Farooki waits for correction list

The Information and Broadcasting Minister, Dr Hasan Mahmud informed the media on Monday that Bangladesh Film Censor Board (BFCB) members should not have any problems issuing a clearance certificate to Mostofa Sarwar Farooki’s film ‘Saturday Afternoon’ (Shonibar Bikel) if a few additions are made. Farooki told the press yesterday that he has not received any list of corrections from the board and he is waiting for it.

One of the major characteristics of the film ‘Saturday afternoon’ is that the entire film was made in one continuous shot. Film experts have said if any scenes are added or removed, the movie may lose that special feature that helped it get critical acclaim internationally.

When asked about this Farooki said, “I have not yet received the list of what corrections need to be added. I am waiting. I can tell what happens afterward once I have the list in my hand. But I am very eager to show the movie to the audience of my country. So it is very important to release the movie as soon as possible.”

On Monday, after announcing that steps have been taken to withdraw the Wildlife case against ‘Hawa,’ Dr Mahmud said, “This movie ‘Saturday Afternoon’ is based on the ‘Holey Artisan’ attack in Dhaka. During this incident, two of our police officers were killed, and the police, RAB, and army suppressed the militants with the utmost bravery. However, in the censor board’s opinion, these parts of the incident were not depicted properly in the movie.”

Dr Mahmud noted that the censor board had requested for these scenes to be added to the film and that some of them had then been added, but it was still not enough.

“If all of these scenes are added to the movie, then I think the censor board will not have a problem giving a clearance certificate to the movie,” added the minister.

Farooki’s much-anticipated film ‘Saturday Afternoon’ has been well received in many international film festival circuits since 2019 but it was unable to receive a clearance certificate from the BFCB for the past three years.