Shankha and co’s plans to broaden the horizon of cinema

Cinemas of Bangladesh are not what they used to be. Theatres were shut down, their marquees fading under layers of dust. The few that remained open struggled to fill seats. For filmmakers, actors, and technicians, the industry felt like a reel spinning without direction.  

The interim government decided to bring changes under the 'Remembering Monsoon Revolution' initiative and moved on with the process. It launched a project to produce eight films, each representing a different region.  

Workshops were set up to train fresh talent outside Dhaka, bringing in new voices instead of repeating the old conversations. With Dhaka's program underway, Barishal was next. 

Filmmaker Shankha Das Gupta led the seven-day workshop, guiding participants through the craft and shaping stories meant for the screen.

Leading the training initiative in Barishal, Shankha sees the project as a crucial step forward. For years, he notes, the Ministry of Culture has remained distant from the film industry, with little collaboration between the two. 

Now, this initiative not only provides a platform for aspiring filmmakers from smaller towns but also ensures they receive the guidance and encouragement needed to break into the industry.  

"This isn't just about producing new directors," Shankha explained. "We're identifying talented storytellers, set designers, costume planners—every essential role in filmmaking. The goal is to decentralise Bangladeshi cinema so that talent isn't confined to just one city."

Discussions are already underway on how to integrate these emerging voices into the national film landscape, making this more than just a one-time workshop—it's a push toward long-term industry growth.

While many blame the decline of Bangladeshi cinema on a lack of compelling stories, the director sees the issue differently. 

"Theatres are shutting down, not because good films aren't being made, but because the industry remains fixated on outdated categories—separating films into 'art' and 'commercial' rather than simply recognising them as good or bad,"  he shared.  

"The real issue is that we, as an industry, need to engage in deeper conversations about our cinema instead of limiting ourselves to a single narrative," he said.

Shankha believes that strong narratives are already being produced and gaining recognition in both national and international platforms, but local audiences remain disconnected.  

In the race to align with global trends, many contemporary films are moving away from local history, folklore, and traditions—even though a significant portion of the audience still comes from outside major urban centres. 

Shankha sees storytelling as the foundation of a film's success but challenges the very idea of what success means. 

"This isn't just about producing new directors; we're identifying talented storytellers, set designers, costume planners—every essential role in filmmaking. The goal is to decentralise Bangladeshi cinema so that talent isn't confined to just one city,"

Shankha Das Gupta, Director

"How do we define success? Is it measured by box office earnings or by how widely a film resonates with people? Everyone has their own definition of success. But at its core, film's greatest strength is always its story," he further explained.

In Bangladesh, many young filmmakers are steering away from making films for theatrical release, raising concerns about a potential shortage of skilled directors in the industry.

Shankha sees the challenges of Bangladeshi cinema not as a shortage of filmmakers but as a deeper issue of categorisation. Too often, he argues, well-told stories are quickly labeled as "art films," discouraging theatrical releases. 

With the rise of OTT platforms, however, filmmakers now have space for continuous creative practice. But the industry's growth, he insists, isn't just in the hands of directors—it's a political and cultural issue tied to infrastructure, academia, and policy.  

As part of a government-organised festival, films from a recent workshop will premiere in July. The director, who led the initiative, emphasises that the project had no thematic restrictions—only creative freedom. For him, the July Revolution symbolises that very freedom, and the films aim to capture its essence.  

There's a common criticism that Bangladeshi filmmakers neglect general audiences, chasing festivals, awards, or commercial success at the cost of entertainment. But Shankha dismisses this notion. 

'Entertainment', he argues, isn't just about immediate gratification—if a film lingers in a viewer's mind for days, isn't that entertainment too? His goal remains to connect with local audiences first while ensuring Bangladeshi cinema gains global recognition, especially through international festivals and OTT platforms.