Sukumari (Bengali: সুকুমারী; Bengali pronunciation: [ʃukumari]; transl. The Good Girl) is the first ever made film based in Dhaka, British India (present-day Bangladesh), initiated by enthusiasts from the Nawab family of Dhaka. Inspired by their encouragement, Ambuja Prasanna Gupta directed this experimental short silent film in 1927.[1][2] The actors and crew were all residents of Dhaka, and it was their first experience in filmmaking. Consequently, the producers, director, actors, and entire crew of this film are considered the pioneers of film production in Dhaka, and thus, in Bangladesh.[3]
| Sukumari | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Ambuja Prasanna Gupta |
| Produced by | Nawab family of Dhaka |
| Starring |
|
| Cinematography | Khwaja Ajmal |
| Distributed by | Nawab family of Dhaka |
Release date | 1927 |
Running time | 40 minutes |
| Country | British India |
| Language | Silent |
Cast and crews
editCasting
editThe young members of the Nawab family of Dhaka were enthusiastic about filmmaking and acting. It is known that Khwaja Zahir, Khwaja Adil, and Syed Saheb Alam from the Nawab family acted in films. Due to social and religious restrictions, women did not have the opportunity to act in films. Men had to play the roles of heroines. Nawabzada Nasrullah played the male role and Syed Abbus Sobhan, a young man, was chosen to play the female role.[4]
Other crews
editThe director of the film Sukumari was Ambujprosanna Gupta, who was the sports teacher at Jagannath College, the secretary of Wari Club, and a director of my plays.[5][6] He was previously acquainted with the Nawab family. The cinematography for this film was done by Khwaja Ajmal. Ambujprosanna Gupta and Khwaja Ajmal thus became the first director and cinematographer, respectively, of films made in Bangladesh.[7]
Production
editFilming
editThe first filmmaking process started under the financial help and patronage of the Nawab family of Dhaka.[8] The entire film was shot in the area of Dilkuusha Garden (present-day Bangabhaban), owned by the Nawab family of Dhaka. To avoid any damaging the filming reel, no scene was shot for the second time. For capturing images, reflective boards made from cigarette packet wrappers were set up during daylight.[7]
Actress Sukumari (played by Abdus Sobhan) was walking with the end of her sari draped over her head, accompanied by her husband. At one point, either carelessly or unexpectedly, the end of the sari suddenly slipped off her head. As a result, it covered the head of a young man with short hair. Due to the lack of additional film reels, the scene was not taken again, and the camera was not turned off during the shooting... Only one print of Sukumari was made.
— Khawaja Zaheer, involved in the production of Sukumari
Source: Anupam Hayat, বাংলাদেশের চলচ্চিত্রের ইতিহাস (1987), page:10
Editing
editThe film was made with the encouragement and sponsorship of the Nawab family of Dhaka; it was composed of only four reels.[9][10] Considering the preservation of the film, no scenes were edited out. Only one print of the film was made.[11]
Release
editOnly one copy of the film was made. Unfortunately the copy of the film was never available for the public screening. But there were a few private screenings.[11]
Legacy
editAfter successfully making the film, some culturally-minded young individuals from the Nawab family of Dhaka, who were involved with the film, took the initiative to make the first film in Dhaka and established an organization called the Dhaka East Bengal Cinematograph Society, which was the first film-producing organization of Bangladesh.[12] Through their efforts, the first full-length film based on Dhaka, The Last Kiss, was later produced,[13][14][15] released in 1931.[16][17] It was also produced by the Nawab family of Dhaka.[18]
Only a still picture of Sukumari is preserved by Bangladesh Film Archive.[12]
References
editCitations
edit- ^ "মনে আছে কি?". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 2014-06-19. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ^ বাংলাদেশের চলচ্চিত্র নিয়ে কিছু জানা কথা Archived 30 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Tapan Bagchi
- ^ Hasan, pp. 16–17.
- ^ "ঢাকাই চলচ্চিত্রের শুরুর সময়". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
- ^ "১০০ বছরে রাজা হরিশচন্দ্র". Prothom Alo. 2012-04-21. Archived from the original on 2020-02-05. Retrieved 2020-02-05.
- ^ "টাইম লাইন বাংলা চলচ্চিত্র". Samakal (in Bengali). 2018-08-04. Archived from the original on 2020-08-08. Retrieved 2020-02-04.
- ^ a b Hasan, pp. 17–18.
- ^ "The Liberation Struggles of a Country and a Festival". dhakafilmfestival.org. Dhaka Film Festival. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
- ^ Azadi, Dainik (2021-11-29). "বঙ্গবন্ধু ও বাংলাদেশের চলচ্চিত্র". দৈনিক আজাদী. Retrieved 2024-06-28.
- ^ ঢালিউডের নন্দিত নায়িকাদের গল্প. banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 3 April 2011.
- ^ a b Hasan, pp. 18.
- ^ a b "History of Bangladeshi Film". cholochitro.com. Cholochitro. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
- ^ Ghosh, Partha S. (23 May 2016). Migrants, Refugees and the Stateless in South Asia. SAGE Publishing India. p. 232. ISBN 978-93-5150-853-3. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020.
- ^ "Cinema of Bangladesh" (PDF). Hyderabad Film Club. p. 3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 June 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ Huq, Sabiha; Mukherjee, Srideep (21 January 2020). "Guns in Bangla cinema across borders: perspectives on cultural evolution". Palgrave Communications. 6 (1): 1–12. doi:10.1057/s41599-019-0379-6. ISSN 2055-1045.
- ^ "Dhaka Nawab Family and Film". nawabbari.com. Nawab Bari. Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
- ^ "Did you know? First Pakistani silent movie makes it to international film fests". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
- ^ Sharma, Anukrati (5 August 2019). Sustainable Tourism Development: Futuristic Approaches. CRC Press. p. 117. ISBN 978-0-429-67478-5. Archived from the original on 22 June 2020.
Bibliography
edit- Hasan, Khandakar Mahmudul (2011). মুক্তিযুদ্ধের চলচ্চিত্র (in Bengali). Dhaka: Kotha Prokash. ISBN 9847012001677.
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