I’ve never felt as challenged: Ashfaque Nipun

As you scroll through Ashfaque Nipun's social media feed, you might mistake him for an activist rather than a filmmaker, though the line between the two often blurs. It's not a critique, but rather a rare testament to his courage in an industry where many, over the years, have shied away from challenging the status quo. 

Nipun has consistently raised his voice against injustice, particularly within the media world, yet his stance has never been confined to it. He's a defender of what's right, no matter the field.

As a filmmaker and influential figure in the industry, Ashfaque Nipun has felt his work evolve with the changing times, standing as a testament to how intertwined art and current affairs are.

With the fall of the previous regime, there's been talk of a more liberal Bangladesh, especially for artistes. We asked the filmmaker whether this vision is slowly becoming a reality.

"It's still too early to talk about it, to be honest," the director began to explain. "The last month and a half has been filled with uncertainty, and the law and order situation has been unstable. We can't proceed with filming, bringing along an entire crew, when there's underlying security concerns."

Nipun emphasises that working in the media, especially filming, isn't like a typical job where you can show up at the office and get to work. Many in the industry still haven't resumed at full capacity. 

Large-scale productions, especially those outside Dhaka, involve complex logistics—securing permissions from district commissioners, arranging police protection, notifying local authorities, and requiring significant financial investment from producers and investors who are hesitant to take risks in uncertain times. 

So, while there's hope that creative freedom has grown compared to the past, only time will reveal if that's truly the case, and right now, it's too early to say.

As our conversation continued, we touched a pressing topic of recent years—the censor board in the Bangladeshi film industry. 

Many filmmakers have voiced their frustration and it's become almost routine for directors to clash with the very institution meant to regulate their craft. The board not only halted the release of several films but also demanded the removal and editing of scenes that failed to meet its perplexing standards. 

"Commercial film industries abroad follow a grading system instead of a censor board, and I think it is a reasonable approach. The audience should be the final judge, not a censor board, " Nipun said.

Nipun further added that almost every Bangladeshi filmmaker has a sense of self-censorship ingrained in them. After years of dealing with censorship, they stop themselves from fully expressing their artistic capabilities. 

Nipun, widely recognised for his work on various streaming platforms, was close to making content for the big screen when the pandemic struck. He mentions that the industry lost about two years because of it. 

Looking back, though, Nipun sees the disruption to his cinema ambitions as a blessing in disguise.

"You could call it a happy accident, really. Because after the break due to the pandemic, I started working on multiple web series and subsequently landed offers which led to 'Mohanagar'," he said.

'Mohanagar' is arguably Nipun's greatest work, which even gained cross-border attention, so we had to inquire further. The media widely reported that after releasing 'Mohanagar', a political crime thriller with satirical jabs at Bangladesh's law enforcement, Nipun faced backlash from the previous regime. 

However, he declined to comment on the matter, as he plans to create content based on his experiences with the government and law enforcement, who deemed the Hoichoi series controversial and outrageous.

"As a filmmaker, I believe I should depict everything that happened and I went through, I should come up with something interesting," he said.

Nipun is currently working hard on his upcoming series for Hoichoi Bangladesh, titled 'Jimni' (Captive). Notably, this project will mark the first time stalwart Bangladeshi actress Jaya Ahsan will appear in a web series.

"We had this planned even way before the July protests, but due to the recent circumstances, we had to postpone shooting for a while," shared the filmmaker.

He continues, "Jaya Ahsan is the lead cast in 'Jimni', which is going to be a satirical and political story," Nipun said.

Before ending our conversation, we asked Nipun how he has matured as a creator over the years, especially since releasing his magnum opus, 'Mohanagar'.

"Everyone evolves, and so have I. I once leaned towards family dramas, then developed a strong interest in politically-driven stories. But as time goes on, I realise how little I know, and that there's still so much to learn and explore," commented Nipun.

Nipun further elaborates on how much people today have gone through–be it the Covid-19 pandemic or the recent government upheaval. Nipun feels like these experiences have impacted him both emotionally and professionally.

"My challenge as a filmmaker now is to uphold all the recent events and stories through my work and in that aspect, I've never felt as challenged," Nipun concluded.