Bangladeshi film “Agantuk” (The Stranger), directed by Biplob Sarkar, has garnered attention at the 15th edition of the Indian Film Festival Melbourne (IFFM).
The film, produced by Sarkar alongside Rammya Rahim Choudhury and Tazul Haque, is part of the festival's showcase of contemporary subcontinental cinema.
The cast includes prominent actors such as Ferdausi Majumdar, Sahana Rahman Sumi, Ratan Dev, Mahmud Alam and young talents such as Ehan, Rafsan, and Hridoy. Cinematographer Mazaharul Razu and art directors Wakilur Rahman and Saddam Khandaker Joy contributed to the film's visual style. Sukanta Majumdar handled the sound design while the editing was completed by Sankhajit Biswas and Sarkar.
Funded by a Bangladesh government grant from 2019-2020, Agantuk marks Biplob's first full-length feature film. It previously premiered in the main competition at the prestigious Busan International Film Festival, Asia’s largest film event. In 2022, the film won the Prasad Lab DI and Moviebuff Appreciation Award at the Film Bazaar in Goa.
The film tells the story of Kajol, a 10-year-old boy living with his mother and ailing grandmother. When Kajol's long-missing father suddenly returns, tensions unfold within the family. The film delicately portrays the complexities of family relationships.
Renowned actress Ferdausi Majumdar lauded the film, calling it a "bold production" that presents a timely story. "It’s filmmaking style is quite different from other Bangladeshi films. I extend my heartfelt wishes for the producers, director and the entire cast and crew," she added.
"Being selected for IFFM is an absolute thrill for the entire 'Agantuk' team," said director Biplob Sarkar. "To have our film screened for the Bengali diaspora in Melbourne is a great joy and honour. We poured our hearts into this project, overcoming challenges with limited resources and a small budget. I’m immensely grateful to the cast and crew for their unwavering dedication. I hope the audience back home will be able to watch 'Agantuk' very soon."
“Agantuk” has also impressed international critics. A reviewer from Variety described it as “a colourful speck of a movie that somehow contains a whole portrait, like a miniature one might find painted on a grain of rice.”
Biplob Sarkar, an emerging talent from Bangladesh, previously won the Tareq Shahriar Best Independent Short Film award at Dhaka’s International Short & Independent Film Festival for his documentary short film “Life Is Elsewhere.” His 90-second short film “The Flying Dog” was also screened at Kinoprova Film Festival in Russia in 2015.
