After ‘Poran’, we have high hopes for ‘Hawa’: Misha Sawdagor
Alongside his commendable performances in negative roles, popular actor Misha Sawdagor has successfully served as the president of Bangladesh Film Artists' Association. The actor is currently awaiting the release of four of his productions, namely "Cinema-Local", "Pordar Arale", "Betray", and "Jimmi 2".
The National-Award winning actor recently returned from the US. The Daily Star caught up with the star to learn his thoughts on the recent waves being made in Bangladeshi cinema.
Many are saying that a wave of positive change is taking place in our local cinema industry. What are your thoughts in regards to this?
As I myself am a person of positive nature, I believe that 10 quality productions can completely alter the status quo of this industry.
A few productions have recently come forward as a ray of hope for the industry. However, we need to maintain this positive trend and ensure that such winds of change keep blowing over Bangladeshi cinema.
Is it likely that we will overcome the current drought prevailing in the Bangladeshi cinema industry?
This change will not take place in just one or two days. Rather, it will take a long and sustained effort to overcome this drought.
For example, I know that Debashish Biswas's "Shoshurbari Zindabad 2" initially pulled audiences to the theatres after the pandemic. Soon after, "Shaan" and "Golui", which were released during Eid-ul-Fitr, also managed to attract viewers to the halls.
At present, "Poran" and "Din - The Day" are dominating the silver screen, with most of their shows being houseful. If this trend continues, our golden days will return very soon.
Did you enjoy watching "Poran"?
I absolutely loved it! I do not think we will come across such a production in the next 5-10 years. "Poran" encapsulates the essence of Bangladeshi cinema, and the artistes involved have pulled of their characters beautifully. "Poran" is a film you can watch with your family and have a great time in the theatre. At the same time, it can also bring back memories of our own life.
"Shada Shada Kala Kala", a song from the upcoming film "Hawa", started trending on social media as soon as it was released. What are your expectations from this production?
"Hawa" features one of the most prominent actors in Bangladesh, Chanchal Chowdhury, alongside other upcoming stars. We are also well aware of Mejbaur Rahman Sumon's capabilities as a director.
The impact the song, as well as the film's first look has made does not come as a shock to me. In fact, this is the type of reception I expected for "Hawa".
I have high hopes for "Hawa", and I hope that audiences will be satisfied by the final production when it is released on July 29.
Which genres are our audience most inclined to watch these days?
Productions that are based on our people, our culture, that viewers relate the most with, are the ones likely to succeed.
When watching these types of films, the audience feels that they are a part of the story, leaving them with a sense of belonging—such emotions help them better connect with the characters and the plot.
How important is the role of a director in a production?
A director is the captain of the ship—the one to be credited if it manages to reach the shores, and the only one to take blame if the ship sinks.
The director is responsible for ensuring that actors give their best performance. They are also the one tasked with takings notes about the script, artistes, crew members and every single major and minor aspect of a production.
If a filmmaker invests their heart and soul into a production, the outcome will always be praiseworthy.
Translated by Ashley Shoptorshi Samaddar