New face to feature Khokon’s ‘Bhayankar Aynaghar’, not Shakib

Director Badiul Alam Khokon, renowned for his successful collaborations with superstar Shakib Khan, is venturing into new territory with his upcoming film ‘Bhayangkar Aynaghar’. This project marks a significant departure from his usual content and casting choices.

Over the years, Khokon and Shakib Khan have formed a formidable duo in the Bangladeshi film industry, delivering hits like ‘Priya Amar Priya’, ‘My Name is Khan’, and ‘Rajababu The Power’. However, Khokon has decided to tackle the sensitive and politically charged subject of ‘Bhayangkar Aynaghar’ with a fresh face in the lead role.

‘Aynaghar’ is the name of a secret internment center run by a government agency, where detainees can see no one but themselves, as if surrounded by mirrors. 

The film, produced by Ma-Mani Film Production, is set to begin shooting on November 1. When asked about the challenges of creating a film on such a controversial topic, Khokon explained, "I’ve been preparing for this project for a long time. This is a story that needs to be told, and now is the right time to bring it to the screen."

The existence of 'Aynaghar' first came to light on August 14, 2022, when Netra News, a Sweden-based independent news portal, published an investigative whistleblower report alleging that Bangladesh officials were detaining and torturing victims of enforced disappearances at ‘Aynaghar’. The Al Jazeera documentary ‘All the Prime Minister's Men’ also mentioned this secret detention center. Since the recent student upheaval, the public has become more aware of the horrific human rights abuses that allegedly took place there. Khokon aims to use his film to shed light on these dark events and to raise awareness, ensuring that such atrocities are never repeated.

When asked why he chose to make such an important film without his usual star, Shakib Khan, Khokon explained, "Shakib won’t be in this film. We’ve done many successful movies together, and the audience loves them. But for ‘Bhayangkar Aynaghar’, I want to work with new talent to bring a fresh perspective to this serious issue."

Before this new venture, Khokon had been working on another film, ‘Agun’, starring Shakib Khan and Zahara Mitu. The project was 80 percent complete before it was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Plans are now underway to resume shooting, with the final scenes and two songs scheduled to be filmed in December. If all goes well, ‘Agun’ will be ready for release during a festival next year.