Zafar Iqbal brought back to life on World Heart Day

Through the 1980s and into the early '90s, actor-singer Zafar Iqbal stirred Bangla cinema. His gentle features, luminous eyes and heartfelt performances won him the devotion of countless young fans. 

His guitar strings played the soundtrack to many loves. In that era, Zafar Iqbal became the very emblem of affection and feeling. After an ill-fated love affair, he reportedly began to neglect his own health — a tale of self-neglect and longing that still circulates in conversation. Though he passed away too soon, his memory continues to live in the hearts of innumerable admirers.

During yesterday's World Heart Day, that very evergreen hero on screen was revived in an awareness advertisement produced by Benchmark in collaboration with Beximco. 

To speak about caring for the heart, you need someone who once won so many hearts. Thus Zafar Iqbal's name naturally rose to the fore. The campaign—launched on air on 25 September, his birth anniversary—was conceived as a tribute to the late star while serving a public health purpose.

The concept draws inspiration from an immortal '80s anthem — "Ek hridoyhinar kachhe, hridoyer dam ki achhe" ("To one without a heart, what worth does the heart hold?"). Beneath its romantic surface lies a profound question: while we chase after others' affections, do we truly care for our own hearts? This reflection became the campaign's core message — "Care for the heart — be heartless."

To bring Zafar Iqbal's spirit to life on screen, lyricist-composer Kabir Bakul steps into his role. With an uncanny resemblance, and under the guidance of young director Muztaba Zahid and cinematographer Zohaher Musabbir, he recreates the essence of the 1980s. The shoot took place at the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC).