Shooting for the film ‘Bangabandhu’ begins in Mumbai with Muhurat Shoot held in the Film City

PIB News Update: Shooting for the film ‘Bangabandhu’ – a biographical film on Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, jointly produced by India and Bangladesh has begun. The Muhurat Shoot was held at the Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari in Mumbai today, amidst all Covid protocols laid down by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.

Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal is directing the bio-pic, being produced as part of the birth centenary celebration of the Father of the Nation of Bangladesh.  Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting Shri Prakash Javadekar had mentioned about this film during the inauguration of the 51st International Film Festival of India, now on in Goa, as an example of close cooperation in the field of art and culture between India and Bangladesh. Incidentally, Bangladesh is also the Country of Focus at this year’s IFFI.

Atul Tiwari and Shama Zaidi have written the screenplay of the film, while  Nitish Roy is the art director of the film. Music is by Shantanu Moitra. Akashdeep is the Director of Photography.

Bangladeshi film and television actor Arifin Shuvoo is selected to play the role of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Nusrat Imrose Tisha will portray the role of Sheikh Fazilatunnesa while Nusraat Faria will play the role of Sheikh Hasina and Tauquir Ahmed will appear in the role of Sohrawardy, among others.

The film is being produced under the Audio Visual Co Production Agreement between India and Bangladesh. The MoU for production of this film was signed on 14 January last year between the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (BFDC).

The shooting for this much anticipated film was scheduled to start in March last year in Bangladesh. Owing to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the first phase of filming will now take place in the Film City Mumbai, which will go on for approximately 100 days. The second phase shooting will be held in Bangladesh, mostly filming the Muktibahini’s struggle for independence.

(Portrait of Bangabandhu for reference)

Cast and Crew, with Shyam Benegal; the Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Mumbai, Md.Lutfor Rehman; and Managing Director of Maharashtra Film, Stage and Cultural Development Corporation, Manisha Verma.