Mostofa Sarwar Farooki's latest directorial venture Shonibar Bikel bagged two jury awards at the 26th Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinemas in France. On the concluding day of the festival, the film won the NETPACK Award and the High School Jury Award.
Film-maker Farooki and actor Nusrat Imrose Tisha could not attend the award giving ceremony as they left for Paris on February 17, a day before the ceremony, in order to attend an important meeting regarding a particular screening of Shonibar Bikel. However, Farooki expressed his gratitude to the jury members and the organizers of the festival through a video message.
Shonibar Bikel was screened on February 15 and 16 at the festival. Audience members sang praises of the film to Farooki and Tisha during the discussion session following the screening.
Shonibar Bikel was produced by Jaaz Multimedia and Chabial Entertainment.
Legal notice served to Farooki and Mahesh Bhatt
Farooki's Shonibar Bikel portrays the July 2016 terrorist attack at the Holey Artisan Bakery. In recent times, Indian director Mahesh Bhatt has also expressed interest in making a film dealing with this subject matter.
Both of them received legal notices asking them to refrain from releasing any film or documentary based on the Holey Artisan terrorist attack. A law firm named Legal Council sent the notice on behalf of the Abinta Kabir Foundation.
Barrister Miti Sanjana told the press that the portrayal of Abinta, who died in the terrorist attack, was strictly prohibited by Abinta's mother. Yet the film-makers paid no heed to Abinta's family.
If they continue with their project, further legal actions would be taken against them, the Barrister informed the press.
In January 2019, the Film Censor Board of Bangladesh banned the theatrical release of Shonibar Bikel as it was deemed that it could be damaging to the reputation of the country.