Tanvir in action behind the camera

Tanvir Mokammel, an acclaimed film director with many awards to his credit, and whose film retrospective will run at Alliance Francaise from January 14th, speaks about how he got into films. He says, "From my childhood films always fascinated me. My father had a definite role in it. He himself was an avid viewer of films from the western countries and I was his companion. The decisive influence was, I guess, from my university days when my friends and I formed a film club and began to watch films and write about cinema seriously. Then at one stage I thought it might be more interesting to make a film by myself rather than only talk and write about cinema. Hence, I made my first short film on a poem by Nirmalendu Goon titledHooliya."

Tanvir's films are influenced by the great names of the Western world. Nearer home, it is Tanvir's dream to have Ritwik Ghatak's passion and Satyajit Ray's perfectionism.

Tanvir had two opportunities to study filmmaking formally. But by the time he was awarded the Pune scholarship, he had become a political activist and couldn't make it. When he got a scholarship to go to Europe he was making films himself and didn't feel the urge to go.

Asked if he only gave direction or took camera shots as well, he says, that he shot only one film himself. This was a documentary on the lane of Shankharibazar of old Dhaka Tale Of A Lane.

Talking about which film he enjoyed making the most and which posed most problems for him, Tanvir says that so far he has made four feature films and seven short films and documentaries. "It is difficult to pinpoint which one I liked most, as each one had some pleasant memories (some bad memories as well!). But, I guess the film that I enjoyed making the most was Chitra Nodir Parey(Quiet flows the river Chitra), as the film was also a journey back to my childhood.

"On the opposite end, I faced the most acute problem with the film Nadir Naam Modhumati (The river named Madhumati). We were faced with financial constraints. We did not receive any help from the concerned services. Hence the battle scenes of the film were unprofessional."

Talking about the problems that he normally faces, Tanvir says that the paucity of funds is the major problem. The absence of proper technology in Bangladesh is also a big handicap, he comments. Likewise the Censor Board and its undemocratic and archaic rules are also a hindrance, he adds.

Dwelling on the themes of his films, Tanvir says that they differ from film to film. Tanvir observes, "The themes generally relate to our history or the secular and progressive aspirations of our people. But, I think, at the end, they are stories of human interest."

Dwelling on his selection of actors and actresses, Tanvir says, "I choose my actors and actresses from theatre groups."

Asked to give his opinion of the standard of film-making in Bangladesh, Tanvir says, "Technologically, film-making in Bangladesh is lagging 30 years behind the global scenario. In the commercial filmdom the picture is very dismal. The makers seem to have run out of ideas."

Giving his opinion on the leading film-makers of Bangladesh, Tanvir talks about Tarek and Catherine Masud, Morshedul Islam and Shameem Akhter. "It is inspiring to see upcoming talents like Saidul Anam and Taukir Ahmed. Among the documentary film-makers Manzare Hassin Murad, Kauser Choudhury and Yasmin Kabir are also noteworthy," he adds.