OTT and hall releases keep Indo-Bangla cultural ties alive

KOLKATA: Posters across the city promoting the OTT release of ‘Joto Kando Kolkatatei', starring Bangladeshi actor Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed, and Bangladeshi actor Jaya Ahsan's Jan 1 social media reveal of the poster for Soukarya Ghosal's ‘OCD' highlight the continued visibility of cross-border cultural collaboration, even as India-Bangladesh relations remain strained. Ahmed could not travel to India for her film’s release, but said she is delighted it has premiered on an OTT platform. She previously received a one-time visa and visited Kolkata in December to attend the “Class Act” workshops led by actor and coach Daminee Benny Basu. Speaking from Dhaka, Ahmed said she was glad to have completed the intensive training despite the tensions, and found it deeply rewarding to see her film promoted across Kolkata. "The news of the OTT release has drawn a positive response in Dhaka, with Bangladeshi film professionals expressing pride in my work on a film that pays tribute to Satyajit Ray.Directed by Anik Dutta, ‘Joto Kando Kolkatatei’ is a detective story inspired by Ray’s iconic detective universe. In the film, Ahmed plays a young woman tracing her family roots alongside an investigator played by Abir Chatterjee. “Anik-da’s ancestral home is in Comilla, and it would have been wonderful if the film released here. The Bangladeshi media is covering the news of this OTT release too, and there’s no negativity around it. This only proves that artists who create with a mission will always be winners,” she said. Meanwhile, Suman Mukhopadhyay's ‘Putulnacher Itikatha', starring Jaya Ahsan, premiered on an OTT platform in Nov 2025 after a theatrical release in Aug 2025. Ahsan said the response in Bangladesh had been encouraging. "The media in Bangladesh has responded positively to ‘Putulnacher Itikatha'. People are especially interested to know how I portrayed Kusum's character and made it so believable and real, since Manik Bandyopadhyay's original novel is popular and Kusum is a beloved character," Ahsan told TOI from Bangladesh. Ghosal’s psychological drama ‘OCD’ is set to release in Bengal cinemas on February 6, with Ahsan playing a doctor grappling with childhood trauma. Ghosal argued that if books by Jasimuddin continue to be sold on College Street, films featuring Bangladeshi actors should not be blocked in India. "My film was shot in 2020, when bilateral relations were better. But earlier release attempts were stalled because Jaya could not confirm her availability for the premiere. With her consent now in place, we are proceeding. I’m certain that releasing a film with a Bangladeshi actor in Bengal won’t face any problems,” Ghoshal said. Ahsan added that although the film is not releasing in Bangladesh, she expects a positive reaction there as well.