Three national awards go to ‘Rehana Maryam Noor’

Internationally acclaimed film of 2020 ‘Rehana Maryam Noor’ bagged the national film awards in three categories.

Azmeri Haque Badhan won the award under the ‘best actress’ category, while Afia Jahin Jaima won the ‘best child artist’ award, and Shaiba Talukder won as the ‘best sound designer’.

This is the first time in her 17 years long acting career, Badhan managed to bag the highest honour in Bangladesh’s film industry. “I’m really happy and proud of myself too, as I finally won the award. I received the award from our honourable prime minister, Sheikh Hasina. Thus, I consider it a special achievement of mine. I’m dedicating this win to all who are suppressed from exercising their right to freedom,” said the actress.

“I want to see a world where men and women have equal rights, respect, and status. My film ‘Rehana Maryam Noor’ has made Bangladeshi cinema more popular internationally. It gained a respectable place for the country on the world map. The film has been honoured at various festivals around the world too. From that point of view, I think the film could have earned the national award in some more categories,” she added.

Meanwhile, the sound designer of the film, Shaiba Talukder, expressed his satisfaction and joy, as this is also his first national award. “I worked as a sound designer for several movies, including ‘Live From Dhaka’, ‘Kaler Putul’, and ‘Redrum’. But for the first time, I was awarded the National Film Award for working in ‘Rehana Maryam Noor’. My deepest gratitude to the whole unit, including the director,” said Shaiba.

On the other hand, the achievements of Afia Tabassum at such a young age made her parents proud of their daughter. “The film was Afia’s first one, and the fact that she earned the national award for her first film makes us really proud as her parents. Please pray for my child so that she can be a good human being and shine in her life,” said Afia’s father Abdullahil Jamil.

‘Rehana Mariam Noor’ premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival and received a standing ovation.

The film has been selected for the Debate section of the 65th British Film Institute of London Film Festival. The film was released across Bangladesh on November 12, 2021.