Renowned filmmaker Piplu R Khan’s pandemic-time film Jaya Ar Sharmin will begin streaming on popular Bangladeshi OTT platform Chorki from midnight on Thursday.
The film explores the psychological journey of two women from starkly different social backgrounds — an actress and her domestic aide — locked in together during the Covid-19 lockdown. Within the confined space, their fragile bond evolves and eventually collapses under the weight of solitude and shifting relationships.
Starring acclaimed actress Jaya Ahsan alongside theatre and screen performer Mohsina Akter, the film also features Tanzim Saiyara Totini in a guest role. Co-written by Piplu R Khan and Nusrat Islam Mati, the production was first released in theatres in May this year and is now set for its OTT debut.
Expressing his excitement, Piplu said: “We are very happy that Jaya Ar Sharmin is coming to OTT. The film explores women’s psychology, and I feel female audiences will particularly relate to it. Many expatriate Bangladeshis have shown interest in watching the film, and now they will get the chance. Overall, Chorki is the perfect home for this film.”
Sharing her reflections, Jaya Ahsan said the project was unlike any other in her career. “During the shoot, I wouldn’t even go home because my mother lived there. We worked with a minimal unit, sometimes forgetting that the camera was rolling; we washed and ironed our own costumes repeatedly to ensure hygiene. The acting felt less like performance and more like living the reality we had all endured during the pandemic,” she recalled.
The actress described filming in Banani, one of Dhaka’s busiest areas, yet finding complete silence due to the lockdown. “We recorded live sound, without dubbing; and at times, we even wondered if this would be our last film. When it released in theatres, people called it an honest film — and now on Chorki, even more people will be able to revisit that time and reflect on how we overcame it,” Jaya added.
Mohsina Akter highlighted the creative freedom she received from Piplu. “Very few directors allow this level of improvisation — and he gave me the confidence to experiment, which requires courage and trust from both the director and co-actors. I realized during the pandemic that we are so insignificant before nature. Life is the greatest gift, yet also the most fragile. We must value relationships, family ties, and the time we spend with others,” she said.
Through "Jaya Ar Sharmin", Piplu R Khan sought to capture not only the struggles of lockdown, but also deeper realizations of human vulnerability, empathy, and resilience, according to Chorki.