An Hour With Sahil Rony:
Exclusive By Fatema Ruma

Fatema Tuj Johora

 

_The whole world is passing by several kinds of problems in these days, that people do not expect but facing. A lot of differences between the reality and some false traditional and religious believes bringing terrific experiences to their lives. And without fixing these problems, we could never be stabled as we want by heart.

 

As Eyes on Life believes that it is youth who only can change the ongoing morality maintaining by the people around the world, we always try to highlight their activities when they do something small or big to change the world and to help people.

 

In this regard, we met Sahil Rony, a young film director and photographer from Bangladesh, to know about what kind of changes he is trying to bring to the world.

Recently a short film titled in Manush (The Soul) by Sahil Rony, was showcased by the Asia Pacific Section of the International Federation of Film Societies (IFFS) to show in it's online short film festival.

 

With this film Sahil tried to change some religious believes of people which make them to hate other people only because they are from different religion. But the Almighty said in his books, it does not matter in what religion you believe, the matter is how you are acting during your lifetime.

 

The film already earned 6 awards in international level and received critical acclaim both in India and Bangladesh, although it is Sahil's first film as a director.

Why and how you entered film industry?

 

Actually, I never dreamed of becoming a director since I was a child. In 1992, I was involved with various kinds of professions. When I thought I would do photography because I have a good knowledge about it, I came to Dhaka and started my profession as a cinematographer. I took a training in cinematography from Annapurna College of Film and Media in India.

 

In 1998, I started my career in the media with the help of filmmaker Saiful Islam Mannu. I am the first in Bangladesh to start using new technology including DSLR, drone, Steadicam

 

I have also worked with various directors as Director of Photographer on numerous TV dramas, music videos, and commercial ads. Besides, I have worked in documentaries of many talented directors from home and across the country.

It was 2019, one day, Blankbox producer Istiaq Mahmud called me and offered to give direction to the short film 'Manush'. I received his proposal and started preparing myself for everything related to this short film.

 

What was the reason to make the film 'Manush', and selecting the name?

 

Basically, when we got the story, it was named as Lal Rokter Manush Amra. But after reading the story well and brainstormed, we understand that the story is basically about the humanity. So we renamed it as 'Manush'.

 

What did you wanted to say with this film?

Basically, no religion is worse, and we should respect all religions. This is how peace could be established, establishing religious harmony is important everywhere.

 

How did you casted the actors and actresses in this film?

 

When they have given the responsibility of this short film, they have also given the full freedom to execute the job well. The budget for this short film was very low so i have to complete all the work on it. Therefore, I select the crew with a lot of thought.

We have enough good music composers in Bangladesh, but why still the sound effects in films could not reach a standard level, and the videography too?

 

Actually it happen for low cost budget. Available good music composers in our country are very highly paid. A director has to maintain everything with a limited budget, that's why he get failed to represent a better musical background, even when he does not want it.

 

The same thing happen to videography too, beside, we also have a lack of creative cinematographer and editors.

 

Why directors and producers are getting interested in selecting online media like 'Netflix' or available media in Bangladesh to release their films except Movie theaters? We heard that they are doing this to avoid the censor board and also to get viewers who do not like to go to movie theaters, what is your opinion?

 

Our Hall systems are responsible for this, which is not centralized. There are no proper rules for releasing movies. There is an irregularity in everything from selling movie tickets to displaying movies.

 

What is the minimum curtsey and quality a director should have or follow?

 

First of all, a director must have to be a decent person. His biggest responsibility is to make the story easy for everyone to understand. Every story has to be something that mass people will find entertaining and will also get some educational messages that will work in their lives.

 

In recent days, directors and producers are selecting strange names for drama, telefilm, and movies like ,'Drama Queen', 'Tejpata', 'Chakri korle sorkari, bebsa korle torkari', what benefit they are getting with these kinds of names?

 

Now due to the digital age, any drama is being promoted on YouTube. But some unhealthy and business minded director is stumbling to increase the view of the content. We should stop these immediately.

What was your feeling after selecting your movie for online short film festival?

 

I was overwhelmed by this honor. As I'm a cinematographer, occasionally I make films. I'm happy to get this award.

 

Bangladeshi audiences are still not that much interested in watching short films you know, one other thing that is, entertainment is the main fact that influence audiences to watch movies.

 

But as we observed, directors only tried to represent their short films based on the selected facts only, what is the reason they are avoiding this important matter when making short films? don't you think maybe that is the reason making viewers avoiding to watch short films? isn't it better, if you would express your theme with a little fun so that they can understand easily and get attracted?

Every short film has a short instructive message. In fact, all stories do not need dance and songs. Now in a story where you don't need a dance and song, if you try to include these unnecessary things in your film, then the main thing of the story will be lost. So, what we need to do in the story, we should do.

 

We see most of the actors and actresses in Bangladesh failing to establish their personality in acting, besides the acting quality of side characters are too low, even a few main characters too, what is the reason behind this? don't they have enough opportunity to get them trained or getting selected for any kind of relationship?

 

we also heard that some times producers cast them directly, and some times for money, what all these to you? why directors are casting them without being prepared?

 

Our big problem is that we select someone who has more fan followers in whatever film or drama we direct. Due to this, the drama or movie will run well, a big budget goes behind it. Then the rest is somehow selected with the budget. This becomes a problem because screening does not go for others due to a lack of budget.

Besides, lack of education and some businessmen who join the film industry, with the target to make profit by making a drama or short film or movie, where they don't have any idea about the film industry, the creativity goes so far.

 

Please specify your ongoing works

 

Recently, I have further expanded my catalog in both TV and narrative fiction projects, shooting for national tv channel Deepto TV campaigns, and creative advertising for the energy, manufacturing and finance sectors.

 

Some of my upcoming feature films are Chironjib Mujib by Nazrul Islam, Pritilata by Rashid Palash, gaangkumari by Fazlul Tuhin, and Payer chaap by Saiful Islam Mannu.

 

What is your future plan in the movie industry?

Which will be screened at various film festivals. In fact, this kind of festival is very respectful, and they observe the nuances of each movie which I like.

 

Film industry is passing by a hard time during the covid-19 impact that stepped in it's 2nd year, and as we see the restrictions may last for years more, what steps you have taken to survive, I mean, shooting, releasing movies, gathering viewers?

 

In fact, we all have to make a living, so we have to follow all the hygiene rules and shoot. I basically try not to get the crowd during the shooting.

 

Besides, the hope for us is that an upcoming online platform Chorki by Prothom Alo like Netflix where we can release our movies.

 

And now we all live in the digital age, so we use online social platforms to increase views.

 

What is your point of view to mark a short film or movie as successful?

 

First, choose the right story and make that so natural through short films. Of course, there will be an instructive message in all these films. All kinds of publicity must be applied to reach people so that people can know.

 

If you have to do these things with the best people in the industry, then a good output will come.

 

With the hand of the internet the world is on one platform now, you have enough options to represent our cultures and thoughts worldwide, but why Bangladeshi directors and producers still not interested in making films using the international language English, so that our movies could be compared with other countries movies and artists?

 

In our country, movies are being made in English. In fact, language does not matter. If I can properly express the content of a movie in my language and convey an educational message to people through my movies, then that's fine. If your movie content and presentation are good, then this movie will get popularity in foreign countries as well.

 

Now a days, several countries including India making movies with false stories targeting specific religions and countries to underestimate them and also trying to create hateful thoughts, is that legal? If not, what kind of step could be taken to stop this kind of activity?

 

In fact, it will take the steps of those who are in charge of the country. We, the mass people can do nothing at all. Our job is as a director and to make good movies, that is it.

 

Do you want to say something to the audiences or some other else?

 

The film is one of the mediums in the industry. Everyone should come forward to save our film industry, and should make movies with a better story, so that the public can watch the movie.

 

And if I want to talk about 'Manush' movie, I will tell, we all celebrate all festivals irrespective of race or religion. So, we can say that Harmony is a great power, not a religion.

 

Movie review

 

The core of this story is a Catholic nun and Anu, a student, and the moral speech is related onto how the nun had been contributing to students and others till death, even being criticized by the locals just bacause she believed in another religion.

 

One day, Anu, a needy Muslim school girl stops attending school. The nun visits her house and found that she is unable to continue her studies because her family cannot afford it. The nun helps her financially and emotionally, and also try to make her understand about the importance of education.

 

Anu suddenly had to move to another place with his family, and after a long time, gaining a successfull life, she get back with the realizaion about the Nun, who played the key role to her success.

 

The film is a project of filmmaking organization Outbox with BlankBox Production and was supported by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The writer of this story is Shamima Sekendar and editor was Christopher Clinton Kubi. Music director Prottoy khan was also selected for background music.

The casting to this short film is, Shilpi Sarker Opu as Catholic nun, Geetasree Chowdhury acted as Grandmother, Nishat priom as Anu, Ashok bepari as School Teacher, Late Selim Ahmed as Father, Syed Masum reza and some others.

 

The film has won, Best short film(Third runner up) in Bangalore International Short Film Award 2020, India, Special screening in Global Youth Film Festival Bangladesh 2020, Official selection in Reels International Short Film Festival 2021, India, Official selection in Silver Screen Short Film Awards 2021, India, Official selection in IFFS Asia-Pacific Film Festival 2021, Official selection in Bangladesh short film and documentary festival 2021.

Reference

Eyes on Life Journalists