Stars of 2012
Look Forward
Top names of big and small screens in 2012 talk about ups, downs and what’s next
Redoan Rony, Director
The film industry right now needs a lot of improvement and development, but I believe it has started. It is not an overnight process, and the changes are coming gradually, but they are happening.
The biggest hurdle we have to face as film directors are regarding technology. Quality post-production facilities are not yet available in the country, so we have to go abroad and pay in dollars to do it. When such facilities become available in Bangladesh, the process will become more convenient, efficient and cost-effective. Logistical problems are another headache. When shooting for “Chorabali”, I found out there was no car mount for 35mm cameras, and had to do the scenes with very difficult alternative arrangements. The other problem I faced was that of distribution. There are a number of stages — from distributors to hall owners and more, causing a lot of money to be wasted, and it is impossible to monitor the exact sales of the movie because almost all the halls have manual record-keeping.
The biggest positives for films in 2012 were viewers. I have seen people standing in long queues outside halls in the cold weather, and their reaction has been very positive. One other big positive that I find is that there are new, young directors in the country now, who are thinking cinematically. The frequency of good films, both in terms of aesthetics and commercial value, are increasing.
I have plans to start work on my second full-length feature film this year, and I plan to take it outside the country with commercial international releases, and not just for film festivals.
Kalyan Corraiya, Actor
There has been a lot of development in the TV drama industry this year. A number of new directors have emerged, the number of TV channels has gone up, and the volume of work that has been done for TV has also been significant. In terms of films, I’d say it might take a while, but the industry will go up to a good position; the change has started. There are more good movies coming out in a year than before, and the confidence of both filmmakers and the audience is increasing, which I see as a big positive for the sector.
Thankfully, I have had no major hurdles to overcome. I try to stay open and clear to my directors, and always try to give my best at what I’m doing. I feel fortunate that 2012 has been good to me.
2013 is going to be an exciting year for me. “Jonaki’r Alo”, my first commercial film, is being released this year. My ultimate target is to establish myself in the film scene, and I’ll work towards that goal this year, and will do my best to take the film industry ahead from my position as an actor.
Masud Akhond, Director
I can see the film industry going through a process of change, and a positive one at that. The situation is a tad chaotic right now because of the transition, but it is going in the right direction.
One of the biggest obstacles directors have to face is finance related. Investors do not have faith in movies much, because there is not enough viewership. The audience complains that they don’t go to halls because there are not many good cinemas, and the films are not good. And the hall owners in turn say they cannot make better cinema halls unless people are coming to movies. In the end, the filmmaker has to sacrifice to have his movie come out.
The current mass of viewers at the cinema halls is from a certain class of the society, who come to the cinemas to be entertained. However, a number of young directors are active these days, and if they can understand the market and make good films accordingly, there is hope of overcoming this predicament.
I’m hoping to give the viewers two purely entertaining, “pop-corn” films this year if everything goes right. I strongly believe people will greatly enjoy “Dasher Rani Tasher Ghor” and “Swopnopoka”.
Rakhi, Model and TV Actress
The year 2012 has been good for modeling, and I strongly believe that the quality of work that is being done here in ads is better than many Indian ones. In terms of acting, it’s a positive thing that there is more scope to work now that the industry is expanding, but at the same time, there are a lot of directors who have come to work without sound knowledge and understanding. I think there should be more selectiveness so that good directors and good TV series get more exposure.
I am always looking for challenging assignments, and to be frank, I don’t see too many challenges coming my way. I certainly hope that I can get more offers for challenging roles, be it as an actress or model.
I’m hosting my first TV reality show “Handsome: The Ultimate Man” this year, and I’m really looking forward to it. Although I have anchored TV programmes before, this will be my first as a host of a reality show.
Ishana, Model and TV Actress
The whole entertainment industry, as far as I can see, is in a good place right now. There are more TV channels than before, so there is more scope of work. New artistes are emerging, alongside new directors who are bringing fresh ideas. In terms of adverts and acting, there has been big progress.
One problem that we face is that artistes are often blamed for being irresponsible. However, directors are also to blame some times for similar issues, but it usually never comes up. Also, a quarter inside the media is trying to besmirch its image outside, which is very sad. I hope everyone becomes more aware and cautious against these unscrupulous people.
My motto for 2013 will be to do a lot of good work, work that I enjoy doing.
Himu Akram, TV Play Director and Playwright
There are reasons to be very happy and very sad about the current television scenario. While most of the current TV serials are better in terms of story and making than the Indian soap operas, most TV viewers are still inclined towards the latter. I believe if people start watching local TV channels more for entertainment, the quality of work will improve even further.
My biggest regret in 2012 was for my TV series “Joynal Jadukor” that I had started with a lot of hope, and it was received by the audience very positively as well. However, I could not finish it the way I wanted to, as I had to abruptly end it because the central character of my show, Zahid Hassan, could not continue with the project.
On the other hand, one of the biggest positives of recent times has been the new directors who are very knowledgeable about their work. They watch a lot of movies from around the world, read a lot and are always looking to innovate.
My personal goal for 2013 is to bring new drama serials to the small screen. I have at least 5 projects to be aired on TV this year. Besides, I also have plans to make my directorial debut with a full-length feature film.
Ali Emran, TV Play Director and Playwright
There have been a lot of experimental works on TV in 2012. However, the channels are apprehensive because of the heavy influence of Indian TV shows on our viewers. Upcoming directors are coming and doing new work, but it is difficult to sustain it if it’s not financially viable. The ray of hope, however is that some TV channels are focusing more on story and making instead of star value, which will give low-budget projects a fair chance.
The biggest hurdles in the sector are finance related. While some channels are uncooperative at times, there are too many ad breaks that take away viewers’ attention.
My target for 2013 is to come out of my usual style of work, and deliver some comedy-based TV shows that will also have messages. Most TV viewers want to be entertained more than anything, and the format of new stories with the same stock characters will hopefully be taken well by the audience.
-With The Daily Star input
