Pubail ‘shooting village’ coming back to old self
For many celebrities of the big and small screen and the creative people behind their success, the 'shooting graam' on the outskirts of Dhaka has been almost like a second home, if only by the sheer amount of time they spend there.
The entire village -- dedicated to year-long shooting of TV plays and films -- is Bhadun, under Pubail union of Gazipur, known for multiple shooting spots interspersed across it.
The economy of the village -- almost completely dependent on shooting -- took a big hit when filming of all kinds was off for close to five months due to the coronavirus outbreak. All shooting houses were forced to lay shut. Stripped of their rent income, the owners of the houses had a hard time coping with the "new normal", like many others who make a living off the entertainment industry.
But things are getting back to normal again. As the shutdown has been eased and fear of the virus is gradually subsiding, the houses have started to bustle once again. Filming is going on all day, and sometimes even into the night, but business is yet to pick up to previous levels.
"We have been bearing a lot of losses over the last five months," shooting house owner Musa Miah lamented. "Though filming has resumed, it's yet to reach normal levels. We also have to bear the cost of buying masks and sanitisers for the staff."
The costs of the pandemic isn't limited to just the house owners of Bhadun. A case of all eggs in one basket, almost the entirety of Bhadun's economy is dependent on filming. When schedules are off, the whole community suffers.
The list of beneficiaries of Bhadun's unique disposition stretches long. Alongside shooting houses and the staffers they employ, there are households that rent out their farm animals for "acting", generator service providers, dining staff, and even shopkeepers.
Shopkeeper Azizul revealed a fun little tidbit. "It's something of a ritual here. If a director comes to film at our shops, whether they use it for 10 minutes or an hour, they pay us 500 taka."
There's also a generator business that sprouted around the village. As demand for uninterrupted electricity is high, generators are always in demand, at least they used to be, until the pandemic hit. There's around 20 generators up for rent in Bhadun. Mamun, works for a team of generator service providers, told this correspondent, "I've made quite a few bucks over the last couple of years, but it hasn't been the same for the last few months."
Another source of income comes from working at dining units. With so many outsiders living in Bhadun all the time, there's always a need for cooks and chefs, and a sizeable part of Bhadun's population makes their money by working at dining units on the sets.
Bhadun's filming hub grew up some 23 years ago. It began when famed director Amzad Hossain went out looking for shooting spots and stumbled upon the village. Amzad loved it; from the greenery to the water bodies, there's ample nature for one to unwind. He started coming to it for his productions, kick-starting an entire economy in the course. Amzad Hossain's "Agoon Laga Shondha" was eventually televised on Ekushey Television.After things started picking up, the village gradually became what it is now. Today, there's more than 20 shooting houses in Bhadun, with mudhouses being of extra demand.One of the mudhouses is owned by Badshah. Along with Badshah's, there are other known houses in Bhadun. There's Shahin's house, Harun's house, Meghla Akash, Bilbilai and more. Bilbilai stands in the middle of a pond, and you need small boats to get there.
However, the village is perhaps best known for Salauddin Lavlu's rural tele-dramas. Lavlu has spent months on end here, filming his long-running TV series.
Reminiscing his time with Bhadun, the famed director was at a loss. "It's hard to numerate exactly how many of my natoks were shot here. Most of them were drama serials. "Shakin Sharishuri" and "Alta Shundori" were the most prominent of them."Lavlu, now president of the Director's Guild, said, "Filming has become more expensive now (post-coronavirus). There's a lot of additional costs due to the need to maintain health guidelines. But while costs have increased, the price of the productions remain the same."
It's a haven for fans of the showbiz. A few students of Pubail College said they're happy that they get to meet so many celebrities sitting right at home. Spending a day at Bhadun will inevitably include a lot of celebrity encounters, and it was no different for this correspondent.
Actor Shaju Khadem was found at Harun's house. "I call Bhadun the celebrity village. Even the mudhouses and stores are stars here," the popular actor said. Also present were veteran actors Mamunur Rashid, Tariq Anam Khan, playwright Briandon Das, director Aranya Anwar and many more. "This village is home to our love and nostalgia," Aranya Anwar said.But veteran actor Dr Inamul Huq complained about the time it takes to get to Bhadun. "In the past, it didn't take long to get to Pubail. But you now have to go through hours of traffic. This is a big issue for us."
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