‘Khancha’ nominated for Oscars

'Khancha', a film financed by government-grant, has been nominated as Bangladesh's official entry to the 2018 Academy Awards, also known as the Oscars, in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

The announcement was made through a press conference held at a hotel in the capital's Kawran Bazar area on Thursday, where Channel i managing director Faridur Reza Sagar, director Akram Khan and lead actor Azad Abul Kalam, among others, addressed the briefing.

Akram Khan directed the film under the Impress Telefilms banner, based on a story set in the British Era.

The selection came down to two films in the final shortlist: 'Shona Bondhu' directed by Jahangir Alam Sumon and 'Khancha' directed by Akram Khan. In the end, the Bangladesh Federation of Film Societies (BFFS) and a nine-member Oscar Bangladesh Committee selected 'Khancha' for competing at the 90th Academy Awards.

Director Akram Khan expressed his feelings "it is my pleasure that people who will attend the event, who are undoubtedly great persons, will watch my film. Though the film is about the huge number of Hindus who had to leave all their belongings in Pakistan during the partition of India in 1947, the film's message also portrays the recent incidents of Rohingya issues. Overall the film is about migratory people."

Azad Abul Kalam will be seen on the screen opposite Jaya Ahsan in the film while Chandni, Arman Parvez Murad, Kayes Chowdhury, Mahbuba Rezanur, Sadika Rahman Raisa and Mamunur Rashid, among others, acted different roles in the film.

Azad Abul Kalam and Akram have written the screenplay for the film based on a story by Hasan Azizul Haque while Tanvir Khondokar is the cinematographer of the film.

Singer Sagorika lent her vocal to the playback of the film under the direction of Binod Roy while it was shot at the various locations of Norail, Munshigonj and Natore.

The film was released at six cinema halls across the country on 22 September. The Oscars ceremony will be held on 4 March, 2018. Every country in the world is invited to send entries for the Best Foreign Language Film. The top five nominees are named and previewed on the night of the ceremony.

Source: Prothom Alo