Kusum Sikder (also spelled Kushum Shikder; Bengali: কুসুম শিকদার) is a Bangladeshi television and film actress, model, singer, writer and film director. She gained recognition after winning the Lux-Anandadhara Photogenic Contest in 2002 and subsequently became known for her performances in television dramas and films.

She is particularly recognised for her performances in Gohine Shobdo (2010), Lal Tip (2012) and Shankhachil (2016). Her performance in Shankhachil, directed by Goutam Ghose, earned her the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actress. She later expanded her career into filmmaking with Shoroter Joba (2024), her directorial debut, in which she also worked as a writer and producer.

Apart from acting, Sikder has pursued music and literature. She has released music albums and individual songs, published poetry and short stories, and adapted her literary work into cinema.

Early Life and Background

Kusum Sikder was born on 12 April in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She has described her birth year as 1981 in interviews, although she has also stated that her passport and academic certificates record 1983.

She developed an interest in music, singing and dance from an early age. Her childhood interest in music eventually led her to pursue formal training in Nazrul Sangeet and classical music.

Before entering television and film, Sikder participated in cultural activities and worked on developing her musical abilities. Her interest in different forms of artistic expression later influenced her career as an actress, singer and writer.

Education and Musical Training

Kusum Sikder studied at North South University, where she pursued studies in Marketing and International Business, according to the Bangla Movie Database.

Alongside her academic education, she received musical training at the Nazrul Academy. She completed courses in Nazrul Sangeet and classical music and later received further training from music teachers Ustad Gul Mohammad and Ustad Morshed.

Her musical background became an important part of her professional identity. Although she became widely recognised through acting, she has repeatedly described singing as one of her major artistic interests.\

Kusum Sikder Biography, Age, Height, Husband and More

Field	Information
Full Name	Kusum Sikder
Alternative Name	Kushum Shikder
Bengali Name	কুসুম শিকদার
Nickname	Kusum
Date of Birth	12 April
Birth Year	1981 (self-reported; official documents reportedly show 1983)
Age	45 Years (based on 1981 birth year, as of November 2026)
Birthplace	Dhaka, Bangladesh
Nationality	Bangladeshi
Profession	Actress, Model, Singer, Writer, Poet, Film Director
Education	Marketing and International Business
University	North South University
Musical Training	Nazrul Academy
Career Debut	2002
Modelling Achievement	Lux-Anandadhara Photogenic Contest Winner (2002)
Television Debut	Biyer Angti (2002)
Film Debut	Gohine Shobdo (2010)
Directorial Debut	Shoroter Joba (2024)
Years Active	2002–present
Marital Status	Married
Husband	Moinul Islam Khan
Marriage Year	2007
Height	Not reliably confirmed
Weight	Not publicly verified
Eye Color	Not publicly verified
Hair Color	Black (reported)
Known For	Gohine Shobdo, Lal Tip, Shankhachil, Shoroter Joba
National Film Award	Best Actress – Shankhachil (2016)
Other Profession	Author and Screenwriter
Notable Books	Neel Cafer Kobi, Ajagotik Chaya
Latest Web Series	Paap Kahini 2 (2026)
Latest Music Releases	Hera Hote Hele Dule, Probol Ghor

Career

1998–2001: Early Music Career

Before becoming a familiar television actress, Kusum Sikder began her professional journey through music.

She participated in the mixed album Jiboner Joto Chawa around 1998. Her early music releases also included Tumi Aj Koto Dure and Adol Bodol.

Published reports differ on the exact release order and classification of these albums. Some describe Tumi Aj Koto Dure as her first solo album, while others list her earlier mixed-album contributions separately.

Her early involvement in music helped her develop a public identity before she entered television acting.

2002–2009: Modelling and Television Acting

A major turning point in Sikder’s career came in 2002 when she won the Lux-Anandadhara Photogenic Contest, also referred to in media reports as Lux-Anandadhara Miss Photogenic or Lux Channel i Superstar.

The competition helped her receive opportunities in television dramas and advertisements.

Her first television drama was Biyer Angti (2002), in which she appeared alongside actor Shahriar Nazim Joy. She subsequently became a familiar face in Bangladeshi television productions.

Some of her notable television dramas and serials from this period included:

Tin Purush (2003)
Ghater Kotha (2004)
Shawla (2004)
Meghbalika (2005)
Noukadubi (2005)
Jogajog (2008)
Aim in Life (2008–2009)
Boi Pagol (2009)
Shari (2009)
Oparetey Shorbo Shukh (2009)

Her performances in television dramas helped establish her as an actress known for selective project choices and character-oriented roles.

2010–2012: Film Debut and Recognition

Kusum Sikder made her big-screen debut with Gohine Shobdo (2010), directed by Khalid Mahmood Mithu. She played the character Swapna opposite actor Mamnun Hasan Emon.

The film received recognition in Bangladesh and marked her transition from television to cinema.

In 2012, she appeared in Lal Tip, directed by Swapan Ahmed. The film was a Bangladesh-France joint production, and Sikder portrayed the character Nidhi.

Her performance in Lal Tip earned her the Meril-Prothom Alo Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actress in 2012.

The recognition strengthened her reputation as a film actress and helped establish her presence beyond television.

2013–2016: Shankhachil and National Recognition

One of the most important projects in Kusum Sikder’s film career was Shankhachil (2016), directed by acclaimed filmmaker Goutam Ghose.

The Bangladesh-India joint production featured Sikder as Laila, alongside Indian actor Prosenjit Chatterjee.

The film explored the lives of people living near the India-Bangladesh border and received attention in both countries.

Her performance earned her the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actress for 2016. She shared the award with Nusrat Imroz Tisha.

The film also received international recognition, including the National Film Award for Best Bengali Feature Film in India.

Sikder’s work in Shankhachil became one of the defining achievements of her acting career.

2017–2020: Music, Writing and Selective Acting

In 2017, Kusum Sikder returned to music with the release of the song and music video Nesha. She wrote the lyrics and performed the song, which featured music composed by Hridoy Khan.

The music video received considerable public attention and generated discussion in the Bangladeshi entertainment industry.

In 2020, she also participated in the duet song Tomay Hrid Majhare Rakhibo, alongside a contestant from the third season of Magic Bauliana. She appeared in its music video as well.

During this period, Sikder became more selective about acting projects. She gradually reduced her television and film appearances and devoted more time to writing and personal creative activities.

2021–2023: Literature and New Creative Direction

In 2021, Kusum Sikder published a short-story collection titled Ajagotik Chaya through Tamralipi Publications. The book contained two mystery and thriller stories and represented another stage in her literary career.

She had previously published the poetry collection Neel Cafer Kobi in 2015, which contained 34 poems.

Her literary work reflected her interest in storytelling beyond acting and music.

In April 2023, Sikder announced that she was developing a film based on one of her own stories. The project eventually became Shoroter Joba, marking her transition into film direction and production.

2024: Directorial Debut with Shoroter Joba

Kusum Sikder made her directorial debut with the mystery-thriller film Shoroter Joba, released in theatres on 11 October 2024.

She worked as the film’s director, writer, screenwriter and producer, while also playing the lead character Joba.

The film was adapted from a story associated with her literary work Ajagotik Chaya. It featured Yash Rohan, Jeetu Ahsan, Shahidul Alam Sachchu, Naresh Bhuiyan and other actors.

The production was filmed in Narail, Bangladesh. Sikder was closely involved in several stages of the filmmaking process, including story development, scripting, editing, colour grading and sound design.

The film was later released on the iScreen OTT platform in December 2024.

Shoroter Joba marked a significant development in her career because she took responsibility for both the creative and production aspects of a feature film.

2025–2026: Return to Acting and Music

After a period of limited acting activity, Kusum Sikder began returning to screen projects.

In September 2025, she discussed her personal life and selective approach to professional work in an interview with Prothom Alo. She explained that she prefers projects with distinctive characters rather than repeating similar roles.

In January 2026, it was reported that she would reunite with actor and director Shahriar Nazim Joy after approximately 15 years for the web series Paap Kahini 2.

The three-episode series, directed by Joy, explores themes of love, infidelity, deception and revenge. It marked Sikder’s first appearance in an OTT web series. The production was released around Eid-ul-Fitr 2026 on iScreen.

In March 2026, she returned to music with Hera Hote Hele Dule, a devotional song written and composed by Kazi Nazrul Islam. The music video was produced using artificial intelligence technology under the banner of Impress Telefilm.

She also received training in Nazrul Sangeet and classical music at the Nazrul Academy, which she described as an important part of her musical background.

In October 2026, she released another song titled Probol Ghor. The song had been recorded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic but was released later with a music video.

These projects marked her renewed involvement in music, television and digital entertainment.

Selected Filmography

Kusum Sikder has appeared in a limited number of films compared with many commercial film actresses. She has frequently described herself as selective when choosing acting projects.

Year	Film	Role / Notes
2010	Gohine Shobdo	Swapna
2012	Lal Tip	Nidhi
2015	Bhul Theke Nirbhul	Television film
2016	Shankhachil	Laila
2024	Shoroter Joba	Joba

Selected Television Dramas and Series

Year	Title	Format / Notes
2002	Biyer Angti	Television drama; acting debut
2003	Tin Purush	Television drama
2004	Ghater Kotha	Television drama
2004	Shawla	Television drama
2005	Meghbalika	Television drama
2005	Noukadubi	Television drama
2008	Jogajog	Television drama
2008–2009	Aim in Life	Television series
2009	Boi Pagol	Television drama
2009	Shari	Television drama
2009	Oparetey Shorbo Shukh	Television drama
2010	Bondi	Television drama
2010	Tribhuj	Television drama
2011	Superman	Television drama
2016	Sublet Gublet	Television drama
2016	Astha	Television drama
2018	Sesh Asesher Golpo	Television drama
2025	Paap Kahini	Web series
2026	Paap Kahini 2	Web series; OTT debut

Note: This is a selected list of screen credits. The complete television drama list is not consistently documented across public databases.

Music Career

Music has been an important part of Kusum Sikder’s artistic career since her early years.

She began singing before entering the television industry and released several albums and mixed-album tracks.

Selected Music Releases

Year	Title	Type / Notes
1998	Jiboner Joto Chawa	Mixed album contribution
1999	Tumi Aj Koto Dure	Solo album
2001	Adol Bodol	Album
2017	Nesha	Song and music video
2020	Tomay Hrid Majhare Rakhibo	Duet song
2026	Hera Hote Hele Dule	Nazrul devotional song
2026	Probol Ghor	Song and music video

Note: The early album release dates and classifications differ among published reports.

Writing and Literary Work

Apart from acting and singing, Kusum Sikder is also a writer and poet.

She published her poetry collection Neel Cafer Kobi at the 2015 Ekushey Book Fair. The book contained 34 poems and received attention among readers interested in contemporary Bangladeshi literature.

In 2021, she published Ajagotik Chaya, a collection of two mystery and thriller stories. The literary work later became a source for her directorial film Shoroter Joba.

Her writing interests have influenced her work as a filmmaker, particularly in the development of storylines and screenplays.

Selected Books

Year	Book	Genre
2015	Neel Cafer Kobi	Poetry
2021	Ajagotik Chaya	Mystery and thriller stories

Awards and Achievements

Kusum Sikder has received recognition for her work in modelling, television, music and cinema.

Her most significant acting achievement is the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actress for Shankhachil (2016).

Selected Awards

Year	Award	Category / Work	Result
2002	Lux-Anandadhara Photogenic Contest	Photogenic Champion	Winner
2002	Fashion Model Award – Shako Telefilm	Modelling recognition	Reported winner
2006	Dhaka Cultural Reporters Unity Showbiz Award	Best Model	Reported winner
2007	Lux-Channel i Performance Award	Best Model	Reported winner
2012	Meril-Prothom Alo Awards	Best Actress – Lal Tip	Winner
2016	Bangladesh National Film Awards	Best Actress – Shankhachil	Winner

For the 2016 National Film Award, Sikder shared the Best Actress award with Nusrat Imroz Tisha.

Personal Life

Marriage

Kusum Sikder married Moinul Islam Khan in 2007. In an interview with bdnews24.com published on 11 October 2017, she personally confirmed that their marriage had taken place in 2007 and that they had become engaged in 2006.

At the time, she also responded to rumours about a possible separation, stating that reports about their divorce were not true.

Some online entertainment profiles describe her husband as a pilot associated with Biman Bangladesh Airlines. However, detailed information about his professional and personal life is limited in reliable public sources.

Sikder generally keeps her private life away from media attention and has explained that she prefers to maintain a distinction between her professional career and personal matters.

Public Image and Professional Approach

Kusum Sikder is known for selecting projects carefully rather than appearing in a large number of productions.

In interviews, she has explained that she prefers distinctive characters and meaningful scripts. Her relatively limited filmography includes works by recognised filmmakers such as Khalid Mahmood Mithu, Swapan Ahmed and Goutam Ghose.

Her career has also developed across different creative fields. She has worked as a model, actress, singer, poet, storyteller, screenwriter, producer and director.

The release of Shoroter Joba marked an important transition from acting to filmmaking, while her recent music and OTT projects have demonstrated her continued interest in creative work.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who is Kusum Sikder?

Kusum Sikder is a Bangladeshi television and film actress, model, singer, writer and film director known for Gohine Shobdo, Lal Tip, Shankhachil and Shoroter Joba.

2. What is Kusum Sikder’s real name?

She is professionally known as Kusum Sikder. Her name is also spelled Kushum Shikder.

3. When was Kusum Sikder born?

She was born on 12 April. She has stated that her birth year is 1981, although her passport and academic certificates reportedly list 1983.

4. Where was Kusum Sikder born?

She was born in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

5. What is Kusum Sikder’s educational qualification?

She studied Marketing and International Business at North South University, according to the Bangla Movie Database.

6. How did Kusum Sikder become famous?

She gained recognition after winning the Lux-Anandadhara Photogenic Contest in 2002 and subsequently appeared in television dramas and advertisements.

7. What was Kusum Sikder’s first film?

Her film debut was Gohine Shobdo (2010), directed by Khalid Mahmood Mithu.

8. Which film earned Kusum Sikder the National Film Award?

She won the Bangladesh National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in Shankhachil (2016).

9. Who is Kusum Sikder’s husband?

She is married to Moinul Islam Khan. They married in 2007.

10. Is Kusum Sikder a singer?

Yes. She began her professional journey through music and has released albums and songs, including Nesha, Hera Hote Hele Dule and Probol Ghor.

11. Is Kusum Sikder a film director?

Yes. She made her directorial debut with the mystery-thriller film Shoroter Joba, released in 2024. She also wrote and produced the film.

12. What books has Kusum Sikder written?

Her published books include Neel Cafer Kobi (2015), a poetry collection, and Ajagotik Chaya (2021), a collection of mystery and thriller stories.

13. What is Kusum Sikder’s latest web series?

She appeared in Paap Kahini 2 (2026), directed by Shahriar Nazim Joy. It marked her first OTT web-series appearance.

Kusum Sikder Biography, Age, Height, Husband and More

Early Life and Background

Education and Musical Training

Kusum Sikder Biography, Age, Height, Husband and More