Bangladeshi actor who filed rape case against cricketer Rubel talks of heartbreak, memories
Actor who was widely disparaged for sending Bangladesh pacer Rubel Hossain to jail on the eve of the World Cup says heartbreak and Hossain’s acquittal was what hurt most.
She is the most trending actor in Bangladesh, but not for the right reasons. Widely disparaged for sending Bangladesh pacer Rubel Hossain to jail on the eve of the World Cup for allegedly reneging on his promise of marriage, Najnin Akter Happy has had her share of ups and downs, and she is only 19. She doesn’t care what people think, but says the hurt caused by the heartbreak and Hossain’s subsequent acquittal will take a long time to heal.
The model and actor was affable. Reached on phone, she didn’t take much time to agree for an interview. She just had one request. “Bhaiya, please don’t ask me about that episode. I don’t want any controversy.” Assured, Happy agrees to meet at an upmarket diner, round the corner from the Sher-e-Bangla stadium.
“Funny we are meeting here because I have stopped watching cricket. Coming down this road brings memories,” says Happy, settling down with cold coffee. Are they happy memories? “Some are, some aren’t. I try to clutch on to the good ones.”
She recalls, “It was madness, actually. We met at an event for cricketers before taking it forward through Facebook. It was a whirlwind period of love. Somehow, everything fell apart.”
Rubel Hossain spent three nights in jail before he was granted bail and allowed to travel for the World Cup. After Bangladesh reached the quarterfinals, she decided to drop the charges against him.
The conversation veers to her favourite cricketers. “Sourav Ganguly and Virat Kohli,” she declares. “I’ve not seen dada play, but he is a brilliant TV host (on a Bengali channel). Virat is too good; it’s great to see how he has stood by Anushka. I wish I was that lucky.”
She is disappointed that Ganguly hasn’t come. Told she could still watch Kohli play, she says, “I want to stay away from cricket for my own good.”
Getting life back on track is top priority. “And also, I want justice. I want to see it to the end,” she adds. Does she hate him so much? “Actually, I still love Rubel, but only the man I knew a year back.”
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