Suchinta Chowdhury Chanchal (born June 1, 1974), popularly known as Chanchal Chowdhury (Bengali: চঞ্চল চৌধুরী), is a renowned Bangladeshi actor. Rising to prominence through television roles in the late 2000s, he later established himself as one of the leading figures in Bangla cinema. He has earned numerous accolades, including three National Film Awards and seven Meril Prothom Alo Awards.

Born in Pabna, Chowdhury graduated from the University of Dhaka and initially worked as a lecturer at UODA while performing with Aranyak Nattyadal, a prominent theater group. His breakthrough came with the stage play Che’r Cycle (2003), followed by a successful run in television dramas. Notable early works include Shurjer Hashi (2005) and Talpatar Shepai (2006), leading to his film debut in the critically acclaimed Rupkothar Golpo (2006).

Over the years, Chowdhury became known for his selective approach to projects. He starred in some of Bangladesh’s highest-grossing films, including the musical Monpura (2009), the thrillers Aynabaji (2016) and Debi (2018), and the mystery-drama Hawa (2022). His television work includes the popular dramas Vober Hat (2007) and Sakin Sarisuri (2009), while his filmography also features Moner Manush (2010) and the Mrinal Sen biopic Padatik (2024). Audiences and critics have praised him for his performances in web productions such as Taqdeer (2021), Dui Diner Duniya (2022), and Karagar (2022).

Beyond acting, Chowdhury is a prominent brand ambassador and actively supports social causes related to women, children, and individuals with disabilities.

Early life

Chanchal was born and raised in a Hindu family of Kamarhaat village, Pabna, Bangladesh. His father, Radha Gobinda Chowdhury (died 2022) was a teacher, while mother Nomita is a housewife. Chowdhury passed his SSC examination from Rajbari Government High School in 1990 and HSC examination from Rajbari Government College in 1992. In the same year he got admission in the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Dhaka and gradually developed an interest in acting.

Chowdhury settled in Dhaka in 1993. Post graduation, he served as a lecturer of Fine Arts in University of Development Alternative.

Born as Suchinta Chowdhury Chanchal, he uses “Chanchal Chowdhury” as his screen name.

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Personal life

Chowdhury met his wife Shanta, a physician by profession, in 2005. They got married legally on August 7, 2007, and then had a Hindu wedding ceremony on August 22. Shanta gave birth to their son, Shaishob Rudra Shudda, in 2009.

Shudda joined the entertainment industry in 2022 playing a minor character in the drama Sushil Family. He subsequently appeared alongside his father in the drama Iti Tomar Ami and the web-film The Last Defenders of Monogamy (both 2024).

Chanchal Chowdhury Age Wife Family Biography & More

Bio/Wiki
Real name/Full name	Suchinta Chowdhury Chanchal
Profession(s)	• Actor • Theatre Artist
Physical Stats & More
Height (approx.)	in centimeters– 180 cm in meters– 1.80 m in feet & inches– 5’ 11”
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Black
Career
Debut	Film: ‘Rupkothar Golpo: A Fairy Tale’ in 2006 TV: ‘Shilalipi’ (2004)
Awards	• Meril-Prothom Alo award in ‘The Best Model – Men’ category for the advertisement of Grameenphone telecommunication in 2005 • Meril-Prothom Alo Award for the Best Model for an advertisement in 2006 • National Film Award for Best Actor for the film ‘Monpura’ in 2009 • Meril Prothom Alo Award for Public Choice Best Actor (Film) for the film ‘Monpura’ in 2009 • Meril Prothom Alo Award for Critics Choice Best Actor (TV) in 2010 • Meril Prothom Alo Award for Critics Choice Best Actor (Film) for the film ‘Aynabaji’ in 2016 • National Film Award for Best Actor for the film ‘Aynabaji’ in 2016 • Meril Prothom Alo Award for Critics Choice Best Actor (Film) for the film ‘Debi’ in 2018 • Hoichoi Award for Breakthrough Performance of the Year for the films ‘Taqdeer’ and ‘Boli’ in 2021 • Blender’s Choice–The Daily Star Award for the Best Male Actor (popular category) for the film ‘Taqdeer’ in 2021
Personal Life
Date of Birth	1 June 1971 (Tuesday)
Age (as of 2025)	54 Years
Birthplace	Kamarhaat, district Pabna, Bangladesh
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Hometown	Pabna, Bangladesh
School	Udaypur High School
College/University	• Rajbari Govt. College, Rajbari • University of Dhaka
Educational Qualification(s)	• A bachelor’s degree from Rajbari Govt. College, Rajbari (1992) • A Fine Arts Course from the University of Dhaka
Religion/Religious Views	Hinduism
Relationships & More
Marital Status	Married
Marriage Date	Year, 2006
Family
Wife/Spouse	Santwana Saha
Children	Son– Shoishob Roddur Shuddho Daughter– None Note: Photo in ‘Wife’ section.
Parents	Father– Radha Gobinda Chowdhury (died in 2022) Mother– Sharmila Chowdhury
Siblings	Brother– 2 Sister– 5

Acting career

Early work: stage and television (1996–2004)

Chowdhury joined Aranyak Nattyadal, a theater group headed by actor Mamunur Rashid, in 1996. Chowdhury made his theatre debut with Kalo Daitya, and went on to work in a number of plays, including the popular drama Shangkranti (1998). He had six roles in Che’r Cycle (2003), a Bengali Theatre production that was applauded by audience. The actor considers it as one of his best works on stage.

Chowdhury appeared on television first in 2000, briefly playing a journalist in Rashid’s Shundori. His first leading role came the same year in the drama Grash, directed by Faridur Rahman. It was in 2004 that actor Fazlur Rahman Babu introduced Chowdhury to directors Gias Uddin Selim and Mostofa Sarwar Farooki. Chowdhury subsequently found more work in television dramas; his notable roles of this period include Selim’s Shurjer Hashi (2005).

Public recognition through dramas and early films (2005–15)

Chowdhury gained wider recognition for his two collaborations with Farooki: the commercial Maa (2005) and the drama Talpatar Shepai (2006). For Maa, he won the Meril Prothom Alo Award in Best Model category in 2006. A starring role in the drama Vober Hat (2007) brought him further popularity, and he then went on to work with directors Salauddin Lavlu and Saidul Anam Tutul. His acting in Lavlu’s Sakin Sarisuri (2009) was praised by critics. The actor worked prolifically in television between late 2000s to early 2010s, and also started appearing frequently in Eid-special TV plays.

Chowdhury’s first film was the Tauquir Ahmed-directorial Rupkothar Golpo (2006), which earned him a Meril Prothom Alo award in Best Actor (Critics’ Choice) category. He won his first National Film Award for his breakthrough performance in the 2009 musical Monpura. He followed this success with the Indo-Bangladeshi production Moner Manush (2010). In 2012, he appeared in Farooki’s film Television, and also made his debut in playback singing, alongside Meher Afroz Shaon, in the war film Pita (2012).

Continued success (2016–22)

The 2016 crime thriller Aynabaji, directed by Amitabh Reza, won Chowdhury his second National Film Award. He played a con man who serves as a body double for convicted criminals. Zahid Akbar of The Daily Star commended him for “performing remarkably and setting new acting standards.” The psychological thriller Debi (2018), based on Humayun Ahmed’s novel, starred Chowdhury as Misir Ali opposite Jaya Ahsan and became a box-office success.

The 2020 thriller series Taqdeer, directed by Syed Ahmed Shawki, starred Chowdhury in the titular role and was well received by audiences. The streaming platform Hoichoi saw its subscriptions reportedly double after its release. His acting in Taqdeer won him the Blender’s Choice – The Daily Star Award for Best Male Performance. The same year, he also won the Breakthrough Performance of the Year award at the 2021 Hoichoi ceremony.

Chowdhury refers to his role as a mysterious, dumb-mute convict in Karagar (2022) as the most challenging of his career. While the series received mixed-to-positive reviews, his acting earned significant praise in both Bangladesh and India. Further acclaim followed for his portrayal of Chan Majhi in Hawa (2022), which won him his third National Film Award.

Recent work (2023–present)

Chowdhury made a cameo appearance as Sheikh Lutfar Rahman in the biopic Mujib: The Making of a Nation (2023), directed by Shyam Benegal. In 2024, Chowdhury starred in another Chorki web-film, The Last Defenders of Monogamy, directed by Farooki. It opened to mixed reviews, with critics finding Chowdhury’s character to be poorly written. He subsequently made a cameo appearance in Raihan Rafi’s top-grossing crime thriller, Toofan (2024).

Chowdhury’s performance in Karagar led to his casting as Mrinal Sen in Srijit Mukherji’s biographical film, Padatik. Chowdhury stated that getting introduced to Sen’s ideals and principles while researching for the role was his “biggest reward” during the production. Padatik opened to generally favourable reviews in August 2024, and so did the actor’s work. Saptorshi Roy of Anandabazar Patrika particularly noted Chowdhury for adapting Sen’s mannerisms accurately. Suparna Majumder of Sangbad Pratidin similarly praised Chowdhury, but criticised his inconsistent makeup.

Chowdhury will next star in Sukorno Shahed Dhiman’s upcoming Chorki web series, Feu.

Public image and other work

Writing for The Daily Star, Shah Alam Shazu comments that Chowdhury’s performance in Aynabaji (2016) “propelled him as everyone’s favorite actor,” while his portrayal of Misir Ali in Debi (2018) “made him synonymous with the role for the current generation of Misir Ali fans.” Chowdhury’s mentor Mamunur Rashid defines him as an “ideal actor,” noting that his hard work and perseverance brought him success. Syed Ahmed Shawki, who directed him in Karagar, named Chowdhury “one of the finest actors of this time.” In national media outlets, Chowdhury is often described as one of the highly acclaimed and successful actors of Bangla cinema.

In addition to Bangladesh, Chowdhury has acquired a significant fanbase in Indian Bengal, where his films have drawn popularity and have also been remade by local Indian film industries. Four films starring Chowdhury—Monpura (2009), Aynabaji (2016), Debi (2018), and Hawa (2022)—rank among the highest-grossing Bangladeshi films. Debi and Hawa are also top-grossing Bangladeshi films in the international market.

Chowdhury has garnered a reputation for being extremely selective about his projects. In 2009, after Monpura became a major hit, he was flooded with over 150 film offers but declined all of them. In his own words, “Out of a sea of offers, I pick the one that resonates with my artistic soul.” A writer for The Business Standard praises the actor’s quality-over-quantity approach, contrasting it with his contemporaries who “are more worried about how they measure up to Shah Rukh Khan and Tom Cruise.”

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Director	Role	Notes
2006	Rupkothar Golpo	Tauquir Ahmed		Won — Meril Prothom Alo Award for Critics Choice Best Actor (Film)
2009	Monpura	Giasuddin Selim	Shonai	Won — Bangladesh National Film Award for Best actor, Meril Prothom Alo Award for Best Actor (Film)
2010	Moner Manush	Goutam Ghose	Kaluah	Indo-Bangladeshi production
2012	Television	Mostofa Sarwar Farooki	Sulemon
2016	Aynabaji	Amitabh Reza Chowdhury	Ayna	Won — Bangladesh National Film Award for Best actor, Meril Prothom Alo Award for Best Actor
2018	Debi	Anam Biswas	Misir Ali	Nominated — Meril Prothom Alo Award for Best Actor
2021	Munshigiri	Amitabh Reza Chowdhury	Masood Munshi	Chorki web film
2022	Paap Punno	Giasuddin Selim	Khorshed
	Hawa	Mejbaur Rahman Sumon	Chan Majhi	Won – Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actor
	Dui Diner Duniya	Anam Biswas	Samad	Chorki web film; Nominated – Chorki award for Best Actor
2023	Mujib: The Making of a Nation	Shyam Benegal	Sheikh Lutfar Rahman	Cameo appearance
2024	Toofan	Raihan Rafi	AC Akram	Cameo appearance
	Last Defenders of Monogamy	Mostafa Sarwar Farooqi	Shafkat	Chorki web film
	Padatik	Srijit Mukherji	Mrinal Sen

Television

Year	Title	Director	Role	Co-Artist	Notes
2000	Shundori	Mamunur Rashid	Journalist		First TV appearance
	Grash	Faridur Rahman			Television debut
2004	Shilalipi	Shamim Akter			Credited as Suchinta Chanchal
2005	Tiner Tolowar	Ashutosh Sujon	Muazzem
2006	Talpatar Shepai	Mostofa Sarwar Farooki	Bulbul	Nusrat Imroz Tisha	Bengali Drama
	Bangsher Bati				Bengali Drama
	Goruchor	Salauddin Lavlu			Bengali Drama
	Nurunnahar				Bengali Drama
2007	Swapner Bilat	Salauddin Lavlu			Bengali Drama
	Etimkhana	Salauddin Lavlu			Bengali Drama
	Vober Hat	Salauddin Lavlu	Fiza Sir		Bengali Drama serial
2008	Tuntunni Villa				Bengali Drama serial
	Mama Vagnea				Bengali Drama serial
	Ghor Kutum	Salauddin Lavlu		A.T.M. Shamsuzzaman	Bengali Drama serial
	Dholer Baddo	Salauddin Lavlu		Fazlur Rahman Babu	Bengali Drama
	College – Student			A.K.M. Hasan	Bengali Drama
	Potro Mitali	Salauddin Lavlu			Bengali Drama
2009	Pattri Chai			A.K.M. Hasan, Siddique, Khushi	Bengali Drama
	Warren	Salauddin Lavlu		Challenger	Bengali Drama[72]
	Alta Sundori	Salauddin Lavlu			Bengali Drama serial
	Cinderella				Bengali Drama
	Gadha Nogor	Salauddin Lavlu			Bengali Drama
	Sakin Sarisuri	Salauddin Lavlu	Japan Doctor	Masum Aziz, Nazmul Huda Bachchu, Mamunur Rashid, Mosharraf Karim, Azizul Hakim	Bengali Drama serial
2010	Khela	Mahfuz Ahmed, Humayun Ahmed		Abul Hayat, Challenger	Bengali Drama
	Harkipte	Salauddin Lavlu	Bohor	Amirul Haque Chowdhury, Mosharraf Karim	Bengali Drama serial[73]
2011	Lekhok Sri Narayan Chandra Das	Salauddin Lavlu	Narayan	Amirul Haque Chowdhury, Humaira Himu, Milon Bhattacharya, Shireen Alam	Bengali Drama[74][75]
2012	Idiots	Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Raz		Purnima	TV series
2014	Ujan Ganger Naiya	Giasuddin Selim, Bashar Georgis	Arif	Orchita Sporshia	Bengali Drama
2017	Vangon	Abu Hayat Mahmud		Zakia Bari Momo	Bengali Drama
	Ichchey Manush	Sajib Ahmed Chowdhury	Abir Hossain	Fazlur Rahman Babu	Bengali Drama
2018	Mental Family	Dipu Hazra		A.K.M Hasan, Shahanaz Khushi, Farhana Mili	Bengali Drama
	Ayesha	Mostofa Sarwar Farooki	Joinal	Nusrat Imroz Tisha	Bengali Drama[76]
2019	Shohorali	Ejaj Munna		Moutushi Biswas	TV series
2020	Rupa Bhabi	Mejbah Uddin Shumon		Tareen Jahan	Bengali Drama
	Kingkortobbobimur			Nusrat Imroz Tisha	Bengali Drama[77]
2021	Dark Roasted Coffee	Ejaz Munna		Faria Shahrin, Maimuna Ferdous Momo	Bengali Drama[78]
2023	Shonda Panda	Salauddin Lavlu	Ronju Master	Shahnaz Khushi, A Kh M Hasan, Anishul Haque Barun	Bengali Drama serial

Theatre

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1996	Kalo Daitya		Arannyak Natyodol Production
1998	Shangkranti	Laley	Arannyak Natyodol Production
1999	Prakritojoner Kotha		Arannyak Natyodol Production
2000	Ora Kodom Ali		Arannyak Natyodol Production
2003	Mayur Singhason		Arannyak Natyodol Production
	Songkranti		Arannyak Natyodol Production
	Che’r Cycle	Shubra	Bengali Theatre Production; re-performed in 2020
2004	Joyjoyonti		Arannyak Natyodol Production
	Rarang		Arannyak Natyodol Production; re-performed in 2022

Web series

Year	Title	Role	Director	OTT	Note
2019	Neel Dorja	Mirza	Golam Sohrab Dodul	Bioscope
2020	Taqdeer	Taqdeer	Syed Ahmed Shawki	Hoichoi
2021	Contract	Black Ronju	Tanim Noor and Krishnendu Chattopadhyay	ZEE5
	Unoloukik	Psychologist	Robiul Alam Robi	Chorki	Episode: “Mrs. Prohelika”
	Dark Room	Pablo / Iftekhar Amin	Golam Sohrab Dodul	Cinematic
	Ladies & Gentlemen	Special Appearance	Mostofa Sarwar Farooki	ZEE5
	Boli	Sohrab Company	Shankha Dasgupta	Hoichoi
	Jaago Bahey	Illyas	Siddiq Ahmed	Chorki	Episode: “Shobder Khwoab”
2022	Pett Kata Shaw	Mahmud	Nuhash Humayun		Episode: “Misti Kichu”
	Karagar	David	Syed Ahmed Shawki	Hoichoi
2023	Overtrump	Selim	Bashar Georgis	Chorki
2024	Rumi	Rumi	Vicky Zahed	Hoichoi
2024	Kalpurush		Salzar Rahman