'Epar' to 'Opar', Bangladesh cinema making new waves

KOLKATA: Cinematic content from Dhaka is creating waves, taking global audiences by storm, and the journey itself - via Kolkata - is spoiling audiences for choice in both "Epar Bangla' and "Opar Bangla", while giving Tollywood a run for its money in terms of both content and production values.
Last year, Bangladeshi director Nuhash Humayun's live-action short film 'Moshari' became the first Bangladeshi film to qualify for the Oscars.Humayun's Chorki Originals horror anthology web series - 'Pett Kata Shaw' - was screened at the 52nd International Film Festival Rotterdam a week ago. Bangladesh's Reetu Sattar was in the Ammodo Tiger Short Competition of the same festival with 'Shabnam'. Muhammad Quayum came from Dhaka for a recent screening of his 'The Golden Wings of Watercocks' (Kura Pokkhir Shunne Ura) starring Jayita Mahalanobish and Uzzal Kabir Himu at Presidency University. In November, Quayum's film had shared the prize money of Rs 51 lakh at the 28th Kolkata International Film Festival for the fest's top award.
There are also directors like Mostafa Sarwar Farooki ('Made in Bangladesh', 'Third Person Singular Number', 'Television', 'Ant's Story', 'Doob: No Bed for Roses'), Abdullah Mohammad Saad ('Rehana Maryam Noor'), Mejbaur Rahman Sumon ('Hawa') and Rezwan Shahriar Sumit ('The Salt in Our Waters'), who are being noticed globally. Equally popular are web series made in Bangladesh.
For a whole lot of people, binge-watching Bangladeshi series - such as Syed Ahmed Shawki's 'Karagar' and 'Taqdeer', Tanim Noor's 'Kaiser', Ashfaq Nipun's 'Mohanagar', Robiul Alam Robi's 'Unoloukik', Shankha Dasgupta's 'Guti', Amitabh Reza Chowdhury's 'Bodh' and Raihan Khan's 'Dour' - has become a pastime.
Some of the contemporary film-makers from Bangladesh are alumni of acclaimed film institutes abroad. Their global exposure has ensured that their works have high production value, interesting background scores and stunning cinematography. That's why Kolkata's film buffs are not just talking about Chanchal Chowdhury's acting in 'Hawa' but highlighting Kamrul Hasan Khoshru and Tanveer Ahmed Shovon's cinematography and Emon Chowdhury's and Rashed Sharif Shoaib's background music. Equally arresting is Barkat Hossain Palash's cinematography in 'Karagar' and 'Taqdeer'. Songs like 'Sada Sada Kala Kala' and 'Teka Pakhi' are popular on both sides of the border.
'Tollywood faces stiff competition'
Bangla film-maker Muhammad Quayum believes that from the time of 'Beder Meye Jyotsna', any out-of-the-box Bangladeshi content with folk elements has always clicked in Bengal. "Curiously, Tollywood makers have not yet adopted this formula for delivering hits. In an open market, Bangladeshi films and OTT content relying on this formula have become very popular," he said.
Yet, many do not agree with Quayum. They feel the high standards set by some of these films and series are enough to give stiff competition to Tollywood. That's perhaps why Bengal, too, is waiting eagerly for the release of Chowdhury's 'Rickshaw Girl', Farooki's 'Saturday Afternoon' and Vicky Zahed's 'The Silence'.
According to Souvikk Dasgupta, based in Dhaka as the content lead of Hoichoi Bangladesh, the new content offers a break from the "boredom that comes from seeing a fake representation of the middle class in Tollywood.... Tollywood films are set in south Kolkata high-rises and north Kolkata aristocratic houses. If the camera moves out of Kolkata, the farthest it goes within Bengal is Bolpur, Purulia and Darjeeling. It doesn't show life in Bandel and Adisaptagram. Those producing content in Bangladesh come from villages and B-Towns and narrate tales from there. Even if they focus on the city, their perception is different. New faces want to narrate new stories that highlight issues like poverty and migration."
Actor Jaya Ahsan, who has continued the tradition of Bangladeshi heroines like Babita (Satyajit Ray’s ‘Ashani Sanket’) working in Tollywood, told TOI that today's viewers like it that OTT platforms in Bangladesh were giving space to "honest content", which is very close to reality. "Bangladeshi film-makers have always wanted to push the envelope. The advent of OTT platforms has given that space," she said.
The vast talent pool of the current crop of Bangladeshi actors is also a contributing factor. Web series have riveting performances by actors like Chanchal Chowdhury ('Taqdeer', 'Karagar'), Mosharraf Karim ('Mohanagar' and 'Dour') and Afran Nisho ('Syndicate') in lead roles. Equally arresting are the performances of Intekhab Dinar, Naseeruddin Khan, Afjal Hossain, Jayanta Chatterjee, Fs Nayeem, Uzzal Kabir Himu, Shamol Mawla, Sohail Rana, Manoj Pramanik, Mir Naufel Ashrafi Jisan, Mehazabien Chowdhury, Jayita Mahalanobish and Rafiath Rashid Mithila. Actresses too are not lagging behind. Many believe Azmeri Haque Badhon's drug dealer act for 'Guti' was a bold role in a web series from the subcontinent. Her act in 'Rehana Maryam Noor' had made heads turn at Cannes. After her web series debut in 'Ladies & Gentlemen', Tasnia Farin garnered praise for 'Karagar'. Tasina recently made her Tollywood debut in Atanu Ghosh's 'Aaro Ek Prithibi' and is set to work in Bollywood. Badhon has worked with Srijit Mukherji in 'Robindronath Ekhane Kawkhono Khete Aashenni' and will next be seen in Vishal Bhardwaj's 'Khufiya'.