Waiting to be free of religious militancy

Abu Sayeed’s latest film “Opekkha” tackles a burning issue
After dealing with socio-economic and moral issues in his previous two award-winning movies “Nirontor” and “Rupantor,” Bangladeshi independent filmmaker Abu Sayeed is back with his next feature film -- this time dealing with the subject of the threat of terrorism.
The film, starring veteran actors Jayanto Chattopadhyay and Mirana
Zaman, among others, is aptly titled “Opekkha” (Waiting).
The story of “Opekkha” revolves round Rabiul and Ranju, two young men belonging to families living in different districts of Bangladesh. Rabiul, 28, lives in Dhaka pursuing his education and enjoying his passion for singing. He lost his parents at an early age and has his grandmother as his only close relative who lives in their village home. His grandmother has a problem of forgetting things easily.
On the other hand, Ranju, 23, studies science at a government college in a district town. Ranju gets involved with 'Harkatul Jihad,' a terrorist group and at the instance of his outfit carries out a bomb blast in Dhaka in which several people are killed including Rabiul who was passing by at that time.
A few days after the attack, the police raid Ranju's house where his parents are shocked to learn that their son is a member of the terrorist group. Ranju's father goes to the college in search of his son but fails to locate him.
Rabiul's grandmother forgets his grandson's death and begins writing letters to him. As she receives no answer, she becomes restless waiting for him and even goes to the bus stop hoping to meet him.
The 48-year-old Sayeed told The Daily Star over phone, “The families of the two main characters, Ranju and Rabiul, are victims of religious militancy. They share the same crisis. Waiting shows how violence in the name of religion can destroy individuals and families, bringing nothing but suffering and death to the innocent. People want an end to such violence.
“Waiting is thus not only about a grandmother waiting for her grandson or parents waiting for their son's return but on a larger canvas is also about the long wait of the people for an end to religious militancy.”
To make a film with terrorism as the subject was perhaps on the cards for Sayeed, who says he has seen a “spurt in religious militancy” in
Bangladesh ever since an attack on cultural group Udichi Shilpi Goshthi left several people dead in Jessore in 1999.
“The majority of Bangladeshis do not support such terrorist activities. The current political leadership and the civil society are all against any form of religious militancy. Still, militant groups continue to gain strength and organise themselves. Their covert operations still continue,” said Sayeed adding, “Opekkha” has been set against the background of this worrisome reality.
What is more worrisome for Sayeed is that Ranju the extremist is not a product of madrassa (religious school) system but is a science student drawn into religious militancy by otherworldly promises. On the other hand, Rabiul is an average Bangladeshi youth who represents all those innocent victims of bomb attacks and other forms of violence.
Sayeed believes “the mindless terror attacks by the militant groups are politically motivated.”
“Religious militancy that Bangladesh is facing now is not only masterminded by a few religious parties but is also linked with international politics. It does not reflect Islamic values but is solely used to gain a political base,” said the director.
Barring Chattopadhyay and Mirana Zaman, the rest of the cast of “Opekkha” comprises young theatre and television actors.
“I have done this keeping in mind the subject of the film and not the budget,” said Sayeed, who has produced “Opekkha” under the banner of his production house Aangik.
The auteur said that “Opekkha” is set for commercial release in Bangladesh in September this year.

Days of yore: Ferdausi Majumdar

Born on June 18, 1943 in Barisal, Ferdausi Majumdar was 11th among her parents' (Khan Bahadur Abdul Halim Chowdhury and Umme Kabir Afia) 14 offspring.
“I was very fond of sports and games as a child. Skipping, badminton, shatchara, danguli, chhu-buli, marble…you name it. Once I passed out after scoring 966 in a skipping challenge; I received a crystal bowl as the prize for winning. Till class nine, I was into sports,” she said.
Her first school was 'Nari Shikkha Mondir' in Tikatuli, Dhaka. “I can still recall that moment when, during my admission test, I tried to copy maths answers from one of my cousins; I was bad in maths. But when she didn't allow me to copy, I started crying and complained to the teacher on duty that my cousin wasn't letting me copy answers from her test. That still makes me laugh,” she reminisced.
“I was in that school up to class seven. There were many trees in the school. In class five, during recess, our teachers napped in the classroom and we played paanchguti. One day I fell with the blackboard on a girl called Chhaya. Chhaya was taken to a doctor immediately and everyone was giving me looks. I started crying.”
Ferdausi's mother told her that the family was afraid they'd lose her forever when she was only one and half year old. “I had a bout of bacillary dysentery. Apparently my vision was fading and blood pressure went down. When all treatments failed, everyone was losing hope. Finally, with the help of a kabiraj (medicine man), I apparently recovered,” the veteran actress said.
She also remembers her father wrote down her and her siblings' birthdays with the specific times of birth and zodiacs.
“My childhood was a happy time. Reminiscing that certainly cheers me up,” Ferdausi said.

Bangladeshi Hot Actress

Yesterday once more... Shabnam and Robin Ghosh reminisce on Rahman

“Jharna and I met for the first time on the sets of Rajdhanir Bukey (1958), Ehtesham's debut film. It wasn't love at first sight though. We came closer to each other gradually, as we worked together and created ripples in the film world," says Robin Ghosh, the eminent music composer of numerous blockbusters.
Robin and his beautiful wife Jharna were reminiscing on the good old days, the golden years of filmdom and memorable personalities that they had been acquainted with. Robin's wife has a larger than life image of her own. Jharna aka Shabnam was one of the leading ladies both in Bangla and Urdu films for years. Her vivaciousness, radiant beauty and superior acting skills have earned her a legendary status.
For Rajdhanir Bukey, Ehtesham signed Robin Ghosh as the music composer. Rahman played the hero and Talat Mehmood was chosen for the playback. Thus Robin received his first big break.
Director Ehtesham changed Jharna's name to Shabnam and offered her a major supporting role in his first Urdu film Chanda (1962). Chanda, a big hit at the box office, was Shabnam's first Urdu film as well.
The distributors were not so enthusiastic at first, as they thought that an unknown cast would not attract cine-goers. So Ehtesham opened an office in Lahore and released the film on his own. Soon Chanda became the talk of the town and attained a super hit status. The charm of Bangla folk-based tunes such as Aankhiyan teri raaha niharey, O pardesia and Saaiyyan bedardi mora na jaaney rendered by Mehdi Hasan, Anjuman Ara Begum and Ferdousi Rahman captivated the audience in both East and West Pakistan.
After the grand success of Chanda, Ehtesham's brother, Mustafiz cast Shabnam in the lead role in his film Talaash (1963). The film starred Rahman in the role of the protagonist. The music was composed by none other than Robin Ghosh. Thus a superhit trio was formed that included Shabnam, Rahman and Robin. Meanwhile the intimacy between Shabnam and Robin led to their marriage in 1965. After their marriage, they moved to Karachi.
Shabnam recalls, "It was in the year 1964, while working on the sets of Preet Na Janey Reet in Sylhet, we were all chatting and relaxing when Rahman came up dressed in his new outfit. We literally had to coax him to join us. Rahman was, however, in a different mood. He wanted to go to the shooting spot and show off his new getup. That evening we heard the terrible news that his jeep had been hit by a speeding truck. We rushed to the hospital where it seemed like the whole city had poured in. Sylhet Hospital was not well equipped then. Rahman lay unconscious and he needed blood immediately. It was actor Khalil's blood that matched his and later Rahman was shifted to Dhaka. After six months he was sent to London for further treatment.
"He was a born survivor," Shabnam went on. "At the apex of his popularity, Rahman lost a limb but he never even contemplated retiring from films. You see, films were his life. During shooting, he would often have difficulties, yet he never complained. We watched in awe when he managed to walk uphill in Rangamati with great effort," adds Shabnam. Rahman was very outspoken and sincere towards co-artistes, besides being the centre of attention at parties, she recalls.
By the late '60s, Shabnam's professionalism and acting skills were unmatched in Pakistan. More films were released in the then West Pakistan than here. It was sometime during the mid '70s, when Rahman moved to Lahore. One fine morning he called Shabnam and said, "I'm here to make a film." "What's your budget?" asked Robin. "About 7,000 rupees," he replied. "That's not enough for a day's shoot, let alone an entire film," was Robin's reaction.
However, Rahman was determined to make the movie. Now it was Shabnam's turn to see to it that the 'golden boy of Bengal' did not return empty handed.
She and her husband chalked up a plan. Shabnam worked at Ever New Studios in Lahore, which was certainly the best in those days. She approached Agha Gul, the owner of the studio, and asked for a favour. Agha treated Shabnam like his daughter and agreed to forego the studio rent and other expenses till the final print was done. Professional musicians decided to work free of cost till the film was released. Runa Laila did the playbacks for free. The film titled Chahat (Longing), featured Rahman and Shabnam in the lead roles and was a huge success.
During her movie-career that spanned over 35 years, Shabnam worked with all renowned Pakistani actors. Films featuring the Shabnam-Nadeem pair are extremely popular in Pakistan to this date. However, the movies Darshan, Chalo Maan Gaye, Chahat, Do Saathi, Dosti, and Milan, where Rahman was paired with her, received accolades from both the critics and masses.
Shabnam and Robin moved to Dhaka for good in 1999. They now reside in Baridhara. Rahman lived nearby. Shabnam says, "Due to a stroke, he was bedridden and I made it a point to visit him often."
"In 1966, on Bhai Phota (a festival celebrating the bond between brothers and sisters), I was at his place and I said that having a brother would be really nice. Stretching his hand, Rahman said, 'I'm your brother, why don't you tie the rakhi around my wrist?' Since that day, he used to call me 'Piu apa'," remembers a nostalgic Shabnam.

Suborna Mustafa: Expanding horizons

Last year Suborna Mustafa directed a single-episode play, “Akash Kushum” for ATN Bangla. Once again the brilliant actress takes on the challenge of directing a play. This time she will direct another single-episode play titled “Shunno.” Additionally Suborna herself has dramatised the play. Traupa Majumdar and Jitu Ahsan will perform the lead characters in the play.
The actress-turned-director wants to keep the story of the play under wraps as she wants to surprise the audience. “I'm sure that the fans will love the story,” she said.
Though she is testing her hand as a director, Suborna does not want to continue in her new role. She said, “Acting is everything to me. I do direct plays for relaxation, as sometimes I write.”
Some serials featuring Suborna are on air at present. These include “Shimanto” (on Desh TV) and “Manobjamin” (ntv). A new serial titled “Uposhonghar” will soon go on air on ATN Bangla.
Suborna is also busy with shooting. Arun Chowdhury's upcoming serial “Rumali” is on her list. The play is based on Humayun Ahmed's eponymous story. Suborna will perform the role of Bakul's mother in the play.

Shooting of Nasiruddin Yousuff’s “Guerrilla” underway

Preparations are on in full swing in Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur for the shooting of “Guerrilla,” a movie highlighting the Liberation War. The film crew and cast had visited different areas of Parbatipur upazila of Dinajpur, including the railway station.
On a visit to Parbatipur, local painters were seen giving the final touches to some compartments so that they resembled a train from that period.
Actors Ferdous and Joya Ahsan, director of the film along with others, were on the site.
Noted media personality Nasiruddin Yousuff is making the film based on Syed Shamsul Haq's novel “Nishiddho Loban.” Yousuff, also a Freedom Fighter, will use his 1971 experiences to make the film.
The movie is being shot in several locations of Dhaka, its suburbs and Rangpur.
The movie was supposed to be made long ago in 1998 but the work couldn't begin due to several reasons, the filmmaker informed at the launching ceremony of the film, held recently at Tejgaon Channel i office.
The film will highlight the atrocities and the crimes committed against humanity by the Pakistani army and their collaborators during 1971, and will play a role in raising awareness on the trial of the war criminals.
“Guerrilla,” a joint production by Impress Telefilm Limited and Arial Creative Space, follows a young Bangladeshi woman Bilkis (played by Joya Ahsan) who helps the freedom fighters in Dhaka with medicines, information and organising operations; she even plays a role in smuggling spools recorded by Altaf Mahmud, to the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra radio station. As the story progresses, Bilkis is forced to flee to Rangpur but gets caught by the Pakistani occupation forces.
Other cast members include ATM Shamsuzzaman, Pijush Bandyopadhyay, Raisul Islam Asad, Shompa Reza, Ahmed Rubel, Gazi Rakayet and Shotabdi Wadud.
Esha Yousuf (daughter of Nasiruddin Yousuff), managing director of Arial Creative Space, is the producer of the film. Esha thanked Impress Telefilm Limited for its assistance.
The script for the movie has been jointly developed by Yousuff and Ebadur Rahman. Animesh Aich is the production designer, Shimul Yousuf is the costume designer consultant and music director and Nurul Alam Atik is the chief assistant director of the film.

Sabbir-Shimla for first time in Eid play

Popular TV actor Mir Sabbir is going to perform against popular film actress Shimla for the first time. They will perform in a special play, which is to be made for the upcoming Eid. Story of this special play is written by Saif Chandan. It will be scripted and directed by him also. Title name of the play is 'Ami Nayak Hobo.' It will be produced by Ziauddin Alam.

While mentioning about his feelings director of the play said, "Story of the play revolves with a simple young man named Abu who hails from a mofussil area. He wants to be a hero. But there is any institution for learning acting in the country. As a result, Abu tries his level best to learn acting and to be a hero.

At one stage heroine of the film industry Shimla helps Abu in this regard. Then name of Abu has been changed into Abrar Khan. After performing in a movie Shimla and Abrar Khan become famous couple."

While expressing her feelings Shimla told this correspondent, "Despite being an film actress there is a similarity in my real character in the film as I agreed to perform in the play."

Lux Channel i Super Star 2010 kicks off

Popular talent hunt for young women, 'Lux-Channel i Super Star' kicks off this year through registration. The announcement was made at an event held at Spectra Convention Centre in Gulshan, Dhaka yesterday.
Officials from Unilever, Channel i and Asiatic MCL were present at the event. They spoke about this year's contest regulations and shared views on the essence of the pageant in Bangladesh.
This year's biggest reward for the top contestants is the opportunity to be groomed by renowned actors, directors, models, fashion and beauty gurus of the country. The celebrities will provide lessons for the aspiring stars on the basic skills and attitude needed for successful careers in showbiz.
The winner of 'Lux Channel i Super Star 2010' will get a film contract, a brand new car and an acting scholarship at a renowned international institute.
Any Bangladeshi female citizen of minimum 18 years can participate in the contest. To register, individuals have to call 01190003666 or log on to www.luxchannelisu-perstar.com or SMS “Lux” to 3456. Registration will be open till August 10.
Radio partner of the contest is Radio Foorti, while Windmill Infotech is providing registration support.

Shabnoor paired with newcomer Arzu

Leading film actress Shabnoor has been paired with newcomers in Dhallywood -- such as Nadim and Emon -- time and again. This time the actress has been cast with young actor Arzu who created ripples with his debut film "Tumi Achho Hridoye".

Audiences of mainstream films will get to watch the duo in the movie "Jibon Nadir Tirey", directed by Monir Hossain Mithu. Mithu has worked as an assistant for noted filmmakers like Dilip Biswas, Shibly Sadik, Jibon Rahman and Jibon Chowdhury.

Details on the film will be revealed soon. Shooting for the film is expected to begin from February 1 at Shushong Durgapur in Netrakona.

Written by Zaman Akhtar, the cast of the film also includes Dolly Zahur, Sadek Bachchu and Afzal Sharif. Debendranath Chattapaddhyay (of "Moner Majhey Tumi" fame) is the music director of the film.