Sep 7 – The approaching release of Shah Rukh Khan’s second action picture of the year, ‘Jawan,’ is causing a big upheaval in the Bangladeshi film business. Because of the complicated political and cultural factors involved, this film has generated quite a bit of attention in the surrounding country.
Earlier this year, the Bangladeshi government and film industry reached an agreement, allowing a maximum of ten Hindi films to be screened in the nation each year.This move was met with years of opposition from local artists concerned about the impact of foreign films on the local film industry. ‘Jawan,’ the third Hindi film to be presented under this new arrangement, will debut in Bangladesh on the same day as its release in India on 7th September.
Previous Hindi films released in Bangladesh, namely ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan,’ disappointed industry expectations. Khourshed Alam, the film’s producer, attributed their poor performance to the fact that they were released in Bangladesh after their global premieres. Audiences appear to have previously seen these films through other media by the time they arrived in local theatres. However, Alam points out that while ‘Jawan’ is being released simultaneously over the world, it remains to be seen how well it will fare in Bangladesh.
‘Jawan,’ directed by Atlee, has already been certified for theatrical release by the Censor Board, according to Anonno Mamun, the spokesperson for the film’s distribution company in Bangladesh. Nayanthara, Vijay Sethupathi, Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, and Sunil Grover star in the film, and Deepika Padukone makes a guest appearance.
Despite the excitement, the film has its critics. A slew of famous directors and actors, including Delwar Jahan Jhantu, AQ Khokon, Saimon Tariq, and others, have spoken out against ‘Jawan’s’ release. Their criticism arises from a fear that foreign films will eclipse Bangladesh’s painstakingly maintained film industry. They claim that ‘Jawan’ is not following established import regulations for Hindi films and are prepared to file a protest if necessary.
Conflicting viewpoints inside industry organisations are adding gasoline to the fire. While Miya Alauddin, senior vice president of Bangladesh Chalachitra Pradarshak Samiti, acknowledges that there is a high demand for quality content, Ilias Kanchan, president of Chalachitra Shilpi Samiti, and Kazi Hayat, president of Bangladesh Parichalak Samiti believe that local films have outperformed imports and question the cultural value that Hindi films could potentially add.
Furthermore, booking agents and theatre owners in Bangladesh are allegedly ecstatic, believing that ‘Jawan’ will outperform past Hindi films in terms of commercial success. The film is also being booked ahead of its release in the United States and India, adding to the global buzz.
In this complex environment, it will be fascinating to watch if ‘Jawan’ alters the direction of foreign cinema reception in Bangladesh, either confirming critics’ concerns or validating supporters’ enthusiasm. With its star-studded ensemble and global premiere, ‘Jawan’ is sure to create an impression in some way.
