(31 March 1965 – 20 March 2016)
One of the Bangladeshi star actresses whose stellar performances ruled the film industry in the
late 80s and 90s, who had an extraordinary beauty and a successful screen partnership with Ilias
Kanchan, Parveen Sultana Diti, or more commonly known by only ‘Diti’ is still considered as
one of the Divas of Bangladesh.
Before joining the film industry, Diti was a singer who used to sing at different singing
competition programs and also on the Bangladesh Television (BTV) channel. She was such a
good singer that she even got an award from Bangladesh Shishu Academy. Once, while she was
singing for a Bangladesh Television program, the renowned actor Al Mansur noticed her and
casted Diti in a television drama named "Laili Majnu". That was the beginning of her acting
career. Later, she joined the film industry in 1984 through a talent hunt competition called
‘Notun Mukher Sondhane’. Through the film “Daak Diye Jai”, Diti debuted her acting career.
But unfortunately, the film was never released. Then in 1986, she acted in the film “Ami-i
Ostad” and that was her very first theatrical released movie. She got popular because of her
excellent performance in the movie. Since then, she released numerous other successful films in
her overall 28 years of acting career. She had acted in more than two hundred Bangladeshi films.
In 1995, she was paired up with the popular Tollywood (West Bengal films) star Prosenjit in the
film “Priyo Shatru”.
Life of “Diti” at a glance:
Real Name: Parveen Sultana
Birth Date: 31 March 1965
Birth Place: Sonargaon, Narayanganj district, Bangladesh
Death Date: 20 March 2016 (aged 50)
Death Place: United Hospital, Dhaka
Cause of Death: Brain Cancer
Resting Place: Sonargaon, Narayanganj, Bangladesh
Father’s Name: Abul Hossain
Mother’s Name: Nurjahan Begum
Education:
➢ Higher Secondary examination (HSC), Eden Mohila College, Dhaka
➢ Bachelor's, Lalmatia Women College, Dhaka
Professions:
➢ Film Actress
➢ TV Drama Actress
➢ Cooking Show Host
➢ Singer
Married to:
➢ Sohel Chowdhury, in 1986
➢ Ilias Kanchan
Children:
2 , 1 daughter and 1 son
Religion: Muslim
Nationality: Bangladeshi
Awards and Achievements:
➢ Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Bangladesh National Film Awards, in 1987
➢ Bangladesh Shishu Academy
Early Life and Education:
The late 80s and 90s’ screen diva Diti was born on 31 March 1965 at Sonargaon Upazila of
Narayanganj District, in the then East Pakistan, currently Bangladesh. She belonged to a Muslim
family. Her father’s name was Abul Hossain and mother’s name was Nurjahan Begum. Many
people do not know the fact that her full birth name was Parveen Sultana Diti. When she came
into the media industry, her stage name was kept only ‘Diti’, which was her nickname, and she
was later popularly known by this name.
She moved to Dhaka for her education. She had completed her Higher Secondary Certificate
(HSC) examinations from Eden Mohila College, at Dhaka. Later, she got admitted and graduated
from Lalmatia Women College, Dhaka after obtaining a Bachelor’s degree (BA) from there.
Career:
Before joining the film industry, which is the world of acting, Diti was into music and singing.
She was an acclaimed singer. She used to sing at different singing competition programs. She
was a great singer as she even got an award from Bangladesh Shishu Academy. She also used to
sing for the Bangladesh Television. From here, her shift towards the ‘acting’ industry started.
Once, while she was singing for a Bangladesh Television program, the renowned actor Al
Mansur noticed her. Being impressed by her talent, he casted Diti in a television drama named
"Laili Majnu". That was the beginning of her acting career.
However, she joined the film industry in 1984 through a talent hunt competition called ‘Notun
Mukher Sondhane’. She grabbed the attention of many film directors and some audiences.
Through the film “Daak Diye Jai”, directed by Udayon Chowdhury, Diti debuted her acting
career. Unfortunately, the film was never released. Then in 1986, in the film “Ami-i Ostad”,
directed by Ajmal Huda Mithu, Diti appeared officially as an actress. It was her very first
theatrical released movie. Her excellent performance in the movie instantly made her a well
known face among the movie lovers. Since then, there was no looking back for her. Diti became
one of the Divas of Bangladeshi. The actress of the golden age of the film industry released
numerous other successful films in her overall 28 years of acting career.
Diti had appeared in more than two hundred Bangladeshi films throughout her acting life.
Among them, some of the notable filmography include: Swami Stree (1987), Dui Jibon (1988),
Bhai Bondhu, Kathin Protishodh, Sneher Protidan, Lady Inspector, Ajker Hungama, Shesh
Upohar, Char Sotiner Ghor (2005), Noy Number Bipod Sanket (2007), Megher Koley Rod
(2008), Akash Chhoa Bhalobasa (2008), Matir Thikana (2011), Purno Doirgho Prem Kahini
(2013), Dui Prithibi (2015), etc.
Diti had worked not only in Bangladeshi films, but also in Indian films. She was portrayed as the
lead actress in different films of West Bengal. In 1995, she was paired up with the popular
Tollywood star Prosenjit in the film “Priyo Shatru”.
Apart from acting in films, she had acted in several television dramas too. Furthermore, she also
hosted a television show on cooking lessons.
Many actors and actresses have this dream of directing at least a film or drama. Diti had such a
desire too. She had a production house titled ‘DLD’, which was named after the first letter of
Diti, her daughter Lamia and son Dipto. From that production house, in 2011, she directed and
released a drama named ‘Khunsuti-ke Dilam Chuti’ on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha. Diti herself
also played a vital role in this drama. Other popular actors-actresses like Apurbo, Monalisa,Saberi Alam, Mahmud Sazzad and child artiste Mim also performed in the drama. The drama
received good responses from audiences.
Awards and Achievements:
Even though Diti was quite popular among the audiences for her acting, officially she had won
only one big award, Bangladesh National Film Award. In 1987, under the category of ‘Best
Actress in a Supporting Role’, Diti received the award for the movie “Swami Stree”. In the
movie, Diti portrayed the role of the famous actor Alamgir’s wife.
Unfortunately, her talent was not well respected by the prize givers. In an interview, Diti once
expressed her agony by saying “I have worked hard for several plays and movies, but nobody
paid my honorarium. I didn’t even get my due payment. I am really hurt”.
However, she was always loved and respected by the audiences. For an artist, love from the mass is what matters more than the official awards.
Personal Life:
In 1986, Diti got married to the late actor Sohel Chowdhury who came to the media industry
through the same process as Diti, that means through the talent hunt competition ‘Notun Mukher
Sondhane’ in 1984. He was also the winner of the show in the same year as Diti. At that time, one of the noted cinematographers F Kabir Chowdhury casted Sohel and Diti in a film named
‘Parbat’. Both their performances were praised by fans everywhere. That is why, in the next
year, in 1985, the duo was paired up again for renowned film director Amzad Hossain’s film
‘Heeramoti’. The new on-screen hit couple fell in love while making the film. The couple then
decided to tie the knot together the next year, in 1986.
A year later, in 1987, they had their first daughter. Her name is Lamia Chowdhury. 2 years after
Lamia, in 1989, Diti’s second child, a son was born. Her name is Dipta Chowdhury.
On December 17, 1998, in a horrific incident Sohel Chowdhury was (gun) shot dead at Trumps
Club in Banani. The murder case remains an unsolved mystery. However, their marriage had
ended before the tragic incident took place.
Later, Diti got married to the actor Ilias Kanchan. It was both Diti’s and Kanchan’s second
marriage. On screen, Diti was paired up with Ilias Kanchan more than any other actor. Although
people enjoyed watching the duo’s fiery on-screen chemistry, in reality, the duo’s off-screen
chemistry and therefore the marriage was not very strong. Their union later ended up in divorce.
Diti had a loving relationship with her children. Both of the children of Diti studied in Canada
for their higher education, and every year Diti used to visit them especially during Eid to
celebrate the auspicious occasion with them. When Diti got divorced with Sohel, Lamia was only 13 years old. She got more attached to her mother Diti than with her father, though she would visit him too sometimes.
Diti was quite popular among the youths of her era due to her fashion sense. This is why she was called Silver Screen Diva by some young girls in the late 80s and 90s. She was always seen in a simple yet gorgeous look. In 2023, when the world went crazy for the Hollywood movie ‘Barbie’ and the modern generation of youths as well as celebrities followed the ‘Barbie’ trend by wearing Pink outfits, that time Lamia posted an old picture of her with Diti. In the picture, Diti and Lamia were seen wearing pink dresses. Lamia was smiling and hugging her mother with utmost affection. She captioned it, “My mom was a real Barbie”. Lamia claimed that Diti used to do all her make-up and hairstyles by herself. Diti would also wear matching outfits and hairstyles. Unfortunately, as there was no internet available at that time, people could not see
many pictures of Diti off-screen.
Death:
On 25 July 2015, Diti was first diagnosed with brain cancer. Before that, she had been told that she had a tumor in her brain. She was then treated in Madras Institute of Orthopaedics and Traumatology in Chennai, India. The tumor was removed successfully with a surgery. When her
health improved slightly, she was brought back to Bangladesh. However, her condition worsened by the end of that year and she was first admitted to Square Hospital in Dhaka and later taken back to Chennai, India in November, for the second time. Though the tumor did not return back, the radiation used for the treatment had caused a side effect. She had developed Parkinsons disease which was in the 2nd stage already. Because of this, the doctors had given up hope for her and declared that there is nothing they can do to cure her. Diti’s only daughter Lamia told all these news to the media through her Facebook status. As Diti’s health did not seem to improve in India, she was brought back to Bangladesh in January and was admitted in the United Hospital, Dhaka. Finally, on 20 March 2016, just 11 days before her 51st birthday, she breathed for the last time on the evening, at around 4:05 pm at United hospital.
She left her 2 children, relatives, co-actors and thousands of well-wishers.
Her dead body was first taken at her Gulshan residence in the morning. Then, her first Namaz-e
Janaza was held on the premises of Azad Masjid after the Esha prayers on that day. On the next
day, her second Namaz-e Janaza was held in front of Zahir Raihan Colour Lab at Bangladesh
Film Development Corporation (BFDC) in the morning. Her relatives, well-wishers, co-artistes
and film technicians attended the Janaza there alongside the then cultural affairs minister
Asaduzzaman Noor, her co-artistes and actors-actresses like Alamgir, Omar Sunny, Champa,
Bindu, Nasrin and directors like Mushfiqur Rahman Gulzar and Shah Alam Kiron. Finally, her
third Namaz-e Janaza was held at Duttapara village of the Sonargaon upazila of Narayanganj
district in the afternoon.
She was buried beside the grave of her father in their family graveyard.
Conclusion:
Even though Diti mainly acted as a supporting actress, she was quite famous among the cinema and Tv drama audiences. Her acting skill, character, fashion sense, etc. were praised by her fans.
She is still remembered by the people belonging to that era. Her sudden death could not stop
people from forgetting her.
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