Tanvir Mokammel

Tanvir Mokammel

Tanvir Mokammel (b 1955) is a Bangladeshi film director. He completed a Masters degree in English Literature at Dhaka University, and then worked with the Communist Party of Bangladesh. His filmmaking career started in 1984 with a short film and then took off in the 1990’s.

Creations of Tanvir Mokammel

‘Lalon’ -2004, based on the life of Lalon

‘Lalsalu’ [A Tree without Roots] -2001, based on written by Syed Waliullah

‘Chitra Nodir Pare’ -1999

‘Swapnar School’ -1996

‘Nodir Nam Modhumati’ [A River Named Modhumati] -1995

‘Ekti Golir Atyakahini’ -1993

‘Hooliya’ - 1984

Morshedul Islam

Career of Morshedul Islam

Morshedul Islam (Born: December 1, 1958) is a renowned film director of Bangladesh. He is a successful figure in the film industry of Bangladesh and also attached with independent film making.Morshedul Islam was born in 1st December, 1958 in Dhaka. He had his B. Farm (Hon’s) and M. Farm degree from Dhaka University. He introduced himself as a filmmaker in 1984 with the short film “Agami” while he was a student. With the film “Agami”, there started a short film revolution in Bangladesh, which was known as ‘Alternate Film’ later. “Nouka O Jibon”, “Shuchona”, “Chaka”, “Dipu Number Two”, “Dukahi”, “Brishty”, “Shorot”, “Durotto”, “Khelaghor” also famous films made by him. He and his films took part more than 40 international film festival in different countries of Asia, Europe and America till now.

Awards of Morshedul Islam

• Nine national awards with Best Film Award in 1997 for Dukhai
• Best Film and Best Director Award in Dunkirk Film Festival of France in 1994 for film Chaka
• Best direction award in International Film Festival Delhi in 1985
• Best Short Film National award in 1984 for Agami
• International Critics Award in International Film festival Mannheim-Heidelberg in 1983

Creations of Morshedul Islam

Khelaghor (2006)
Durotto (2004)
Shorot (2000)
Brishty (2000)
Dukhai (1997)
Dipu Number Two (1996)
Chaka (1993)
Shuchona (1988)
Nouka O Jibon (1986)
Agami (1984)

Tareque Masud

Career of Tareque Masud

Tareque Masud is an independent film director from Bangladesh.
Masud mentions in his website and on many interviews about his childhood experience while studying in a madrasa. The Liberation War fought against Pakistan disrupted his life as it did the lives of countless others. After the war, he pursued a general education and completed his postgraduate Masters degree from Dhaka University on History. His first acclaimed film was a documentary entitled Adam Surat (Inner Strength) on the Bangladeshi painter SM Sultan which he completed in 1989. His most famous film in early age of his career was a documentary entitled Muktir Gaan (The Song of Freedom, 1995) where camera follows music Troup in the time of Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971. The members of the Troup sing songs for freedom fighters to inspire them. The film was made mainly based on the footage of American filmmaker Liar Levin which he got at the basement of Levin's house in New York. Along with his wife, Catherine Masud who is also the co-director of Masud and a prominent film editor, he runs a film production house based in Dhaka named Audiovision. His first full-length feature film, Matir Moina (English release title "The Clay Bird") which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival, derives inspiration from his own childhood experiences. He won the International Critic's Award in the Cannes film festival in 2002 for this film. Matir Moina was received with critical praise and toured the international circuit. It was one of the first Bangladeshi films to be widely circulated and was greeted with enthusiasm for its realistic depiction of life without the melodrama that is prevalent in many other South Asian films. His latest film Ontorjatra is a tale of two generations of Bangladeshi Diaspora in London. The film describes the short visit of a divorced mother and her son to home. The next project of Tareque and Catherine Masud is Kagojer Phool (The Paper Flower) which deals with the incidents of the partition of Indian sub-continent and the film may be called the prequel of Matir Moina.

Catherine Masud & Tareque Masud

Creation of Tareque Masud

Kagojer Phool (The Paper Flower), Forthcoming
Ontarjatra (The Homeland), 2006
Matir Moina (The Clay Bird), 2002
Muktir Kotha (The Story of Freedom), 1996
Muktir Gaan (The Song of Freedom), 1995
Adam Surat (The Inner Strength), 1989
Sonar Beri (The Chains of Gold), 1985

Alamgir Kabir

Career of Alamgir Kabir

Alamgir Kabir was a great Bangladeshi film director and cultural person. He has made some of the most seminal films in Bangladesh film history. Three of his feature films are featured in the "Top 10 Bangladeshi Films" list by British Film Institute [BFI].

He was born on 26 December 1938 at Rangamati district. He completed the matriculation in 1952 from Dhaka Collegiate School and the intermediate in 1954 from Dhaka College. After completion of bachelors from the Dhaka University in Physics, he went to England to study Electrical Engineering at Oxford University. In that time he came across the Seventh Seal by Ingmar Bergman. He watched it several times and became attracted to filmmaking. He went on to complete a number of courses on the history of the film industry, film direction and aesthetics.

In 1966, Alamgir came back home. Then he started his professional life as a journalist and very soon became popular as a serious film critic. With the start of the war of independence in 1971, he joined the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra as chief of its section of English. He also worked as the chief reporter of the Bangladesh government in exile. This period also he starts of his directorial life with making of documentaries.

After the war of independence, he started making feature films. His films were critically acclaimed and were very popular.

Personal Life of Alamgir Kabir

He married Manjura Begum in 1968. They passed 7 years family life. In 1975, after separation from her, again he got married to actress Jayasree Kabir. He was the father of three daughters. He was killed in an unfortunate road accident on 20 January 1989.

Creations of Alamgir Kabir

Total creation of Almgir Kabir is 9 short films and 7 feature films in his very short creating life.

1. Short films

Liberation Fighter
Pogrom in Bangladesh
Culture in Bangladesh
Sufia, Amulya Dhan (The Invaluable)
Bhor Holo Dor Kholo (Open the Door now at the Dawn)
Amra Dujan (The Two of Us)
Ek Sagar Rakter Binimoye (At the Cost of a Sea of Blood)
Monikanchan (The Diamond)
Chorasrot (The Unseen Trend)

2. Feature films

Mahanayak (The Great Hero) - 1985
Parinita (The Wedded) - 1984
Mohana (The Mouth of a River) - 1982
Rupali Saikate (Along the Silver Beach) - 1979
Simana Periey (Beyond the Borders) - 1977
Surja Kannya (Daguhter of Sun) - 1975
Dhire Bahe Meghna (Quiet Flows the Meghna) - 1973

Awards of Alamgir Kabir

Cine Journalists Award
Zahir Raihan Film Award of Uttaran
Syed Mohammad Parvez Award

Zahir Raihan

Career of Zahir Raihan

Zahir Raihan was a Bangladeshi writer, novelist and filmmaker. He is perhaps most well-known for his documentary ‘Stop Genocide’ made during the Bangladesh Liberation War. He disappeared on December 30, 1971 trying to locate his brother, Shahidullah Kaiser the famous writer, who was captured and killed by the Pakistan army and local collaborators during the last days of the war.

Zahir Raihan was born on August 19, 1935 named Mohammad Zahirullah, in the village Majupur, now in Feni District, Bangladesh. In 1947, after the Partition of Bengal, he, along with his parents, returned to his village from Calcutta. He completed Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Bengali from Dhaka University. He received his post graduate degree in Bengali Literature. Along with literature works Raihan started working as a journalist when he joined "Juger Alo" in 1950.Later he also worked in newspapers namely "Khapchhara", "Jantrik", "Cinema". He also worked as the editor of "Probaho" in 1956. First collection of his short stories bannered "Suryagrahan" was published in 1955. He worked as an assistant in the film "Jago Huya Savera" with Akter Jong Kardar in 1957. This was his first foot print in film. He was also assisted Salahuddin in the film "Je Nodi Morupothay". The famous filmmaker Ehtesham also took him for his movie "A Desh Tomar Amar" where he wrote the title song. In 1960 he arrived as a director in his film "Kokhono Asheni". He completed his first cinemascope movie "Bahana" in 1965. In 1952 he was an active worker of the Language Movement and was present at the historical meeting of Amtala on February 21, 1952. The effect of language movement was so effect on him that he made his legendary film "Jibon Theke Neya" based on it. He also took part in the "Gano Obhyuthyan" in 1969. In 1971 he joined in the Liberation War of Bangladesh and created documentary films on this great event. During the war of liberation Raihan went to Kolkata where his film “Jibon Theke Neya” was shown. His film was highly acclaimed by Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen, Tapan Sinha and Ritwik Ghatak. Though he had his financial problem going on that time, he gave all his money to the Freedom Fighters trust that he got from the show.

Personal Life of Zahir Raihan

He had been married twice, to Sumita Devi in 1961 and Shuchanda in 1968, both of whom were film actresses.

Books of Zahir Raihan

'Surya Grahan' (The eclipse), 1954
'Shesh Bikeler Meye' (The Girl from the Afternoon)
'Hajar Bachhar Dhare' (Through Thousand Years)
'Arek Falgun' (Another Falgun Day), based on the Language Movement of 1952
'Baraf Gala Nadi' (The River of Icy Waters)
'Ar Kata' Din (For How Long)
'Koyekti' Mrittu (A Few Deaths)
'Trishna' (Thirst)

Creations of Zahir Raihan

Zahir Raihan creates feature film and documentary film as director. He also introduced himself as assistant director, screenplay writer, story writer, song writer, manager and producer.

As Director

Feature Films of Zahir Raihan
‘Let There Be Light’ -1970-71 (uncompleted)
‘Jiban Theke Neya’ - 1970
‘Jalte Suruj Ki Nichey’ -1970
‘Anwara’ -1967
‘Behula’ -1966
‘Ekushey February’ – 1966 (announced)
‘Bahana’ - 1965
‘Sangam’ - 1964 (the first color film made in Pakistan)
‘Kancher Deyal’ - 1963
‘Sonar Kajal’ – 1962 (jointly directed with Kolim Shorafi)
‘Kakhono Asheni’ – 1961

Documentary Films of Zahir Raihan
‘Stop Genocide’ -1971 (Documentary on the genocide by Pakistani Army in the Bangladesh Liberation War, 1971)
‘A State Is Born’ - 1971

As Other Contributions

Feature Films
‘Jago Huya Savera’ – 1959 (assistant director)
‘A Desh Tomar Amar’ – 1959 (assistant director)
‘Nobarun’ – 1960 (assistant director)
‘Je Nodi Morupothay’ -1961 (assistant director & screenplay writer)
‘Agun Niye Khela’ – 1967 (superintendent)
‘Julekha’ – 1967 (producer)
‘Dui Bhai’ – 1968 (producer & Song writer)
‘Sonsar’ – 1968 (producer & Song writer)
‘Suoranee Duoranee’ – 1968 (producer, screenplay & Song writer)
‘Kunchboron Konya’ – 1968 (producer & Song writer)
‘Moner Moto Bou’ – 1969 (producer)
‘Shesh Porjonto’ – 1969 (producer & Song writer)
‘Beder Meye’ – 1969 (superintendent & screenplay writer)
‘Protishod’ – 1970 (producer)
‘Jog Beog’ – 1970 (producer)

Documentary Films
‘Liberation Fighters’ – 1971 (Producer)
‘Innocent Millions’ – 1971 (Producer)

Awards of Zahir Raihan

Adamjee Literature Award
Bangla Academy Award (1972)

Top 10 Bangladeshi films

Top 10 Bangladeshi films
Rated by British Film Institute [BFI]
Here the name of film, director and year………….

1
Titash Ekti Nadir Naam
Ritwik Ghatak
1973
Alternative title: A River Named Titash
Running time: 159 mins
Starring: Fakrul Hasan Bairagi, Narain Chakraborty, Banani Choudhury

2
Chitra Nodir Pare
Tanvir Mokammel
1999
Alternative title: Quiet Flows The River Chitra
Running time: 110 mins
Starring: Momtajuddin Ahmed, Asfana Mimi, Roswan Jamil

3
Nodir Naam Madhumati
Tanvir Mokkamel
1994
Alternative title: A River Named Madhumati
Running time: 120 mins
Starring: Aly Zaker, Towkir Ahmed, Raisul Islam Asad

4
Shimana Perye
Alamgir Kabir
1977
Alternative title: Across The Fringe
Starring: Jayashree Kabir, Bulbul Ahmed

5
Beder Meye Josna
Tojammel Haque Bokul
1989
Starring: Anju Ghosh, Ilias Kanchon

6
Surja Dighal Bari
Shaik Niamat Ali & Masihuudin Shaker
1979
Alternative title: The Ominous House/House By The Sun

7
Dhire Bohe Meghna
Alamgir Kabir
1973
Alternative title: Quiet Flows The River Meghna
Starring: Babita, Bulbul Ahmed, Anwar Hussain

8
Rupali Shaikate
Alamgir Kabir
1979
Starring: Kafi Khan, Jayashree Kabir, Bulbul Ahmed

9
Srabon Megher Din
Humayn Ahmed
1999
Starring: Zahid Hassan, Gholam Mostafa

10
SatBhaiChompa
DilipShom
1968