Jaya Ahsan in a film on partition
Indian Bengali film 'Konttho' is now set for release in Bangladesh on November 8. The film will be released in Bangladesh under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement. However, released date of 'Khacha' has not been finalized yet.
The government funded film follows Sharajini (Jaya Ahsan) and her family after the partition of 1947. The story is set in Jessore in the year 1948.
Directed by Akram Khan, feature film 'Khacha', starring Jaya Ahsan, is set to be released in Kolkata under the Safta agreement. Impress Telefilm will distribute the Bangladeshi film in Kolkata. On the other hand, Indian film 'Konttho', also starring Jaya, is being released in Bangladesh under the same agreement as well.
Produced by Impress Telefilm, 'Khacha' is based on writer Hassan Azizul Haque's novel of the same name. The screenplay of the film is jointly written by actor Azad Abul Kalam, and director of the film Akram Khan.
Speaking about the film's Indian release, director Akra Khan said, "Usually commercial films don't get much box office success in Kolkata nor in Bangladesh, but 'Khacha' is based on the partition, and was screened at various film festivals in Kolkata, and I heard audiences watched the film multiple times in Kolkata as the story of the film can connect to people of both countries.
The Bangladesh government funded film centers Sharajini (Jaya Ahsan) and her family after the partition. The story is set against the backdrop of Jessore in 1948. Ombujakkho Chokroborty (Azad Abul Kalam), a high caste Hindu Brahmin desperately looks for a suitable barter to exchange his house in Muslim-majority East Bengal to move to Hindu-majority West Bengal.
However, many prospects for house exchanges arise, and fall through. Years go by, and his wife Sharajini eventually becomes fidgety. But 16 years after independence from the British, Ombujakkho finally gives up. What happens next forms the crux of the film.
