Filmmaker Hansal Mehta recently voiced his concerns and experiences related to his 2022 film Faraaz, which remains banned in Bangladesh. The movie, based on a terror attack in Dhaka, allegedly portrayed the Bangladeshi authorities in a negative light. Mehta shared his reflections on social media amid the political turmoil in Bangladesh, where Ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled the country following massive protests.
Amid Bangladesh crisis, Hansal Mehta says Sheikh Hasina’s government banned Faraaz to “Cover their bloodied hands”
Banned Film and Threats
Mehta took to X to recount the challenges he faced in releasing Faraaz. He revealed that the Bangladeshi government, led by Sheikh Hasina, took measures to stall the film’s release for nearly 18 months. “I was visited at home by the otherwise very amiable Bangladesh High Commissioner of the time, I was constantly threatened by sources supposedly from the Indian ‘cabinet secretariat’,” Mehta wrote. He also mentioned receiving multiple calls from high-ranking police officials and alleged secret service agents, and being accorded police protection due to perceived threats from terror organisations.
Criticism of Sheikh Hasina’s Leadership
Mehta described Hasina, the 76-year-old daughter of Bangladesh’s founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, as a “highly authoritarian leader” who was intolerant of criticism. “This was a government that wanted nobody outside Bangladesh to know that they were simply inept and run by a highly authoritarian leader who was afraid of any criticism towards herself. They wanted to cover up their bloodied hands by shutting our voice and our right to tell a story,” Mehta stated.
The Struggle for Faraaz
Despite the threats and litigation, Mehta stood by his film, which stars Zahaan Kapoor, Aditya Rawal, Juhi Babbar, and Aamir Ali. Faraaz tackles the debate between religion and radicalism, providing a critique of authoritarian governments and majoritarian states. “I am still battling bogus litigation in the Bangladesh courts,” he noted, reflecting on the ongoing struggle to tell the story of the 2016 Holey Artisan Bakery attack.
Seeing the events unfold in Bangladesh reminds me of the Faraaz release saga. It is streaming globally on Netflix except in Bangladesh where it has been banned.
The release of ‘Faraaz’ based on the Holey Artisan Bakery, Dhaka attack of 2016 was sought to be stalled for nearly… pic.twitter.com/dQIP9pF9P1
— Hansal Mehta (@mehtahansal) August 5, 2024
Current Unrest in Bangladesh
The recent resignation of Sheikh Hasina came after widespread protests and violence, with more than 100 people killed over the last two days. The demonstrations were fueled by discontent with the controversial quota system, which reserves 30% of jobs for families of veterans from the 1971 liberation war. Following Hasina’s departure, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waqar-uz-Zaman announced that an interim government would take over, prompting celebrations in the streets.
Also Read: Kangana Ranaut says, “No one is safe in Muslim countries” after Ex-Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina seeks refuge in India amid crisis
More Pages: Faraaz Box Office Collection
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