Kamar Ahmad has accomplished fame in the international film arena following the success of his debut documentary film Shunte Ki Pao! (Are You Listening!), which is now running at the Star Cineplex of Bashundhara City. The film has been screened at twenty festivals around the world and has bagged four awards: the best film award at prestigious Paris Cinema du Reel, Golden Conch for Best Documentary and best Cinematography at Mumbai International Film Festival and the Jury Award at the Film South Asia in Nepal.
Kamar Ahmad Simon’s Shunte Ki Pao, featuring the struggles of coming back to life of the common people in the Sundarbans following the last Sidr, was also the curtain opener of the world’s oldest documentary film festival German Dok-Leipzig in 2012.
Recently he has been invited to La Fabrique Les Cinémas du Monde, located at the heart of the Festival de Cannes. He and his wife Sara Afreen, respectively as screenplay writer and producer of their upcoming project Shankhadhoni, will join the programme which facilitates young indie film makers to find co-producers for their upcoming films.
He is currently in Chittagong for promotion of Shunte Ki Pao and had an over telephone interview with the Dhaka Tribune.
How did your film Shunte Ki Pao came to light? Was it preplanned or developed gradually?
The story of the film was not preplanned as I was not going to make a feature film with definite story plan or plot. So the story developed when I started to travel from Satkhira to Bhola, the coastal belt of the country. I could connect to the struggle of the regional people. As I continued my stay, I came up with a plot. I have succeeded to portray 60-70 percents of my plan in the cinema. The rest of the element came with the process of making the documentary.
The film got international admiration and numerous awards. And now how are you getting response from the audience in home?
Though the audience in Bangladesh didn’t get vast opportunity to watch the film yet I got overwhelming response from the audience who watched the film either in Cineplex or private screening knowing the fact that it is a documentary. I consider this as fairly positive because a general concept exists here that no film beyond commercial formula can get attention or success. My film Shunte Ki Pao is an example how a film beyond the boundary can get people’s attention.
And now we are planning to travel the whole country with the film following the example of late Tareque Masud’s traveling in the country with his film Runaway and the event will take place in memory of him. Now I am in Chittagong for promoting and screening of the film and step by step I will travel across the country with the film.
Share your experience with Tareque Masud:
I worked with him for two years in Kagojer Phul’s preproduction works. Then Tareque vai postponed the Kagojer Phul project and started to work for Runaway. Meanwhile I started to work for my film Shunte Ki Pao. I am influenced by his works and cinema vision. He was a friend, philosopher and guide to me. Now, as my film is getting recognition, I am missing him the most.