When Tariq and Nima ran away to get married

Tariq Anam Khan is a renowned actor on stage, television and film, for decades. He is also a freedom fighter. His wife Nima Rahman is a popular actress and producer of the country. They have been married for 35 years. But their love story transcends even this time frame. The couple revealed the story of their journey towards falling in love to The Business Standard.

Tarik and Nima developed a romantic relationship while working on Shakespeare's play Macbeth at the British Council. The two knew each other from an earlier time. Tariq had passed from the National School of Drama in India. He had been working with his uncle Mustafa Monwar giving voice to puppets. That was the time they first came to know each other.

At that time, Humayun Faridi, Suborna Mustafa and some other friends were working in a theatre group. Tarik and Nima were also part of that group. There they developed a very intimate relationship. Both Tariq and Nima used to address each other as Tui. They used to have a playful exchange of words.

"Nima was very well known as a child artist at the time. I used to watch her shows. I was also a fan of Nima. But Nima's habit was not to pay attention to anyone. That's what I liked. Although she was a girl from a very rich family, she lived a very simple life. That attracted me," said Tarik Anam.

They wrote many letters to each other before their marriage. Nima wrote a 28-page letter before their marriage. Tariq read the letter sitting on a rickshaw. He had to travel almost the entire city to finish the letter.

Tariq Anam performed in various dramas in different camps of Sector 9 during the liberation war. He also fought against the enemy in this sector. It was at this time that his interest in drama increased.

However, Nima Rahman claimed that they did not fall in love with each other. Love had fallen on them. At the time, a restaurant at Dhanmondi road 28 was their meeting place.

The two planned their wedding without the consent of their families. Nima Rahman left home one afternoon and went to a Kazi Office of Maghbazar with Tarik. Playwright Abdullah Al Mamun and writer Syed Shamsul Haque were the witnesses to their marriage.

However, the Kazi thought that Tarik Anam was the witness because he had come to that office before as a witness of a marriage of two of his friends. The Kazi thought Abdullah Al Mamun was the groom. Nima corrected the Kazi and pointed to Tarik as the groom. 

After the marriage, they went to the house of one of Tarik's elder brothers. From there they went to a friend's house at night. But their families were angry and did not accept the marriage without their consent, easily. Tarik's family accepted them soon, but Nima's family did not accept them for a while.

Tariq said, "It was difficult for us at that time. Our only dream was drama. But we did not think that we would be able to be involved in drama all through our life. I took that risk. Nima helped a lot."

Nima said, "My decision at that young age was not wrong. I chose the right person for my life. That is great."