfman’s ‘Death and the Maiden’ and Anton Chekhov’s The Sea Gull. She was invited to perform on various platforms outside Bangladesh as well. Some notable performances are –

  • India – On different festivals of India (Bohurupi- twice, Nandipat- twice) on invitation of I.C.C.
  • U.S.A – On Bengal Conference and on tour of Nagorik.
  • Japan – For raising fund for Liberation War Museum.
  • Australia – For raising fund for Liberation War Museum
  • Pakistan – Co-production by 2 organizations, BITA (Chittagong), AJOKA (Lahore) directed shows in Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Dhaka, and Chittagong.

 

Sara Zaker is running a column – ‘Shubondhu Shomipeshu’ on one of the highly read Bangla newspaper – Prothom Alo – “NOKSHA” from 2000.

Sara Zaker anchored ‘AMI EKHON KI KORBO’ – A talk show airing on Bangla Vision Channel.

Sara Zaker conducts a Radio Show on Radio Shadhin name ‘Tumi Bolo Ami Shunchi’.

Sara Zaker has been appraised by many awards as well which are listed below –

  • Ekushe Padak – 2017
  • Bishishtho Nattojon – Loko Natto Goshthi’ 2014
  • Ananna Shirsho Dosh’95
  • Sequence Award for Acting – Given by Alamgir Kabir in 1975.
  • Inspiring Change – Appreciation for the contribution towards inspiring change in the society in a positive manner.
  • Srijan Shamman Award given by Kolkata

 

Sara Zaker is an honorary member and in-charge of many organization which are listed below –

  • Sara Zaker is the member secretary & founder member of the Board of Trustees of Liberation War Museum of Bangladesh.
  • She is the Secretary of Nagorik Natya Sampradaya (Workshop & Training Organization & Cultural Affairs).
  • She is special Honorable Member of Bangladesh Group Theater Federation.
  • Sara Zaker has been Secretariat-In-Charge Dramatic Theater Committee, I.T.I (International Theater Institute).
  • Sara Zaker is the presidium member Dramatic Theater Committee, I.T.I (International Theater Institute)

 

Sara Zaker is the Ex-Chairperson of Secretariat Body, Bangladesh Group Theater Federation (federating body of some 200 theatre groups) in 2001 -2002.