Bhuban Majhi on an ‘alternative’ mission

Director Fakhrul Arefeen Khan’s romantic war flick Bhuban Majhi is on a new mission. After the release of the film on March 3 in 15 theatres nationwide, makers of the cinema are now bringing their production directly to the audience. After having an immense response in Chittagong, the alternative screening of the film is currently ongoing in Sylhet and the crowd is loving it. [caption id="attachment_52724" align="alignleft" width="200"] Fakhrul Arefeen Khan[/caption] When asked about the reasons behind their decision of an alternative screening method, director Khan replied, “What else can we do? Mindset of the conventional theatres in our country doesn’t quite go along with us. Besides, there are some technical difficulties as well. Screens and projectors of the theaters are not properly equipped to show what we really want to show. At least, I am not satisfied with their standards.” “There are also issues in the distribution method. Without a houseful audience, producers can barely  be profited from the film. Especially in cases of district level theatres where enough audience do not show up, the screening often gets cancelled,” he added. The film has received a lot of positive response, with large audience rushing in to watch it in the capital’s Star Cineplex. “People who want to watch our film don’t want to go to theatres. As a result, we decided to bring it to them,” said the National Film Award winning filmmaker. According to Khan, filmgoers are completely loving the alternative projection method. Shows are turning houseful, when many of the district level theatres have called the screening of the film off due to insufficient audience after a few days of release. The Bhuban Majhi crew are looking forward to continuing the screening in new locations. As the director said, “We’ve already completed alternative screening in Chittagong, and currently screening the film in Sylhet. We are planning to go to other divisional cities. Rajshahi and Khulna are next on the list.” Bhuban Majhi is an epic love story which sustains through the turmoil of the Liberation War. The film narrates the story of a spiritual man named Baul Nohor Majhi, who lives in Kushtia. During the Liberation War, the baul (minstrel) joins the war to fight for his country, while a young girl named Farida, who belongs to an upright family, inspires him to join the historic mission. Renowned Tollywood actor Parambrata Chatterjee plays the role of Baul Nohor Majhi in the film and Aparna Ghosh plays the character of Farida. Fakhrul Arefeen Khan entered into the film industry with his first documentary film Al Badar and won the National Film Award 2011. The movie also won a number of international awards and plaudits in the Commonwealth Film Festival, SARAC Film Festival and Ankara Film Festival.