AMP's The 20 Best Post-Liberation (1972-2000) Films from Bangladesh
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December 29, 2020
By Fahmidul Haq
Bangladesh started producing film regularly since the mid-1950s, when it was part of Pakistan. Due to the colonial military rule by the central West Pakistan, there was a rise of Bengali nationalism and people of East Pakistan started revolting. The East did not get the power even though their political party Bangladesh Awami League got absolute majority in 1970 Pakistan election. The people of the East got increasingly agitated and there was a military crackdown in the midnight of March 25, 1971 and the war started. Through the resistance of freedom fighters and the diplomatic and military support from India, Bangladesh got liberated from Pakistan on December 16, 1971 .
This article selects the 20 best films in post-liberation (1972-2000) Bangladesh. The country had a vibrant mainstream film industry in 1970s and 1980s. Since 1990s, the industry started declining due to many internal and external factors. Meanwhile, since the mid-1980s, there was a slow but steady growth of independent cinema which started representing the national cinema of Bangladesh by documenting politics, culture and society, both in fiction and documentary genres and by participating in international festivals. Until mid-1990s, independent films were artisan in look – short in length and technically ordinary; however, gradually they started to be more mature – full length in duration and comprehensive in film techniques.
Except one or two, the selection criteria of the following 20 movies was the films’ intend to portray the broader culture and society of Bangladesh, instead of just telling a good story or entertaining audience or even just experimenting artistically. The themes of the films are diverse and deep rooted in the history and culture of Bangladesh as a nation. The films are described here in temporal order. The selection includes 2 documentaries and 18 features that comprise 5 war films, 6 rural based, 3 city centric and 1 children film. It is also interesting to note that 3 rivers are mentioned in the titles of 3 films and 3 films are set in the coast of the Bay of Bengal. It is quite natural that the rivers, the sea, and the boat would be the characters in the films made in Bengal Delta region.
Two films (“Palanka” [1975] by Rajen Tarafdar and “Padma Nadir Majhi” [1993] by Goutam Ghosh) might be included in the lists, but those were co-productions between Bangladesh and India and the director is from India. “Titas Ekti Nadir Naam” by Ritwik Ghatak was also directed by an Indian citizen, but it was solely produced by Bangladesh, hence included in the list. Moreover, Ghatak was born in Bangladesh and lived here until his early youth.
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1 new
Ora 11 Jon
1972, in 0 top lists -
2 new
Arunodoyer Agnishakkhi
1972, in 0 top lists -
3 new
Dhire Bohe Meghna
1973, in 0 top lists Check -
4 new
Titas Ekti Nodir Naam
1973 — a.k.a. A River Called Titas, in 3 top lists Check -
5 new
Sujon Sokhi
1975, in 0 top lists -
6 new
Megher Onek Rong
1976, in 0 top lists -
7 new
Shimana Perye
1976, in 0 top lists Check -
8 new
Golapi Ekhon Traine
1978 — a.k.a. The Endless Trail, in 0 top lists Check -
9 new
Sareng Bou
1978, in 0 top lists Check -
10 new
Dumurer Phul
1978, in 0 top lists -
11 new
Surja Dighal Bari
1979, in 0 top lists Check -
12 new
Rupali Shaikate
1979, in 0 top lists Check -
13 new
Ghuddi
1980, in 0 top lists -
14 new
Emiler Goenda Bahini
1980, in 0 top lists -
15 new
Dahan
1985, in 0 top lists -
16 new
Beder Meye Josna
1989, in 0 top lists Check -
17 new
Chaka
1993 — a.k.a. The Wheel, in 0 top lists Check -
18 new
Muktir Gaan
1995, in 0 top lists Check -
19 new
Chitra Nodir Pare
1998, in 0 top lists Check -
20 new
My Migrant Soul
2001, in 0 top lists Check
Last updated on Feb 13, 2021; source