Film is the reflections of life captured in celluloid. It is a strong and powerful medium to represent society to mass. Bangladeshi films from inception, in 1956, have been in most cases successful in maintaining this theme. From the date it is evident that Bangladeshi cinema has started its journey 15 years before the independence of the country. Thus, the film makers not only had to take on the responsibility to depict the social life, the sadness and happiness of the regular people but also presented the collective aspirations as a nation as well as work as a source of inspiration for the struggle for freedom. So, the Bangladeshi films in most part were not only socially conscious of the time, environment (both cultural and political), and the people but also worked as a beckon of hope for a better, free and prosperous future.
Bangladeshi cinema always has been close to Bengali Art and Literature. The fact that many of the powerful film makers, story writers, and lyricists were also successful and accomplished novelists and/or poets are a strong marker of this close bond. The film-makers were also have been fond of making films on popular and famous novels. This close relation of art, culture and literature has ensured that the films reflect the true life stories and thus can create a close affinity with its audience. Many of the famous and awarded films, which were also based on equally popular novels, illustrated the struggle of the poor, the homeless and also the struggle of morality of the middle class. ‘Surjo Dighal Bari’ (The Ominous House, 1979)a novel by Abu Ishaque is an example of such a film.
The pre-liberation Bangla films manifest the great language movement, fight against the oppressive and autocratic military rule and ultimately the fight for independence. These films were not only meant to be depicting the contemporary socio-political scenario but also used as a vehicle for provoking the emotions of the mass. Other than the storyline itself the songs used in these films where also very significant. In fact several of the films had the Bangladeshi National Anthem incorporated into the storyline, e.g. ‘Jibon Theke Neya’. Most of the films that came out after the liberation war and independence had subject-line related to the war, the independence, massacre of three million people and huge violation and harassment of womenfolk and loss of property. Stop Genocide (1971),Ora Egaro Jon, Aguner poroshmoni, Orunodoyer ognishaksi, Matir Moyna (The Clay Bird, 2002), Muktir Gaan are the example of films those are based on our liberation war.
Village life was the core theme of a huge number of films. Bangladesh being a country mostly made up of villages (approximately 66 thousand), this is quite understandable and correctly reflected. Sometimes it centered the superstitious village mind or the oppression by the influential groups on the common people, some other times depressed womanhood took this place. Love between men and women in pastoral context were also a subject of many films. As middle class society began to evolve along with urban life, a good number of films started to portray the arising problems and complexities, uprising middle class people, their social context and the human emotions in their life. Lal salu (Tree Without Root 2001), by Tanvir Mokammel ,Kittonkhola (200), by Abu Sayeed are example of more social conscious movies of this region those highlight the identity struggle especially the gender, religion and ethnic identity of the village people.
Until recently Bangladeshi films have not clearly followed the distinctions of genres such as Action, Comedy, Romance, War, Thriller, etc. Almost all of them could be classified as social-family movie. All the films had little bit of all human emotions such as sorrow, laughter, love, drama and conflicts. Other than the liberation war movies most of the Bangladeshi movies are mostly void of Action or War. There is not any clear instance of scary movie as well. So, most of the movies reflected the socio-cultural realities of time and straggle of human life.
Some Socially conscious Bangladeshi movies :
Screenplay: Zahir Raihan
Director of Photography: Afzal Choudhury
Editor: Enamul Huq
Music: Khan Ataur Rahman
Producer & Director: Zahir Raihan
Release Year: 1970
Genre: Drama
Cast:
Khan Ataur Rahman, Rowshan Jamil, Anwar Hossain, Rosy Samad, Razzak, Suchanda etc…
Story plot:
Jibon Theke Neya is one of the most eminent Bangla movies directed by Zahir Raihan. The movie is a political satire based on the Bengali Language Movement of 1952. The main roles are portrayed by Khan Ataur Rahman, Rowshan Jamil, Anwar Hossain, Rosy Samad, Razzak, and Suchanda. Zahir Raihan used the metaphor of a family dominated by an autocratic woman which symbolize the political dictatorship of Ayub Khan in the then East Pakistan . Both stories run in parallel where the people rise in political protest outside and inside, the family members gather courage to rebel the dictatorial woman. At the end of the movie the director showed the release of political workers and the punishment of the autocratic woman which is also a metaphor. Zahir Raihan took a bold step to portray the contemporary political turmoil in the then East Pakistan with this movie . In this movie the National Anthem of Bangladesh, Amar Shonar Bangla Ami Tomae Bhalobashi was played for the first time which is first in a Bangla movie. The song was not only used as the National Anthem but also was able to generate the sense of Bengali nationalism among the masses. So,Jibon Theke Neya was not only a movie to be depict the contemporary socio-political scenario but also used as a vehicle for provoking the emotional upsurge of the mass.
| Ora Egaro Jon |  |
The first and most famous movie released on our Independence War is ‘Ora Egaro Jon’, directed by Chashi Nazrul Islam. The movie is considered to be one of the best feature films based on the Liberation War. Khasru, Sumita Devi, and Shabana were in the leading roles in the film.The film was made with a genuine feeling of the liberation war because people involved in this movie were involved in the Liberation war. Hence, Ora Egaro Jon was able to create the actual feeling and emotion during the war among the audience at that time which we notice is missing in today’s movies. So,the movie Ora Egaro Jon , is considered a socially conscious movie from Bangladesh that portrayed the geopolitical struggle of this nation.
Shurjodighal Bari (1979):
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Directors: Mashihuddin Shaker and
Sheikh Niamat Ali
Director of Photography: Answar Hosen
Rawshan Jamil in Shurjo Dighal Bari (left) and Anwar Hossain (right). Photo: Mumit M. Source: The Daily Star
Release Year: 1979
Review:
The first Bangla movie financed by the Bangladesh government is Surjodighal Bari (The Ominous House),portrayed in a rural setting, Jointly directed by Mashihuddin Shaker and Sheikh Niamat Ali. In the film the practicality of life was depicted in a very natural way. Surjodhighal Bari another socially conscious movie of Bangladesh that portrays the eternal struggles of the subjugated poor of this country. Rowshan Jamil, Dolly Anwar, Keramat Moula, and Elora Gohar played the major characters in the movie. The movie received several National Awards.
zarah pakhi
