Farooki’s movie on ‍‍`Holey Artisan attack‍‍` gets censor board nod after 3.5 yrs

After being stuck in the censor board for more than three and a half years, the much-discussed movie ‘Shanibar Bikkel’ (Saturday Afternoon) by the acclaimed director Mostofa Sarwar Farooki finally got permission to release in the theatres.

Bangladesh film censor board’s appeal committee member Shyamal Dutta confirmed the matter on Saturday afternoon.

The film is reportedly made on the backdrop of the 2016 terror attack on the Holey Artisan Bakery in Gulshan 2, Dhaka. It stars Zahid Hasan, Nusrat Imroz Tisha and Kolkata’s Parambrata Chattopadhyay in the three lead roles.

The censor board, watchdog of Bangladeshi films, blocked the release because of the fear that the film could tarnish the image of the country.

The movie is going to be released after many ups and downs amid an Indian cinema Faraaz directed by Hansal Mehta under the banner of T-Series is going to be released on February 3.

The seven-member appeal committee of censor board consisted of Cabinet Secretary as president of the committee, censor board Chairman as convener, censor board vice-chairman as member secretary.

Moreover, actress and lawmaker Suborna Mustafa, former additional secretary Nurul Karim, actress Suchorita and journalist Shyamal Dutta were members of the committee.

“Since the film is not an exact adaptation of the events of Holey Artisan Bakery attack, there is no obstacle to its release. There is no need to add or modify any scenes,” said Shyamal.

He added that Farooki was asked from the meeting of appeal committee to make a declaration regarding ‘Shanibar Bikkel’ that the movie is not a direct portrayal of the events of Holey Artisan Bakery incidents.

Farooki from his verified Facebook handle stated regarding the release of his film, “We hope they (appeal committee) will write to us soon, so that the film will be released next on Friday or the Friday after that. Inshallah, I will arrange the release of the film with or before Faraaz.”

The 15-member censor board unanimously ruled the film unfit for release in 2019, before the members of the appellate committee watched the film ‘Shanibar Bikkel’ on Saturday.

At that time, quoting censor board, Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud told that the movie was based on the terrorist attack on the 2016’s (July 1) Holey Artisan Bakery attack in Dhaka.

The law enforcement agency members of the country rescued the helpless hostages in exchange of their lives. Two policemen gave their lives, that was missing in Farooki’s movie, the minister added then.

‘Shanibar Bikkel’ is prodiced by Jaaz Multimedia.