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'1971
war not aptly projected in Bangladesh'
Saturday November 12, 2011 03:09:59 PM,
Pradipta Tapadar, IANS
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Kolkata: The political
significance of the 1971 Bangladesh liberation war was never aptly
projected among the country's youth and the nation has failed to
become what it hoped to be, says Bangladeshi filmmaker Nasiruddin
Yousuff.
A veteran of the 1971 war, Yousuff's "Guerilla" was the opening
film of the newly-introduced competitive Asian Select Category at
the Kolkata Film Festival.
"Guerilla" is a story of a Bengali woman, Bilkis Banu, involved in
the war in Dhaka where hundreds of women guerrillas came forward
to help the Mukti Bahini (liberation force) operations.
Yousuff has tried to send out two messages through his film -- one
for the youth of the nation and the other for the global audience.
"I have tried to uphold the ideals of nationalism which prompted
the liberation war for the youth of my beloved country," Yousuff
told IANS.
"Also, I have tried to highlight to the global viewers the fight
of the oppressed masses against the violators of human rights," he
added.
Asked why he projected a woman as the main protagonist, the
filmmaker said: "Mukti Bahini soldiers are hailed for their
participation in the war but nobody talks about the women who
participated and sacrificed everything for the country's
liberation."
"Secondly, this film also speaks of women empowerment. Currently,
Bangladeshi women are not empowered although women fought in the
war of 1971," he added.
The 60-year-old regrets that the political significance of the war
has not been aptly projected among the youth of Bangladesh.
"There were many reasons behind it: the assassination of Sheikh
Mujibur Rahman (considered the Father of the Nation), the military
coup and dictatorship, and the rise of pro-Pakistan fundamentalism
in the country," Yousuff said.
"Also, no proper novels have been written about the war. School
and college books don't have its proper description. The
youngsters are not even properly aware of it," he said.
Bangladesh was born in 1971 out of the then East Pakistan after a
fierce liberation war.
Yousuff said Bangladesh has failed to become the nation it craved
to be at the time of liberation.
The director is a self-confessed fan of legendary Indian
filmmakers Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak and is particularly fond
of Ray's masterpiece "Apur Sansar" and Ghatak's classic "Subarnarekha".
"I would love to work in a collaborative project of the two
countries. But so far, I haven't got any offer. If ever I get a
chance, that would be a dream come true," he said.
The president of Combined Cultural Alliance of Bangladesh, Yousuff
made his mark in the global arena with his first film "Jesus 71"
which also revolves around the 1971 war.
Hugely inspired by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, Yousuff has
been the artistic director of the Dhaka Theatre for almost 40
years. He now plans another film on the liberation war.
Asked whether he was planning to make a trilogy on the lines of
Satyajit Ray's "Apu trilogy", a smiling Yousuff said: "After
making one more film, I will stop making films on the liberation
war."
"But through my films I will try to influence upcoming filmmakers
to make movies on the liberation war."
(Pradipta
Tapadar can be contacted at pradipta.t@ians.in)
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