A biographical film on cricketer Raqibul Hasan has been announced on Sunday.
It will be the first film on any cricketer of Bangladesh.
The script of the film will be written by Debbrata Mukherjee, a sports journalist and writer. Debbrata himself broke the news on his social media handle, reports UNB.
“Bangladesh’s liberation war veteran and the former captain of Bangladesh national cricket team Raqibul Hasan has signed an agreement on a film based on his life. The title of the film will be unveiled later,” Debbrata wrote on his social media handle on Sunday.
The film will be directed by Bunty Afzal, who is known for some small-screen works, and the film will be produced by Rumana Sharmin Swati of half-pant cinema factory.
“It is a matter of pride for me. Rakibul Hasan is not an ordinary cricketer. He appeared in the field for Pakistan with the Joy Bangla sticker on his bat, which helped him to draw the attention of the whole world. An arrest warrant was issued against him, but still, he went to Bangladesh's liberation war with his father's gun. He was a frontline fighter. He is a real hero. It's a big achievement for us to make a film based on the life of such a person,” Debbrata told UNB.
Producer Rumana Sharmin said they wanted to tell a story what comprises Bangladesh’s great liberation war and cricket, and this is why they chose the story of Raqibul Hasan.
“We know many stories of Bangladesh’s liberation war which inspire us along the way. But in this film, we want to tell a different story on our liberation war including cricket, the most popular sports in the country. With this combination, the film might reach millions of people,” Sharmin told UNB. The film will cost at least BDT 4 to 5 crores, confirmed the producer.
Director Bunty Afzal also said it’s a dream project for him as he has been working for a long time to make it possible.
“It’s like a dream comes true for me. I have been working on this for a long time. And at the same time, it’s a big challenge for me since it’s my first full-length film. I believe we all have to take this challenge in our life at a point,” Afzal told UNB.
Afzal directed TV drama called Bishchokh, Kalopodmo and Bumerang. Afzal also said, “It’s our dream project, and we understand it will be a big one. Since the announcement comes to the light, the media is covering it with huge importance. It is also proving how big this work is!"