A K M Itmam comes from Chittagong, the second-largest city in Bangladesh, where he grew up with his younger brother and sister. From an early age, he loved being in the spotlight and dreamed of becoming an actor. His role model in this was his father, a university professor of economics, who also loved theater. On his mother’s recommendation, however, he first studied “something practical” – computer science and computational engineering at North South University Shangskritik Shangathan in Bangladesh.
Modeling and theater
He also tried working for the modeling agency Bloom. “I like to dress well and follow fashion trends. Modeling teaches you confident self-presentation and a sense of how to make every outfit look good. That’s exactly what I enjoy about it,” he admits. “It’s true that because of my background in modeling, I lost several acting opportunities, as some people saw me as nothing more than a pile of muscles.”
Alongside his university studies, he continued to devote himself to theater, performing with the Prachyana ensemble. “I learned the most there by observing experienced actors. I truly love acting as a craft, and in the future I would like to pursue it professionally. Whether on stage or in film, I enjoy discovering different characters and emotional worlds,” says the young man, who in addition to English also speaks the Bengali, Hindi, and Chittagonian dialects.
It was precisely his love for theater and the arts in general that brought him a few years ago to Brno, to Masaryk University. He is currently in his third year of the bachelor’s program Culture, Media and Performative Arts at the Faculty of Arts. “I researched universities all over Europe, and after about three months I discovered a study program in Brno that exactly matched my interests. I have many years of experience in media, film, and theater. I am naturally curious and very interested in learning about different cultures and telling stories through the camera. So this program connects all my passions. Moreover, after more than two years, Brno has truly grown close to my heart and I feel deeply connected to it,” he explains.
Acting in films
He has also fulfilled a lifelong dream in his acting career with the film Boli (The Wrestler), in which he portrayed the wrestling champion Dofor and achieved success at several international film festivals. With a film delegation, he represented Bangladesh thanks to a wider nomination in the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th edition of the most prestigious film awards – the Oscars.
“It’s like a dream come true! This is my first feature film as an actor, and I was lucky enough to be one of the main characters right away. At the same time, it gives me a sense of responsibility to maintain the same level of performance in my future work. For the role, I radically transformed my body to match the director’s vision exactly. My sculpted modeling physique had to go, and within two months I gained eight kilograms,” he recalls.
Activities outside of studyfree time
Another activity that fulfills A K M Itmam is social media. For example, he has around 19,000 followers on Instagram. “I am an artist, I like to tell stories and stay in touch with my audience. Social networks function as a bridge between me and the people who follow my work. I see them as a powerful platform for presenting creativity and reaching a wider audience,” he explains.
When he has time, he enjoys playing football with friends, going ice skating, or composing music. “I also like to go to the pub. I really like Czech draft beer. I wasn’t a big beer fan before, but Czech beer changed that.”